5.13.2013

So Long Sugar

Last week I decided to join up with Laura in a sugar detox, where we would remove all processed foods and sugars from our diet for one week. I mentioned before how I am not really a sweets person, so things like soda or dessert would not be an issue for me. However, it was kind of fun to see what there was in my life that I did miss.


I think I mentioned in my last post that I would have a hard time with coffee and morning oatmeal, since I do use a bit of Splenda in both (or for coffee I use flavored creamer). These were not as bad as I thought they would be. Actually, I put a little unsweetened applesauce (or extra fruit) in my oatmeal and I was good to go! For coffee, I just used whole milk and it turned out fine as well!

The other thing I thought would be difficult was running fuel. I had a race on Saturday and it turned out okay, food-wise. I had some oranges, some bananas and some potatoes with salt. If the race would have been longer, the no-sugar may have been an issue, but as it was, it turned out fine! I did kind of miss the gummy bears, as these are my go-to trail race fuel!

I was worried that evening time would be difficult, as that is when I usually have a nice little after dinner snack, which is usually dried fruit or trail mix. Unfortunately, most dried packaged fruit has added sugar, and my trail mix has mixers such as yogurt chips, dried fruit (again, with sugar) or chocolate chips. So I thought I would just eat plain almonds, but actually I made do with regular fruit instead.

So...what WAS harder than I thought?

1. Booze: I actually had a huge fail due to the fact that I went out on Wednesday to see a friend's band play and had a couple of beers, on Friday for happy hour for a couple glasses of wine and on Saturday to a music festival (and a few more beers). I kind of sound like a lush! To be honest I don't really drink very much usually and most weeks not at all, but this week was probably a bad one to quit sugar! However, since I am usually pretty much of a hermit, I don't feel bad about getting out for a change and having a few drinks!

2. The small things: Things like gum and vitamins (I use the gummy ones) were something that I did not even realize I used very much. However, gum is my cigarette; I have it after lunch, before I start my commute home and often during a run (okay maybe that's not really like a cigarette...). It's such a habit to always have a piece at the ready. I also chew it when I am craving a sweet, so it usually curbs my craving. So I did have even more fruit than normal this week!

3. Eating out / People cooking: I stopped being a vegetarian partially because I was tired of being THAT picky person. You know the one who comes to your house when you are cooking meat and you have to cook something special for them? So when I went to my friend's house for Mother's Day, I ate what was there, which was processed sausages, tomato pie, croissants etc (plus Birthday fruit tart!). Also, eating out, when  you can't control what goes into the dishes, can be difficult! I went to Thai food and got the chicken curry, which I think may have had peanut butter or sugar in the peanut sauce...but I am not sure!

So...how did this make me feel?

I have to be honest, I did not have a revelation and a feeling of supreme health. I felt the same as I always do. Maybe this is because I don't really eat that much sugar or processed food anyway, so it wasn't a huge change really. I probably snacked less after dinner, which is good, but I made up for it by eating about 5 extra pieces of fruit in order to feel like I was getting a bit of sugar after lunch (one day I ate 4 apples). I think I will have to try this again on a week where I don't have any social outings coming up!

Did you join up for the detox? Have you ever given up one type of food? Is there anything you feel you could probably cut back on food-wise?

13 comments:

  1. I think this would be hard! Mostly just because I'd hate to realize just how much sugar is in everything!

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  2. I think that limiting anything is always a challenge, regardless of how reliant you are on it, because it kind of seems like you want what you can't have sometimes. I have given up gluten which has actually not been too bad as I feel so much better without it. I also have given up dairy and I am getting close to the point where I feel like i should remove it again because my complexion has not been great lately, but I feel like I need to get through this stress fracture thing first as I think the extra calcium right now is important.

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  3. Before my wedding I cut out all white things (flour, sugar, potato, etc) and it was hard at first. Once I found good alternatives I was golden...plus I had a date to shoot for! I have been pretty good as of late but the afternoon snack is my nemesis! I need to just cook a bunch of things to have on hand!

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  4. I'm past due for a detox. But I love my sweets so much ...

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  5. I really think number three is the hardest. I've been mulling over some big dietary changes that would be Paleoish and when I think about eating out or going to someone's house, it kind of makes it impossible. Anyhow, I think you do everything in moderation, anyhow, so I agree that the detox probably wasn't a huge change for your body. You're doing just fine!

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  6. You did great, Kyria! Yes, those little things are tricky for me, and I also do not like being that person who won't eat what's prepared for them. Thanks for participating!

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  7. Good for you Kyria. I like these little challenges to keep me on track, too.

    I am glad it will be over in time for you to indulge in some birthday SUGAR on Tuesday!

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  8. Next thing you know you'll be cutting out grains. sheesh! I make fun of the wife all the time for the gum/cig connection. She used to light up every time she got in the car, and now (9 years after quitting) she still throws in a piece of gum every. single. time. even if she's just moving the car to a different spot in the driveway. it's insane.

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  9. I cut out sugar in January when I did a sort of Paleo challenge for a month, it was easier than I thought it would be and I felt so good without all the sugar
    It i hard eating out and at other people's houses.

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  10. Nice job completing the detox Kyria! Sometimes I think I should give up coffee and that quickly passes. Fortunately I drink it black. Am I really seen as that picky vegan person? Haha! I hope I'm not annoying friends and family. Maybe they're just not telling me. No. My friends and family would not hesitate to tell me I'm annoying :)

    I NEVER expect a special menu but friends and family add a few vegan items to the menu anyway and I ALWAYS offer to bring a dish or 2.

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  11. I'm am SO dependent on sugar so I'm doing a 30-Day detox with Nicole Less BS in June. It's actually just about 5 days without sugar and more about the effects sugar has on our body and how to eat less/without it. I'm really excited! And scared. I really love sugar.

    You did great, though! It's so much harder when social events pop up.

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  12. Great job! I'm a huge gum chewer too. It just helps me think I'm eating when I want to eat something but know I'm not really hungry.

    It's hard to manage food when eating out a lot. Great job.

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  13. For me, my weakness is the random snacks during the day (a cupcake at work, some extra nibbles of chocolate when I'm bored, carbing it up while making dinner). My goal for this next month is to eat really clean, but not be obsessive about it. But the truth is, I don't need the break room pastries.

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