Oh, Sugar Sugar: Detox Recap
Well, the 2-week sugar detox ended on Sunday. I took a day off (where I had McD’s sweet tea and take-out lasagna) and am now onto Week 3.
So, it was not as difficult as anticipated. I’m a little weird in that any sort of “eating control” is not that difficult for me ONCE I MAKE UP MY MIND TO DO IT. But that’s the hard part…because I don’t really want to do it. I really want to eat what I want to eat.
I remember an Oprah episode many years ago, she was talking to her guests about controlling/improving one thing or another in their lives: a relationship, their weight, a sport, whatever. And they all said the same thing, “I really WANT to….” and she would say, you might think you want the result, but unless you’re willing to do The Work, you’ll never get the result. And that really resonated with me. I want the result, but most times, I can’t be bothered to do the work. So I very rarely try to lose weight.
BUT, I had gotten to a point where things in everyday life had just gotten so hard. Standing up out of a chair was hard, climbing stairs was really hard, bending over to tie my shoes was practically impossible. I was passing on outings with friends because I knew how difficult, exhausting and painful it would be. My hip pain has been getting worse and coming on more quickly.
So…it finally felt worth it to try the work for two weeks and see if a sugar detox was the ticket.
My hip pain is unchanged. My skin is not glowy like was mentioned in the Sequinist blog post. BUT…I had no sugar crashes/low energy/dizzy spells, and dare I say, crankiness? And, though I didn’t do this specifically to lose weight, I did lose eight pounds in the two weeks. I had previously lost 20 pounds since April/May just through being more mindful of carb intake and portion sizes. So, being 28 pounds lighter than earlier this spring, which to me seems like a drop in the bucket when compared to my starting point of 312 pounds back in the spring when I first went to Dr. Annoying, feels better. It feels a little easier to move around. I am moving around more because it’s a little easier.
So for now, I continue.
I’ll share a bit about what I ate:
I kept the fridge at work stocked with good snacks – hard-boiled eggs, cheddar cheese + Triscuits, grapes, apple slices+almond butter – so I never felt hungry or unprepared or not well-fueled.
Breakfast during the workweek was no-sugar peanut butter on a rice cake. It was fast and I could eat it on my drive to work. I just will not get up early enough to prepare and sit down to a real breakfast. I know that about myself. You have to create patterns and habits that will work for you.
Lunches at work were: soup (I made a big pot of broccoli-cheese soup early in the week and it lasted me just into the second week), chicken salad on Triscuits or cold cuts rolled up with sliced cheese.
Dinners were marinated steak tidbits, big salads with homemade bleu cheese dressing, or…oh gosh, there was a third thing that I already don’t remember.
My biggest struggle was BEVERAGES. Remember I am the McDonald’s Sweet Tea queen. I tried unsweetened iced tea. Bleh. I drank lots of water, but bleh. I had a lovely orange juice from Trader Joe’s, but that’s not an everyday, drink throughout the day kind of drink. I had some kind of unsweetened, bottled green tea, I think also from Trader’s, that…was, I suppose, a step up from water…but it was a very small step. I felt thirsty always, no matter how much water I drank. One day I did give in and had an Equal in a McDonald’s unsweetened tea, and that was better, relatively speaking, but…still not particularly satisfying. So, that search continues.
I had the support of the others on the Sugar Detoxers list, which was a great help…knowing I wasn’t in this alone. I’m really proud of them all for sticking out the two weeks – there were some good success stories in the group!
So here’s my take on giving up added sugar re weight loss. I think that anytime you omit an entire category from your diet – sugar, fat, carbs, cholesterol, animal products, etc. – you’re going to lose some weight simply because your options are limited and therefore, your overall food intake is decreased. At least in the beginning, ha, til you learn all the little workarounds and start eating a bag of microwave popcorn every night, or Lime Chili Doritos or a jar of dill pickles or whatever. None of them are The Magic Bullet. I think you just need to pick the option that is the easiest for you to fit into your life and to stick with. And to a certain degree, keep portion size in mind. One thing I’m reminded of whenever I do any sort of controlled eating exercise (I really dislike the term “diet”) is how little food we actually need to sustain life, energy, brain function, etc., as long as we’re eating the right food.
