"Training"

I was so motivated to blog more regularly after my last post but it just didn't happen. Oh well.

So my zero-sugar experiment went ok. I refuse to call it a success or failure because I want to try again and I don't think giving it such a final judgement would aid in the motivation department. Right after I wrote last I flew into hysterics because I realized I wasn't supposed to be eating honey. Josh, ever supportive, talked me down and accompanied me on a late night grocery hunt for allowed sweeteners. I left with some Agave syrup and a box of Stevia sweetener, thoroughly relieved. I did fantastically after that until Super Bowl Sunday. I didn't care about the game, but all of the delicious treats Bobbe made for us were just too much! The next week got busy and I just fell off the wagon.

So, I'm going to start up again soon and go another week on the same plan, and then slowly reintroduce the banned foods one at a time, as well as moderate my sugar intake. I want to do this because I could not believe the difference in how I felt over those two weeks! When I was off sugar, etc. I had tons more energy, less headaches, and better overall health...but I was SO cranky!!

When I went back on sugar I felt super sluggish and gross...and not cranky...but feeling gross made me not feel emotionally great either!

Thus, the experiment. I'm hoping to learn some more about the way my body responds to different foods, and maybe learn some moderation as well. At work we are watching The Peaceful Warrior with the girls. At one point the old man tells the young man,

"There is no beginning or end to training. You simple continue. Life is a training."

That is how I'm going to approach "training" my body.

Days 1, 2, & 3

Day 1 was rough. I was sorely tempted and caved a little. Not a great start. But the mentality I have chosen is that stumbling a little is not the end of the world. I am not going off sugar for 2 weeks. I'm simply not eating anything that won't make me feel good TODAY! Telling myself that I'm not going to have anything yummy for 2 weeks is just not helpful. It seems daunting and completely un-accomplishable! So I'm taking this one day at a time.

Day 2 went pretty well except that it was a little stressful because I'm not used to taking time to thaw chicken and prepare balanced, sensible meals for myself so I ran around like a crazy person looking for something for lunch before rushing off to work. Naturally I felt flustered and not thrilled with this eating plan, but I didn't get a headache yesterday and Tuesdays are traditionally my big migraine days, so my faith was restored.

I found that when I eat full, balanced meals with healthy carbs and the right amount of protein, I feel full longer and don't crave sugar as much. I am grateful that I am already feeling the positive results of my plan.

Day 3 (today) was very challenging. I was rushed this morning and super irritated when I showed up a half hour early to work because they changed the schedule and didn't tell me. Super. Irritated. Mostly because I was in the midst of a lovely dream in my nice warm bed when I bolted out of bed after missing my alarm.

So I hurried through my Oatmeal with a bit of honey, some pecans, and frozen berries, downed some herbal tea and rushed in just to be there early. As a result, I got hungry earlier and had a later lunch than I should have so the cravings are up! I also think that the lack of (processed) sugar is making me a wee bit cranky. My poor husband!

The website (http://www.womentowomen.com/detoxification/detoxdiet.aspx) recommends plenty of fluids such as 100% juice, water, and tea as well as vitamin C supplements, meditation, and Yoga to help with cravings, so that's the plan for the rest of the evening. And I think I'll clean my house to distract myself from the yummy unopened bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs hiding in my kitchen.

11 days to go! Huzzah!

Too Much Sugar! Need More Spice!

I have ALWAYS struggled with sugar consumption. I love sugar in almost every form. Give me candy (sweet or sour), chocolates, cake, brownies, hot fudge sundaes, chocolate ice cream, ice cream in general, pies, pudding, chocolate milk...really anything with chocolate...but more than anything, the coup de grace of my sugaraholic-ness:

I. Love. Cookies.

They are my Kryptonite. I can down a box of Oreos before you even know they're there!

And, on an emotional note:

When I was little cookies were the default dessert. I was a good little veggie-eater for the lone, solitary hope that after bathtime, before bed, Dad would pour each of us a mug of ice cold milk and hand out one and a half (we got the extra half on really nasty veggie nights) hot, homemade, fresh, delectable chocolate chip & roasted pecan cookies. Heaven. My heaven will have cookies.

Once, my friends and I came home from a particularly dramatic school dance in the ninth grade just heartbroken over some stupid boys with a whole night of moping ahead of us. We walked in the door and my dad took one look at us and said, "what'll it be girls?" with a bar towel slung over his shoulder. Cara-playing along, as always-replied, "give me a milk. Make it chocolate. On the rocks." to which I added, "I need some Oreos, Dad. And stat!"

Moral of the story: Cookies and milk make everything better!

Right?

Right?

I wish it were so.

For reasons I will explain shortly, I decided to go on a sugar cleanse for 2 weeks.

No sugar.

No bread.

No caffeine. (I'm weaning.)

And some other stuff that's way easier to eliminate from my diet.

I won't bore you with the details of what I am and am not eating because it's really all about the sugar for me. I don't love french fries and potato chips. I don't eat super processed Mac-n-Cheese. I just love my sugar. But I don't feel well. I weigh more than I ever have before, which is super annoying and depressing since I'm supposedly in the prime of my life or whatever. I also get massively painful migraines which I suspect are mostly hormonal but I can't deny the correlation to sugar. I have also never had a single successful go at dieting or even creating and maintaining healthy eating habits. So I feel super motivated because I desperately want to feel better...and if I follow the plan 85% of the 2 week period (let's be realistic here) Josh promised me a pedicure! Hee hee.

I know that many of my readers (lol I have like 5 readers) have had success with plans like this so if any of you have tips or motivational support or chew toys to stop the cravings, let a rip!

Here goes!!