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Here’s the deal: I am a total sugar addict. I’ve never understood what people meant when they said something was too sweet. I have sweets daily. Like, several times a day. In recent years I’ve sad down with a dozen mini cupcakes and eaten them all in one sitting only to crave more the next day. It’s bad, obviously.
I’ve also struggled with my weight the last few years. So, in an effort to be healthier, lose weight, and fight my sugar addiction, I did my own little sugar detox. Let’s be clear: my “sugar detox” I don’t mean no sugar in anything that I eat. I mean, no chocolate, cupcakes, soda, doughnuts, etc. If my granola bar has sugar in it, so be it.
Spoiler alert: I made it 15 days before giving in and having a cheat day, which turned into a cheat… week/month. I never went back. This was back in March and I am finally posting about it in August. I felt like a failure and like this blog wasn’t worth sharing. But I am honestly so proud of myself. I may not have lost any real weight or stuck with it, but I didn’t eat sweets for more than two weeks. That’s HUGE for me.
Celebrate the victories. Stop focusing on the “failures.”
Day 1:
- I went into day one hesitant with the understanding that I could start the next day.
- I started to realize how often I eat sweets! Every time I was alone or got frustrated with the kids, I looked around for candy.
Day 2:
- I shared my plans on Instagram. That made it more real. I was committed and had people to answer to.
- The headaches started. And the irritability. I felt deprived and frustrated.
- I felt a little better physically. Less bloated. Enough to remeasure my stomach…I was down a half an inch.
- Went for a walk. It wasn’t even 50 degrees and I was SO hot. I realized how much I don’t want to be overweight for summer.
Day 3:
- My two-year-old was up half the night crying. I tried to convince myself I deserved sweets the next day but decided not to give in.
- I started to realize how many FOODS I could eat. I’d spent the past several months “saving” my calories all day so I could have soda and cookies and candy after the kids went to bed. I ate a banana without feeling guilty. Weird way to think.
Day 7:
- I made it one week! I am running low on groceries and need variety in my snacks. I’m getting sick of string cheese and yogurt.
- I’ve started to realize how often I crave something salty and then something sweet and then something salty… you get the point. I don’t feel satisfied when I have a snack…but then I guess I didn’t before this detox!
Day 8:
- I enjoyed fast food for the first time on this detox. I felt a little guilty, but in order to stay on track without sugar, it felt necessary.
- Plus, I resisted the homemade doughnuts everyone else ate at a friend’s house!
Day 9:
- My weight went up today. It was so, so hard not to just give in and eat junk. Honestly, the fact that I was doing this challenge on Instagram and writing this post were the only things that kept me on track.
Day 12:
- I went to a movie today. Because I couldn’t have candy, I was set on getting popcorn. I needed a treat. But I decided I didn’t want to spend $7 on a small popcorn just to prove I could eat something I wanted to. I sucked on mints instead.
Day 14:
- I’m starting to think I may need a cheat day to keep myself going. My weight isn’t going anywhere. It’s gone up and down the same two pounds and it’s getting so discouraging.
So there you have it. 15 days of no sugar did more for me mentally than physically. I still struggle every day to keep myself from eating ALL the sweets, but I know that I can resist. I know commitment and the willingness to try and to start over again and again and again are important. Perhaps more important than losing the weight.
