Ahhhhhhhh, I’m addicted to sugar. It’s true. I crave it when I’m sleepy, when I’m having a bad day and when I’m in the mood to celebrate. I can’t think of anything I would rather have right now than a soft, gooey chocolate chip cookie. Cookies are my favorite thing in the entire world. Heck, Cookie Monster has always been my favorite character on “Sesame Street.” My favorite ornament on my Christmas tree is that lovable blue Muppet holding a big jar of cookies. My sister and I used to argue every year over who got to place that ornament on the true. Seriously, it was no coincidence that the big C-Monster was my favorite.
I was a very picky eater as a child. I had this weird thing where I was afraid to eat certain foods in fear of choking. I also wasn’t a fan of canned green beans or other canned veggies, which were a staple in my home. However, cookies, cupcakes and brownies were always on the up and up. Whether they were made by those little devils – The Keebler Elves, Little Debbie, Drakes or made with love by my mama, confections have always been my weakness and my crutch.
You can just call me the devil because I even try to push the sweet stuff onto others. I happen to be a pretty solid baker and anytime someone is going through something, happy or sad, I whip up a batch of cake pops to commemorate the occasion. No matter what your dietary deal is — vegan, diabetic, paleo, gluten free — I have found a way to give you some of that sweet goodness. No worries, I got your back.
Deep down inside, I knew that my sugar addiction was getting the best of me. I was not advancing in the fitness department despite the hundreds of horrible burpees I was reluctantly executing. If you have ever done a burpee before, you know that you don’t want to do those things and yield no benefits. They are awful! Why am I putting myself through all of this and seeing no results?! Not to mention, someday, I want to go shopping and not think, “ug, I guess this will do,” in the damn dressing room!
I have also read the white stuff can make you tired and put you in a state of mental fog. Sometimes, I feel like the oldest 31 year old on the planet! I wake up at 7 a.m. and I’m tired by 9:00 p.m.! I survive on caffeine and I can’t concentrate to save my life. This is not the best Rachel that I can be and I want to make it right. However, this isn’t just about me.
I can see the guilty look in my friend’s eyes when I give them delicious treats. They too are wrestling with their inner sweet demons…. Should I just say “what the hell and stuff my face?” — a feeling with which I am well acquainted. I don’t want to be the evil friend, daughter or sister responsible with sabotaging everyone’s efforts in achieving a healthier lifestyle. I want to be the supportive, kick-ass friend.
For all these reasons, I have decided to kick SUGAR for 30 days and see what happens. I am not really one for white bread and pasta, this is mainly and attempt to kick my cupcake, brownie, cookie, cake pop, sweet bread, cake, candy habit. I’ll be checking my sauces, salad dressing and anything else that I am putting in this old bod.
Luckily, I drink my coffee black, so that won’t be too much of a change. I’m sure I’ll be feeling it on a Monday after work around 5 p.m. when I just need to escape from the daily annoyances of life. You know, when you just need that little kick of endorphins.
Anywho… I managed to make it through a complete 24 hours without reaching for the good stuff. Here’s how my day went.
Day 1:
Honestly, day 1 of my sugar detox wasn’t so horrible. I had my own “Fat Tuesday” of sorts the evening before (but it was actually on a Friday) where I ate funfetti cake with chocolate frosting, brownies hiding fun-sized peanut butter cups and an amazing vegan blondie. Nachos and Pizza may or may not have been invited to this party as well. Lucky for me, I kind of felt like garbage from eating so much crap and this made getting through the day a little easier. The thought of putting more sugar into my body was kind of revolting.
For breakfast, I had eggs, Ezekial bread and an orange which actually kept me feeling satisfied until lunch, where there was a chance for temptation. I was invited to a local restaurant to celebrate my friend, Deb’s birthday. I think I picked a wise option for my meal, going with the grilled salmon and a side salad, no dressing. But it was the after lunch treat that was the real kicker!
Look at this beautiful, delicious cake for my friend’s birthday that I managed to resist .
Her awesome daughter brought this beautiful cake to celebrate! Look at all the amazing frosting…. Frosting happens to be my weakness. All I wanted was a corner piece (it has the most frosting) to stuff inside my mouth! However, I managed to politely decline and everyone was very understanding and respectful of my decision.
I think social occasions are the areas that really test your willpower, because it isn’t really about the cake or the pizza. It is about the social interaction. You might not even want the actually temptation. You might just not want to deal with people nagging you about the choices you make. Rest assure, if someone is giving you a hard time for making a healthy decision, it is because he or she is secretly jealous of your awesome powers! Stay strong with that thought!
After being faced with the cake dilemma, the rest of the night went off without any problems. I made it to the gym for a little HIIT workout, drank my protein shake loaded with berries and settled in with a salad and some swordfish for dinner.
I made it through Sugar Detox Day 1! Keeping my fingers crossed for Day 2.
Has anyone done this before? I’d love to hear your stories. =)
Tags: diet, fitness, Sugar