We Survived the 21 Day Sugar Detox!
Now What?
You made it!
Throughout these 21 days you likely realized that sugar is really in everything and unless you were making your food yourself it could be difficult to find anything in a restaurant or from a package that didn't contain sugar or a sugar substitute.
We all had different motivators for going through this journey, but whether it was to lose weight, start better eating habits or help correct health issues (e.g. diabetes, insulin resistance, food intolerances, IBS, hormone imbalances or PCOS) I hope everyone had a positive result from this.
For those of you that want to continue with a similar journey, as does our family, I want to go over what the next steps are.
It's Day 22, now what!?
- Take a moment to think about your diet before and how it was filled with added sugars, trigger foods that made your cravings spiral out of control.
- How do you feel now that you reduced the amount of sugar or bad carbs?
- How have you been sleeping and how has your digestive function been? I know a few of you had some GI issues, has it balanced out?
- How do you think eating sugary or bad carbs will make you feel?
If this way of eating has been a new experience then you've basically been on an elimination diet for the past 3 weeks and you need to add foods back in slowly, if at all, to make sure you don't feel horrible. This especially holds true for wheat (gluten), dairy and soy.
It's Addictive!
It all adds up!
READ YOUR LABELS!
Is it safe to eat this way all the time?
If you are like me, you need structure. Lucas and I have decided we are going to try implement a 90/10 approach. Occasionally this will likely look more like 80/20. 😉 We feel this will allow us the biggest success with the least amount of long term damage to our health and goals. So, basically out of a 30 day month we are allowing ourselves 3 days a month to enjoy the treats that don't fall into the basic guidelines of the 21DSD way of eating. We get to choose those 3 days and on those days we can have the things we really want, like bagels, donuts, pizza. It isn't meant to cause you to go overboard and gorge yourself on these foods, but a means to allow them to fit into your diet without guilt or a downward spiral. It doesn't have to be a whole day of eating horrible either, maybe it will be just one food or meal. And, if you don't use all 3 days, no big deal. Plan those days ahead if you can and of course there are exceptions to every rule, like vacations. Remember, this is a lifestyle.
Here are some easy ways to continue eating like this on a regular basis, but with a little additional "treats" to make it feel more manageable.
- add an additional serving or 2 of fruit
- add a square or two of organic high quality 85% dark chocolate
- add more good carbs in (potatoes, rice, plantains)
- Find recipes that are in line with paleo, primal or grain free ways of eating
Reintroducing foods to find out food intolerances...
For instance, if you have cut out beans, but really miss them pick a day to give them a try. If you feel great afterward, then by all means enjoy them. If you have a lot of GI distress, this may be a food you want to avoid on a regular basis.
In general, the common trigger foods and ones that I tend to recommend avoiding long term is gluten, beans/legumes, most forms of dairy, soy, SUGAR! (If you want to know more about the why, ask and I can explain it all).
Questions answered (from previous 21DSD)
As for nutrient timing there is no exact science as it really is a case by case basis. If you are staying lower starchy carb, for the most part people tend to do the best with starchy carbs an hour or 2 before working out as this is when you are going through intense exercise. As for measuring and weighing most people will get pretty good at eyeballing what a serving size looks like and will be able to get away from measuring/weighing. I am not a huge supplement person, but I do recommend some basic ones. Omega 3 (SFH is the brand we carry and I recommend for quality and potency), vitamin D and dose is dependent on the person, but typically 1,000-2,000IU/day, turmeric for anti-inflammatory effects, magnesium 300mg/day, and a probiotic ( like prescript-assist and we get it from amazon). There are many other supplements, but if you are eating a clean and nutritious diet like this you are getting most of your micronutrients from the food you are eating.
2. How can we incorporate "treats" without going overboard and without getting addicted again? Realistically, I don't see us maintaining this without the occasional pizza or beer!
I would recommend sticking to paleo "treats' when you need something as these will have the least negative health impact. With that being said I would try to limit how often you have these as even these aren't the healthiest. I would try to make them with less sweetener as you have had such little sugar that you really don't need as much as you used to and can cut it WAY back. As for pizza and beer, I would count the real deal pizza into 1 of the 3 days otherwise make your own (http://zenbellycatering.com/2013/08/20/ny-style-paleo-pizza-crust-yes-really/). As for beer, I would try to gravitate to other drink choices as there are a lot of carbs and calories in beer not to mention gluten. My favorite cocktail is tequila/vodka with soda water and a lime.
3. I plan to keep eating this way, but then I worry about going on vacations and how to make the best choices and what snacks to bring! And agree on the nutrient timing for activity. But this has been a game changer for me and I'm excited for what's next!
Vacations can be tricky as you aren't cooking for yourself and my best advice is to do the best you can. Try to stick to the meat/veggie concept (salads with oil/vinegar for dressing, bunless burgers, fajitas without the shell). For snacks, nuts, make your own "granola" bars, trail mix. www.nuts.com has dried fruit sweetened with juice instead of sugar, I know this is biggie for cherries or cranberries. Raw veggies and plantain chips dipped in guacamole. Or, toasted coconut chips, kale chips.
4. I'm trying to find easy on-the-go snack options especially for my kids. I'm realizing how much sugar they eat and want to give them more balanced meals. Would love some ideas and the recipes that have been shared are super helpful.
Here is my pinterest board of snacks, granted not all are paleo and not all are kid appropriate, but this gives you a good idea. As I mentioned earlier, for recipes that call for "sugar" I would try to cut that down even further. https://www.pinterest.com/tkwoodland/snacks/
5. Dealing with the Stress Factor. Our busy season hit in full force this week and wow - I'm a champion stress eater. I think having fresh veggies to snack on will help, but any other tips & tricks you have woudl be appreciated.
See above. L-glutamine (2-4gm 1-2x/day) is supposed to help with cravings, so that may benefit as well.
A general note about snacks. I would try to limit how much you actually need to snack. Since starting all of this years ago I've worked on upping the amount I eat at meals, which includes my fat intake. This keeps me full longer and I really don't need to snack anymore. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. The longer you stay with this way of eating your hormones that detect hunger and fullness will improve and you won't need to snack as much out of hunger and you will be able to recognize the snacking that is habit or cravings.
Final Thoughts
Lucas and I ate this way for about 4 years and it taught me a lot about my relationship with food and what foods I was intolerant to. It helped foster a healthy relationship where I learned the difference between hunger and cravings and ultimately fixed a very broken metabolism from years of under eating and consuming nutrient-less foods.
I want you all to remember why you did this when you wake up on day 22 and have a game plan going into that day so you don't feel lost and ready to binge. This is our third go around and I know many of those that did this 21 DSD with us before have fallen back into their old ways. I don't want this to turn into a yo-yo diet as that is not a great way to live.
Congrats and feel free to ask me questions along the way and if you want me to help readjust macros, let me know.