So, for now, I am still no-added-sugar-ing. I am adding low-carb wheat bread back in (in addition to sugar I’d also eliminated white flour). And I’m going to look for some erythritol, which is a sugar substitute, and see if I like the taste and if it affects my ongoing success. Because…sweet tea, I miss you so hard.
Totally random pictures just so there’d be something to look at. Sorry if some are repeats.
Let me know if you try this!
Thanks for reading. And I promise outfit pictures will be back this week!
CHINA ALEXANDRIA AUTHOR
GREAT POST, I HAVE JUST GOT TWO BORDER COLLIE PUPS, BROTHERS AND LIFE IS A LITTLE HECTIC AT THE MOMENT, CHINA
Ashley
Good for you, lady! Proud of you- sticking to regimen can be tough, especially when you just want to eat what you want to eat. But you did awesome- and I’m so happy to hear that moving around/activity is easier for you! This is great news!
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
bettyewp
Thanks, Ashley.
Jude
Congratulations on being down 28 lbs. That is a feat to be proud of – drop in the bucket, as you say – or not.
I know that if I don’t have some little sweet treat that I’ll be fixated on it not being there and then I’ll pick up a double-pack Snickers when I’m paying for my gas because I feel deprived. What I did find helpful was having “good” snacks that are real, nutritious foods around. Honeycrisp apples. Health Salad (a non-mayo version of coleslaw.) Mushroom Barley Soup or (Dragon’s Breath) Chili in the cool weather months (just a little bowl as a snack – 1/2-3/4 cup). Frozen grapes, because they seem more of a treat when they’re icy tidbits. Full sour garlic pickles are delish and low-cal, but they also have zero nutritional value. Eh, who cares, right?
I LOVE my air fryer and although it is humongous, I regret my early misgivings that it would dry out everything that went into it. Should have bought one sooner. As for bread, I have decided that if it’s not homemade or a super high quality loaf, I’m not eating it.
I grill a package of chicken breasts in a George Forman grill (got it for nothing on Freecycle) each Sunday night (no oil or cooking spray needed) and have it in a salad for lunch everyday with different veggies – I never tire of it. It doesn’t make up for the McD’s latte I make at home and add mucho milk to, or the one I buy along with my unsweetened iced tea (no sugar in tea or coffee for me) in the morning, but every little bit helps.
So best of luck as you continue to navigate this path. I’m off to heat up that extra-cheese slice of pizza I brought for lunch today. LOL
With a sister who’s a vegan and a friend who is a nutritional counselor, I can’t get on board and forego the protein (esp. poultry), but I am more mindful that fats and processed grains are BY FAR our worst enemies in health and weight consciousness, followed by sugar which kicks our tushes when it comes to inflation and more. Thank goodness I can’t stand eggs, cheese or a lot of creamy things. But seitan, stevia and “pea protein isolates” don’t do it for me, AND threaten the chance of being miserable. I will give a thumbs up to Nutritional Yeast which sounds horrid, but isn’t bad at all in a recipe.
jodie filogomo
Granted, losing weight might make it easier to move, but I do think it all comes down to feeling good. It’s not about the numbers, but how your body feels. I think once we start feeling better, it gets a little easier because you realize that what you do does affect how you feel.
I know what you mean about giving up anything. When Rob was having issues swallowing, we found it was legumes. And having to give up everything with soy in it is a project. But now it’s easier because we know what we can eat and can’t. Sure, we still read labels, but it’s worth it.
It’s interesting about that sweet tea…do you think there’s a psychological reason?? Good memories? Or just what’s in it?? I’ve been a water drinker for so long, that it’s no big deal for me. Then again, we do have wine most evenings….so if I had to give up that, I might feel the same.
