Sugar Detox Kickoff

The last few days I weighed myself each morning & was excited that by Saturday, I was down two pounds. Wow - two pounds down in just a few days!?!? How cool! Then came Lobstah Fest where I drank - by myself - an entire bottle of wine. I also had 4 Paleo cheddar bay biscuits (wow, amazing). Sunday I drank again (potato vodka). So, it’s no wonder that I weighed in yesterday gaining 2.5 pounds. I own it. I’ll take responsibility for it. Sucks but that’s the way it is.

So, it’s “Day 2” of my 21DSD. I really should call it Day 1 for 2 reasons: I nibbled on a few wheat-containing items yesterday while doing food prep, and I’m just starting my emails thru the program. Whatever … I’m on a sugar detox so it’s all relative.

Of course I have goals for my 21DSD!!! I do want to do this for the full month - perhaps on Day 22 turn to more Whole30. But, first, let’s talk about why I chose 21DSD over Whole30.

Why Detox & What Plan?

I know that I’m an addict - addicted to food, sugar, sweets, chocolate … you get the point. I’m also a big fan of wine & hard apple cider - along with mixed drinks (margarita!?!?). However, I know that none of these items will help me achieve my weight loss goals. There are some people who say if they have to deprive themselves all the time, they’d rather be overweight. Well, I’d rather deprive myself for long periods of time & indulge every so often in the foods/beverages that I crave vs. continue to be morbidly obese. A time will come when perhaps I can have more than a few drinks & it doesn’t set me back. But, let’s face it: when you consume alcohol, your body craves more sugar and you make poor eating choices. Am I going to miss that glass of red wine with my Saturday steak? Yes. Will I be bummed that I won’t drink when we have our anniversary celebration? No because we already did our lobsters & I drank enough. Will I have a drink on my birthday? Probably - but I’d rather indulge in something sweet vs. drink my carbs.

I have learned in the past year plus that I need to eliminate these foods from my diet in order to achieve my goals. Yes, I need to exercise (later post/rant) but I need to not pollute my body with these low quality & empty carbs. Not saying carbs are bad - just that my body is so sensitive to them that I need to focus on the goals ahead & not be put off that I’m going to forego a few drinks just because it’s football season.

Then it came time to decide: which plan do I follow? Do I just do my own thing? Or, do I need more rigid structure? I decided that I do need the structure of a plan. I did a Whole30 this summer and it was good. But, I was really disappointed in the lack of weight I dropped in it. Was it all Whole30’s fault? Um - no! I know I didn’t work out as much as I had been last year (read: swimming). But, I didn’t have this awesome feeling of accomplishment afterwards either. Not the amazing feeling of accomplishment that I had each time I completed a 21 Day Sugar Detox.

I also know that I was able to regularly consume George’s banana bread muffins & have big ass pancakes and still LOSE WEIGHT. Whereas, I was able to eat sweet potatoes like crazy on Whole30 and lost only half of what I did in previous 21DSD’s. Here are the decision-points I used to decide:

21 Day Sugar Detox

Considered OK / IN Plan	Not In Plan
Meat Veggies Any baked goods which do not contain any sweetener (e.g., banana muffins) Moo-less chocolate mousse Bacon (amount of sugar is not so great, according to Diane Sanfillipo)	Fruit - except for Granny Smith apples (love!) & green bananas Any sort of sugar All alcohol Sweet potatoes only if I work out White potatoes

Whole30

Considered OK / IN Plan	Not in Plan
Meat Veggies Fruit in limited quantities Potatoes - white & sweet Only Whole30 approved bacon	Any baked goods which do not contain any sweetener (e.g., banana muffins) Any sort of sugar All alcohol Bacon with sugar (this is hard core)

So, there you have it - I chose 21 Day Sugar Detox. And, guess what? I have Moo-Less Chocolate Mousse waiting for me tonight. Oh yeah - yummy, decadent!

21DSD Goals & Approach

• I will allow myself 21DSD-approved treats on days I work out & especially in the beginning


• Avocado is my friend & secret to success. I will eat them with a smile


• I’m starting my 21DSD with a reward: a much-needed massage!


• I know I need to include exercise & more of it. I also realize that we’re just getting back into the groove of school so our schedules are off.

REMEMBER:
I will not let the perfect be the enemy of the good!