21. The number of days I have gone without sugar. No white sugar, brown sugar, agave nectar, honey, high fructose syrup, sugar substitutes, or fruit! Well, not all fruit. I had lemons, limes, a couple of green granny smith apples, and green bananas!
Prior to the holidays, I tried eating the Paleolithic diet, mainly protein & vegetables. This diet put the nix on sugar, but allowed honey. A lover of sweets, I quickly found I could take 100% Dark Chocolate bars, melt them and mix them with honey, almond slivers, and unsweetened coconut, and wallah, I had a sweet treat made without refined sugar. The only problem is honey is super high in sugar. I realized it wasn’t healthy to eat that much honey and that I had a problem with sweets.
So, when I came across the book The 21-Day Sugar Detox at Costco, I swore I would begin the detox in 2014 and I did. Today is my second day after completing The 21-Day Sugar Detox. Also called 21DSD, it provides a natural way to curb sugar and carbohydrate cravings. It has three levels from which to choose, and each has a 21 day menu, along with a list of “yes” and “no” foods. The book is also loaded with creative recipes: Cauliflower rice, Chocolate Mousse made with avocados, granola made without grains.
On January 2nd, I chose level 2 which still allowed dairy products. If I was going to give up sugar, bread, rice, potatoes, and beans, I wasn’t going to give up my cheese.
I’m not going to lie. As a mystery writer, I planned all sorts of ways to off my husband as he sat next to me enjoying his chocolate covered Macadamia Nuts, or his rainbow-colored Popsicle, or Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies. And I’m not even sure you can imagine what went through my head when he whipped out a pint of Ben and Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk! I am happy to say my husband is still alive and well.
Today I took my friend to lunch for her birthday and the waitress surprised her with a chocolate chip cookie topped with ice cream. As my friend ate her birthday surprise, I was actually able to carry on a conversation without drooling.
During the 21 days, I discovered I have willpower. Not only was I able to watch my friend eat a cookie and ice cream, but I was also able walk by the leftover Christmas candy at home and not reach for one. The other thing I discovered was that I like green bananas. No, I love green bananas! Not completely green, but green tipped bananas. They are not very sweet because they are not ripe, meaning they are not high in sugar. Slice one up, sprinkle a little cinnamon on top, then add a little almond butter and you have yourself a healthy snack that isn’t high in sugar, but tastes like a dessert.
What am I going to do now that I have survived my 21 days with sugar? I’m going to continue to not eat sugary and processed foods on a regular basis. As well I’m going to forgo grains, potatoes, and rice, but I am going to introduce other fruits back into my diet. And I am going to try another 21 day detox, but this time I’m going to give up dairy product. I’d start right away, but I just bought a 3 lb tub of sour cream and a big honking hunk of cheese from Costco. So, over the next two weeks, I will cut back on my dairy products and then I will go completely dairy-free for 21 days.
After I finish 21 days with no dairy, I’ll report back, on whether I was able to figure out how to make milkshakes out of cauliflower or shredded cheese or carrots! And most importantly on whether or not my husband survived the first time he ordered pizza delivery!
HIGH FIVE Kelly. Little do most people know what an addictive substance sugar is. In all of its “sneaky” forms, like rice/white breads etc. It is amazing and powering once you break the hold it has on you. Passing the doughnut display and thinking, “they cant control me anymore”. Good job, Kelly. Friday will find me at the bookstore for that book. (I did my own version of that and lost 60 pounds in 8 months and never felt better in my whole life). Now cheese..they may have to pry that out of my cold dead hands. Good luck. Keep us posted. p.s to Bill. You are a brave man (or NUTS, lol) (having those things in the same space as a woman in withdrawal, much less EATING them in her presence )
Kelly, Congratulations! What an amazing achievement! I, too, am addicted to sweets/sugars! With our horrible, freezing winter I haven’t done well, at all, concerning my eating habits. All I want to do is sleep and eat comfort food…which to me is sweets! I’m trusting that I will get back to my healthy-eating-style when it gets a bit warmer….because last summer I lost 25 lbs and wanted to lose 5 or 10 more, but those last ones are, of course, the hardest to lose. I still need to lose those….plus a “possible” 5 lbs I put back on during December and this month. Anyway, enough about me…..I am so happy for you, and proud of you! May I ask how many lbs you lost? If you don’t want to say, I understand. Good luck and keep on going!
Congratulations on your achievement. I hope things are going well. I’ve found that after three days without white carbs and refined/processed foods, I have no desire for sugar (or even a hamburger). It takes some planning to keep it up, though, and for someone who doesn’t like to shop, cook, serve, etc., that’s a challenge. But staying unhooked from sugars makes life much better.