XOXO
Jodie
bettyewp
I agree it’s not about the numbers but about how you feel. I think I feel less shaky, dizzy, weak because of the food I’m putting into my body. I think it is easier to move because I’m carrying a little extra weight. An average two-year-old weighs about 28lbs. Do you know any two-year-olds? Imagine lugging them around, day in and day out, carrying them up flights of stairs and holding them as you stand up out of a chair. Then imagine putting that kid down. WOW. It’d feel like you’re floating! Ha. So yeah, I think I’m moving more easily cuz there’s less of me to move!
Hmm, a psychological reason I love the sweet tea? It IS the tea my grandmother made, and my mother after that…but I’ve really paid a lot of attention to this over the years, tried different teas, different brews, with and without different types of sweeteners…and I don’t think I liike McD’s sweet tea best cuz it reminds me of my grandmother. I like it best cuz it tastes the best. On Sunday when I had my first sip after two weeks without, it was…almost spiritual, ha. I could taste the full-bodiedness of the TEA. Yes, the sugar was good and I enjoyed the sweetness…but the TEA tasted more TEA-LIKE than others. Maybe the sugar brings out the rich, full tea flavor more. I don’t know, but. This morning I got a McD’s UNsweetened iced tea and put a packet of equal in it. The TEA does not taste as good. It tastes weak and watery. Even the color is different. The sweet tea is much darker. I’ve researched this all on the web a LOT. But I see different accounts of McDs Sweet Tea, how it’s made. How it’s sweetened. I don’t know. I just know that nothing else is as good. To me.
Oh well.
Karen P.
Because you love McD’s sweet tea that much, I say go for it! Whenever you want. (Assuming you don’t have elevated blood sugars). Maybe you can ask for an extra cup and lid when you go through take out and save some of it for later. That will lower the immediate sugar surge some. You can cut back on sugar and carbs in other ways. I will never ever give up chocolate, so I know what you’re saying! Just need to tweak how I eat it! 🙂
bettyewp
Ha, well if YOU give me permission….!! I do intend to bring it back after a bit. I’m kinda thinking the 2-week SD is morphing into a 4-week SD, and then I’ll re-assess. I may bring back JUST that sugary thing at that point.
I really don’t drink that much of it. Up til the SD I was getting a (large) cup every other day and it was lasting me two days. I get it without ice so the melting ice doesn’t dilute the wonderful strong tea (I don’t know why it’s always room temp when I get it, do they not refrigerate it?). I drink maybe half the cup (I was getting it on my lunch break) by the time I get home (I’m not a big volume drinker), then put the other half in the fridge. Maybe I’ll have another small glass later with ice…but I use so much ice that hardly any tea goes in! I take that original cup back with me to work the next day and stick it in the fridge, and have the rest for lunch the NEXT day. The following day I start the process all over. So maybe I have 4 cups a week.
Anyway. Yeah, chocolate. I LOVE it but oddly, it’s not hard for me to give that up.
robin
I understand the McD’s sweet tea addiction–I was addicted too. Sometimes twice a day. Don’t really care for their sandwiches, but I loved that tea (still do). I joined Weight Watchers and knew I had say good bye to sweet tea fix–used up too many of my points. You’re right–nothing I’ve had comes close–except the sweet tea I’ve had in the south–they get it right too. I can make a pretty decent pitcher of sweet tea with Luzianne tea bags(it’s a science)–it’s the sugar that sets it off though. Artificial sweeteners don’t even come close. I’m now drinking sparkling flavored water (from Walmart). I’ve lost weight, not much, but I’m happy about it. Bread/flour items have been drastically reduced–this is a struggle for me. Too much sugar gives me a headache. Flour is my kryptonite–so satisying–always has been.
bettyewp
Ahh, no one (besides McDonalds!) can do sweet tea like a southerner! Good for you for having the strength to let it go!
CiM
Good for you trying all these experiments – seeing what feels/works best! I admire your get-up-and-go and love reading what you’re up to!
Been thinking about what you said in the last (?) post – how, without sweet tea, you’re always thirsty.
Bear with me. This sounds nuts…at first.
I used to be thirsty ALL THE TIME. Sadly, water didn’t taste good. I can’t describe it better than to say, drinking water only made me more thirsty.
