Hey, Sugar

I really didn’t believe I could do this.
If you had told me a few weeks ago that I would be able to go five days without sugar, I would have said, “No way.” If you read my last blog post, then you know I was pretty discouraged after I couldn’t even make it until Noon without putting sugar in my tea!
But then, a neat thing happened. People started encouraging me. They left me comments here and on Facebook. They sent me e-mails and messages. They told me they believed I could do it. They even gave me helpful advice on how to break it down and set smaller goals to get to my result. They told me not to be so hard on myself.
And after a few days, I realized the real problem. I really didn’t believe I could do it.
I expected myself to fail.
I started reading blogs and web sites with info on doing a sugar detox. I decided I would wait until April 22 to start. That would allow me to enjoy Easter on Sunday and my birthday on Monday.
But when I woke up this past Monday morning, I was ready to start. I was determined. I was GOING to do it!
No sugar. No sweets. No artificial sweeteners.
I was off.

I realized right away that I had no idea what I was doing. I really had never studied labels enough to know that sugar is in almost every thing I buy at the grocery store! I had planned to stop using sugar or artificial sweeteners, and I planned to stop eating sweets and desserts and anything that is obviously sugary, But other than that, I hadn’t given any thought to what I would eat to give me the energy to get through the day.
I had to set some parameters for what a sugar detox even meant for me. I realized that even though I was cutting out a ton of my favorite foods, I was still consuming a lot of sugar, just by drinking milk or eating spaghetti sauce or even a tortilla. And then there was fruit. I decided to go with a plan that I could manage, rather than trying to do a true detox that would require me to squeeze my own almonds to make almond milk.
I still allow myself to have a small amount of milk, peanut butter and other foods, as long as they contain 2 grams of sugar or less. I also allow myself to have two fruits a day. I don’t eat bread or crackers. But I’m still eating some pasta and oatmeal. As each day goes on, I’m learning more about what I should and shouldn’t eat and making changes to my “rules.”
The first two days were rough. My head was foggy. I couldn’t think clearly. I was moody. And I had major crashes in the afternoon and evening. By day three and four, my head was starting to clear, and I wasn’t as obsessed with sugar. I realized that I needed to be prepared with fresh veggies, almonds and other healthy snacks at all times so I wouldn’t get hungry. I started packing a huge container of fresh vegetables if I was going to be gone for more than a few hours.
I’ve also found out that protein and fat are my friends. They make me feel full and give me energy. I’ve eaten more fresh veggies in the last week than I probably ate the first three months of the year combined!
I’m on Day Five today, and I feel like I’ve stabilized. I have energy. I’m not craving sugar. And I feel good about myself.
I KNEW I could do it! 😉