21 Day Sugar Detox Wrap-Up

I completed the 21 Day Sugar Detox.
And what do you know, I survived. :-)
Not that it was ever a question, but there were a few days in there when day 21 seemed like a looooooong ways away.

So why did I do the detox?
I eat clean, crazy clean, as in no grain, dairy or soy and very, very little processed foods (about 5%). I don’t really see certain foods as being ‘off-limits’, I just don’t like the way junk makes me feel, I kinda like feeling good, so it’s not a diet that I go on and off, this is the way I eat.
But I do have a history of abusing food. I was an emotional eater for many, many years and turned to food to ‘solve’ a multitude of issues. I am very aware of how food makes me feel and I also am aware of when I’m feeling unnaturally drawn to sweets, i.e. cravings.
My weight had started to creep back up, my clothes were fitting tighter and I was feeling like I ‘needed’ to have something sweet all the time. You may be wondering how I can put on weight and become re-addicted to sweets eating only natural, whole foods? Hmmm, I don’t know, I guess I’m just gifted that way. lol But seriously, it’s easy, for me it’s called fruit.. raw honey.. and nuts. And… a lot of it. More than I can handle and maintain a comfortable weight for me. It’s not the fruit itself, a lot of people can eat it without problems, it’s the feeling that I ‘needed it’ that was getting out of control. I know I have this issue (a sweet addiction past) and have to keep myself in check from time to time, and this was one of those times.
So you’re probably wondering- did the 21 Day Sugar Detox (21DSD) work?
Well, if the point of the detox was to recalibrate my tastebuds, then absolutely it worked. Back in March of this year for no reason that I can explain, I gradually started eating more sweet foods. And because I was eating more, I was craving more. Yep, that’s the way it works. Nasty vicious cycle. I know this, I knew this, I STILL know it, but I started down the path and it was hard to reverse once it was in motion without a slightly drastic measure. I needed a recalibration because fruit and raw honey that used to be super sweet for me and would even give me a headache from the sugar rush, suddenly wasn’t enough, and I wanted (needed) more.The detox resets the tastebuds and the cravings, so that I can be satisfied with just a little bit of sweetness and can actually taste the natural sweetness without having to eat a ton of it to feel ‘content.’
Many people use the 21DSD to lose weight. And I confess I was hoping to lose the 8 pounds I had put on since the beginning of March (did I just say that out loud?) But I only ended up losing 4 pounds. Maybe it’s because I wasn’t really eating that bad when I started (just bad fro me) and maybe I’m gaining a bit of muscle with all of the serious physical work I’ve been doing for the last 2 months, whatever it is, it may be time to accept that this might be my new ‘normal.’ And somehow that’s ok. {bliss.}
Was it hard? Yeah, it was a bit tough in the first few days, I had some pretty strong cravings for ‘my’ sweet potatoes and plantains etc., but I expected it to be a little uncomfortable, after all I had gotten myself into this hole, and I had to work my way out. The key was (and always is) to have cut up veggies and meat prepped so when you do get hungry, there is something available-quick. On Level Three of the program I was only allowed 1 green apple a day (in the fruit department) and no sweet potatoes. But after the first few days I really started to enjoy radishes, cucumbers, cabbage and bell peppers and didn’t miss the sweeter fruits and veggies so much.
It’s been a week since I finished the 21DSD. The day I finished the detox I can’t say that I had no desire whatsoever for sweets anymore, I think I’ll always struggle with that on some level, but I’ve noticed that the desire for them has greatly minimized. I’m not thinking about when and how I can eat some fruit (or honey), I don’t feel like I need it anymore, in fact I went all day yesterday without any fruit until dinner and the only reason I grabbed a piece of watermelon was because we were heading out to do some very physical labor and I knew I would be needing the extra carbs.
I feel free. And that’s a great feeling. :-)

I recommend the 21 Day Sugar Detox because sometimes we just need a little help. Especially if you are where I was and your taste buds could use a tune-up. Check it out, it’s $21 and it comes loaded with lots of great info, including a list of what’s allowed and what’s not allowed for the 21 days. I also recommend getting an accountability partner who will hold your feet to the fire and if you can’t find one, shoot me an email at catrinaishungry@gmail.com and I’ll help you out with that. If you decide to do it, or if you already have, I would love to hear about your experience. :-)