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My 10-Day Sugar Detox

October 29, 2013 by Hillary 13 Comments

Before I set out on a jet plan to New York City, I embarked on a Nutrition Nut exploration by way of trying a mini version of The 21-Day Sugar Detox.

Coincidentally, the book was released today! The 21-Day Sugar Detox: Bust Sugar & Carb Cravings Naturally is available to order on Amazon… and the cookbook will be released in December.

sugardetox

Why now then?

  1. My roommate had done the full 21-day detox once before, and was doing it for a second time. Her testimonials about how good it made her feel gave me encouragement to take a break from the sweet stuff.
  2. I was going on vacation and knew indulgent eating would be involved, so I claimed it a  pre-trip cleanse.
  3. I started the detox at the end of September, when most of the sweet and juicy summer fruits weren’t at their prime; since fruit isn’t allowed during the cleanse*, I thought the time – seasonally – seemed ideal.
  4. I don’t eat nearly as much processed sugar as I once did (hello, 3:00pm mocha and fat cookie), but I won’t deny that I still have a sweet tooth and can minimize the sugar I consume.

*You are allowed one green apple or one green-tipped banana per day.

What I Ate

groceries

I followed the Level 1 Plan and took the athlete and vegetarian modifications into consideration. As soon as I got home from a weekend in San Fran – enjoying garlic fries and tequila mojitos – I headed to Trader Joe’s to stock up my fridge with clean eats.

Tip >> I put my put all of my chocolate, honey, pasta, pancake mix, etc. on the very top shelf of my cupboard. Out of sight, out of mind.

A sampling of what I ate:

  • breakfast: plain Greek yogurt / canned pumpkin / chopped apple / raw walnuts, pecans or pepitas / chia seeds / cinnamon
  • celery + almond butter
  • hard-boiled eggs
  • small Granny Smith apples + sharp white cheddar
  • carrots + homemade sunflower seed butter
  • salads with salmon or beans and veggies (olive oil + vinegar)
  • roasted Brussels and sweet potatoes
  • loaded sweet potatoes (beans, salsa, avocado, etc.)
  • curried lentil soup
  • almond butter banana pancakes: 1 banana / 1 heaping tablespoon almond butter / 1 egg / cinnamon & vanilla… with butter
  • oat-free oatmeal — could hardly stomach it even with a mountain of AB and unsweetened coconut

oatmeal

What I Missed/How I Cheated

  • hot, creamy oatmeal
  • peanut butter — it’s a legume and has more carbohydrates than almond butter
  • I ate a small piece (~1 oz.) of 85% dark chocolate every evening to satisfy said sweet tooth.
  • Some days, I ate both an apple and a banana; the banana wasn’t necessarily green-tipped either.
  • I didn’t measure the amount of sweet potato I ate and allowed myself to eat it even if it was not a day that I exercised.
  • By the end of the short detox, I was pretty tired of yogurt, celery, and – gasp! – almond butter.

Where I Went Wrong

I was really proud of myself for sticking to the detox, and “cheating” minimally for 10 days. I was not hard on myself for eating a banana or a sweet potato because I was, nevertheless, detoxing my body from added sugar. I never intended to do the strict plan in the first place.

That said, Day 10 was the day I departed for NYC; come Day 11 — what detox? It is recommended that you gradually reintroduce fruits and whole grains into your diet after the three-week detox. I enjoyed my vacation and #ALLthecarbs to the fullest; in other words, I felt like I negated my detoxing efforts almost entirely. #lessonlearned

roasted

How I Felt

  • Overall, really good! 
  • I – surprisingly – didn’t have any devastating cravings for sugar. Days 3 and 4, I “crashed” slightly in the afternoon; I think my body was finally reacting to the decreased intake of carbohydrates/glucose.
  • Luckily, I was able to still have coffee (with half & half or unsweetened almond milk); I didn’t experience any headaches or dramatic fatigue.
  • I did feel somewhat hungry the first few days as my body was adjusting… almond butter to the rescue!
  • My weight stayed the same, yet my stomach “flattened up.”

coffee

What now?

  • I am more aware of the added sugar and amount of carbohydrates I eat.
  • I did not, by any means, turn into an anti-sugar, gluten-free, Paleo princess.
  • My body feels a lot better eating a low-gluten diet, lightly sprinkled with sugar and whole grains.
  • I will probably try the detox again in the future – maybe for 14 days; if and when I do so, I would like to be more creative with recipes and do more meal preparation.
  • For now, it’s all about the Fall baking!

* * *

Have you done a detox of any sort?

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I simply want to share my experience.

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: My 10-Day Sugar Detox Experience, The 21-Day Sugar Detox

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“Anxiety is a symptom, not a diagnosis.” - Dr. “Anxiety is a symptom, not a diagnosis.” - Dr. George Papanicolaou

It’s no secret that I suffer from chronic anxiety and panic attacks. Or at least I don’t intend it to be. Because while there can be a lot of shame and embarrassment around both of these, I know I’m not alone in my experiences. While I’ve leaned toward the more anxious side most of life, my bothersome anxiety has steadily increased since my mid-twenties - some periods being worse than others. 

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» no coffee (not even decaf)

» meditating regularly - I’m using @insighttimer 

» gentle movement

» weekly therapy sessions

» attempting cold showers (this is hard for me!): if you’re interested, you can research how this impacts the nervous system

» working with a naturopathic doctor to focus on gut + hormone health

» trying a new Rx - a decision that took years of consideration

» lastly, opening myself up to vulnerable conversations/sharing my story and my experiences in efforts to reduce any shame and connect with others 

I am not my anxiety. 

[image: a photo I snapped to send to my mom of my naturally red palm holding my Rx on the first day I took it]
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