21DSD: Day #5

I started my 21-Day Sugar Detox on Monday. When I tell people what I’m doing I am met with bulging eyes, dropping jaws, fumbling words, and perplexed silences.

“You don’t eat bread?” – No, I don’t eat bread; I have a gluten intolerance (I think this gives me an advantage on this type of detox since I’ve been gluten free since 2009). But grains are also shunned on this detox anyway.

“No fruit?” – Nope, no fruit. And yes, fruits are natural and whole, but fructose (the sugar primarily found in fruits and vegetables, and sweeteners), is shunted directly to the liver where, unlike glucose (the primary energy source used by the human body as fuel), is converted into fat.

“So what do you eat?!” – Meat, fish, vegetables (low on the glycemic index), nuts/seeds & butters, and healthy fats & oils.

“OK, so what do you avoid?” – Everything that doesn’t fall into those categories, duh! Think PALEO!

• No Grains/Legumes (Beans)
• No Fruits of all kinds*
• No Vegetables high on the glycemic index (i.e. corn, white potatoes, etc)*
• No Refined Carbohydrates (i.e. bread, cakes, pasta, chips, ect.)
• No Dairy
• No man-made saturated fats (i.e.margarine, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils) and unsaturated fats, which are highly processed and oxidize easily, and contain high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids (i.e. canola, corn, soybean, etc)

So you’re probably wondering how my experience has been so far… well, the first two days I had a mild headache (especially closer to meal times), I was lethargic (needed to nap),I felt light headed, and anxious – my heart would race for no apparent reason and my stomach felt like it was tied up in knots. By day 3, these withdrawal symptoms had worn off and I was finally getting into a routine. Doing a detox like this really forces you to check-in with yourself and listen to your body (and your stomach). Also, having a support system (other women from my gym are doing this with me) is extremely motivating – if I were to cheat, I’d feel like I was cheating them too.

Some things that have been helpful for me is 1) planning my meals out, especially having dense carb sources (1/2 sweet potato or carrots) on hand post-workout (which on this detox is considered to be OK for athletes and women who are pregnant); 2) consuming high quality, healthy fats (avocado, coconut oil, olive oil); and 3) getting a good nights sleep (7-8 hours).

Refer to my previous post  to find out more.

*Not specific to the paleo diet.