Before I slip off into my salsa con queso/chocolate chip cookie/Baggage Claim induced coma, let me just start off my saying that I have a HUGE problem with sugar. As in, I would live off of it if I could. It tastes like heaven mixed with sunshine mixed with more sugar, because sugar is the ultimate tasty tasty goodness. I'm not messing around, I love it. Unfortunately, it's also terrible for you (obviously) and has HUGE detrimental effects on one's health.
On Thursday, I just finished giving up processed sugar for 21 days - that meant no sugar, no "evaporated cane juice", no high fructose corn syrup, none of that. I also cut out agave nectar (almost as bad as regular sugar) and mostly cut out honey (I would have eaten it by the jar if I had allowed myself during the no-sugar challenge). I was allowed fruit, and occasionally splurged on sugar-free tasty treats (turns out, not so tasty - but who cares in a pinch?).
The results of that challenge, I have to say, were less than stellar. I thought I would come out of those three weeks from hell a glowing goddess of health and vitality... instead I ended up kind of a bitch (sugar withdrawal) who mostly just wanted more sugar.
So, I figure I'll have to do something drastic if I really want to kick my addiction to sugar, improve my mood, fix my skin issues, and all that jazz. I'll be starting a mostly-raw diet tomorrow, and I'll be documenting my meals, daily health, progress, etc. every day. I think that if I DON'T update someone somewhere on my progress, I'll just stop doing it.
Let me also just say that I LOVE food. This is not some wacko diet that I'm going on to lose weight or anything like that - I just want to change my relationship with food. Right now, food is my ultimate source of comfort (along with online shopping). It shouldn't be that way, especially if my comfort foods end up being cheese dip and cookie-based items of deliciousness. Hopefully, at the end of this diet/cleanse, I can look at food as a source of nourishment and supreme enjoyment, while still being comforted - I just want my comfort food choices to be healthier.
I'll also be following the principles of the Alkaline diet, which I'll write more about in my next post. In a nutshell, the body is healthiest in a slightly alkaline state. Unfortunately, the diet of the average American is very high in "acid-causing" foods, foods that make the body more acidic. These include meats, dairy products, refined sugars, unhealthy fats.... you get the drift. Alkalizing foods, on the other hand, include things like fruits, vegetables, and the like. There are many health problems associated with an "acidic body", which I'll also write more about next time. For now, I'll just outline the diet that I'll be starting tomorrow and will HOPEFULLY be continuing for the next month or so.
Cutting out:
- All processed sugars (again) - this includes hidden sugars in things like salad dressing!
- All processed carbs (bread, pasta, SUGAR-FREE COOKIES, etc.)
- Meat
- Dairy (*sob*)
- Anything else that looks like it might be crap for my body.
Cutting back on:
- Cooked vegetables that are more healthful in their raw state
- Legumes, etc. (I'll include them in my diet because I need the protein, but I'm cutting back because they're difficult to digest - more on that later)
- Fruits. I ate WAY too much fruit during my no-sugar diet and I've read that that behavior will hinder the sugar-addiction-recovery process.
Go nuts on:
- Raw vegetables
- Water
- Liquid chlorophyll (extremely alkalizing)
- Nori sheets (if I don't have something salty-snacky I'll go insane. Also extremely alkalizing)
Now for some mortifying personal body stats (for the sake of science!):
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 140 lbs (glubbity glub glub. Love my body but wish it was more compact!)
General feeling: Fatigued, very difficult to wake up in the morning, constantly craving sugar.
Skin: Sort of dull. Tired looking. Irritated flare-ups on my cheeks and forehead. In total: not great!
WE SHALL SEE HOW FAR I MAKE IT ON THE MORROW. FOR NOW, I DISAPPEAR INTO THE ETHER.
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