UNTIL. I read one doctor’s book about thirst. And – what particularly stood out, he said, “Dehydration is a salt problem, not a water problem.” He recommended a small pinch of canning or Kosher salt added to water, to the point it tastes “right.”
We’re not talking SEA-water-salty (obviously), and nothing close to SOUP-salty. Just a pinch. The canning or Kosher (as opposed to iodized) salt was because they’re pure NaCl, no caking agents or other ingredients (usually – check the box).
For me, this pinch of salt was revolutionary. Not only did water suddenly taste “right” – but I was no longer thirsty all the time. I stopped constantly going to the bathroom, which always happened in the past when I tried to drink more water.
At last, water was delicious! AND it helped me stop being thirsty. AND – although I was afraid I’d retain water because of the salt, my swelling actually went down. I assume this is because the salt was getting where it needed to go, allowing my cells to work like they were supposed to. My blood pressure – unexpectedly (?) – went down, not up.
Last but not least – sugar cravings dropped off substantially. I’ve come to think perhaps my body actually wanted salt, not sugar. I do not crave sugary drinks since starting the salt pinch in my water.
This comment is embarrassingly long. You know your body best. You know your blood pressure, your thirst, all of it. Just throwing my experience out there in case it might help someone else the way it did for me. 🙂
P.S. My friend also saw great improvement adding a pinch of salt, but she liked it better in the palm of her hand (or popping it straight in her mouth). She never liked it straight in the water – but she got all the same good results I did. Just another idea.
bettyewp
“water didn’t taste good. I can’t describe it better than to say, drinking water only made me more thirsty.” Yes, water makes me feel FULL (in my stomach, in an unpleasant sloshy way, not nice full like after two donuts), but it doesn’t quench my THIRST.
That is Very Interesting about the salt. I’ve never heard that but it sounds intriguing and I’m definitely going to give it a try tonight! Thanks!
CiM
Hi, Jodie! See – this is what I’m saying about your comments – how I love finding them around because they’re always so good. 🙂 Just wanted to say hello. 🙂
Pauline starsmore
I do think that it is noticeable that you had lost weight I thought that in a few of your previous photos and thought how nice you looked.
bettyewp
Aww, thanks Pauline!
Debbie from Illinois
Bettye, keep on keeping on. You are doing great! I’ve cut way back with my McD’s sweet tea addiction. If I want one, I have to skip the drive thru and walk in. Ugh! Then I get it with half sweet tea and half unsweetened.
Love the photos. Thanks for sharing them.
Iris
Bettye, you’re doing so great. I’m sure losing that amount of weight has helped – and I think part of the reason you’re feeling better is that you’re concentrating on what food you do put in your body. Hang in there!!! Proud of you.
Grace & Peace,Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
bettyewp
Thanks, Iris xoxo
julia
Yay! That went by fast (sez the lady who continued to eat what she wanted for those two weeks!). Have you ever tried stevia as a sweetner? It’s a plant that you could grow and pinch off the leaves for sweetness. We had a plant that the horses found on an outing and they ate it down to the ground! I enjoyed the random photos too!
Maggie
I am also addicted to McDonald’s Sweet Tea. No other tea can compare, and it calls to me every time I drive anywhere in the vicinity of a McDonald’s. When I first had weight loss surgery, my knee pain was just terrible. Just two weeks after surgery when I hadn’t lost all that much weight, the pain was so much less that I was able to walk without a cane. It just got better and better from there (until it got worse again but that was a few years later). Anyway, my point being that I really believe it was the change in what I was eating that helped my knee pain tremendously. Even now if I eat too many carbs or processed foods, I feel it. So I think your sugar detox is a good thing but oh, so hard!
bettyewp
Yeah. Sigh. I’m trying (though you wouldn’t know it from yesterday). Nothing in my body feels better at this point. I think my hip pain is hereditary – both my sister and father had to have hip replacements, so I think I’m sorta destined for that pain, sugar or no sugar. I feel better overall I think just being a little lighter and eating foods that don’t cause me to get hypoglycemic and all dizzy/shaky. It DEFINITELY feels better to fit better into clothes.
How is your knee now?