The Great Sugar Detox, Day 4

So, no cravings here yet and feeling great because I have been taking my own advice to the fullest! That’s right, I don’t always practice what I preach to my clients. There, I admit it! Sometimes I fail to plan ahead or fall victim to eating the wrong foods, or my routine begins to slip and I have to put myself back on track. So I am well aware of the challenges involved in making lifestyle changes and how to address them. Here is a great example of me not taking my own advice: I am allergic to dairy. SUCH a drag because I love yogurt and cheese. Seriously, who doesn’t love cheese? Well, the other day I had some cheese (foolish, but I couldn’t resist for some reason) and the following day, I woke up sneezing with a runny nose and thought, “it feels like I’m getting a cold?” Then I remembered: I had cheese! Dairy is mucous-producing, and especially if you are allergic. I felt slightly off all day. It is remarkable the ill effects food may have on us that we think are “normal” or part of our everyday lives. I didn’t pop a DayQuil or Benadryl. Rather, I discovered the underlying cause and was able to remove it once I noted the profound effect it had.

The basis of what I “preach” is to maintain stable blood sugar by eating in regular intervals and maintaining a good routine–waking up and going to bed at the same time every day, exercise, yoga or meditation for stress relief–and to get good quality nutrient-dense foods and sources of organic protein. This sets you up for a solid foundation of nourishment–giving your body what it needs to fuel you through a day of stable energy and good moods.

Here’s an example of a typical day’s routine and diet for me during The Great Sugar Detox (and during regular life when I’m doing everything right!). This was my Wednesday:
8am: wake up, take the dog out, have some green tea, check emails, meditate if I’m feeling particularly virtuous
9am: breakfast–today I had pumpkin-coconut “pudding” and chicken sausage. If I wasn’t doing the fruit-free sugar detox, I might have a fruit-protein-spirulina-flaxseed smoothie.
Work til noon or 1pm
Lunch: brown rice, chicken & shrimp, broccoli & snow peas
green tea
Work til 5pm
Exercise! Dog walk, then pilates (or yoga)
7pm: dinner – garlic spinach, chicken leg, cultured veggies for probiotics & to help digestion
relax, household chores or movie
10pm: bedtime herbal tea
11pm-read, bed!

By following this plan, I feel perfect during the day. Stable blood sugar means no cravings, daily exercise means a lot of energy, green tea keeps me calm and focused. My schedule was disrupted over the holidays, so it feels good to be back on a routine.

How are you doing on The Great Sugar Detox? Are you having cravings? If you are accustomed to lots of sugar or white flour in your daily diet, you may have a hard time kicking it. If you pass day 3 or 4 and still have wicked cravings, it may be time to consider an herbal or amino acid based supplement to combat deficiency and help you get over the hump.