10.17.2013

The 21-Day Sugar Detox (Week 2)

It's a little late, but here's my recap of Week 2 of The 21-Day Sugar Detox.

Just two weeks ago, I thought I was dying from this sugar detox. I had some serious withdrawal symptoms: shaking, dizziness, nausea, headache, exhaustion...you name it! Thankfully, it was only one day. I survived it. Cut to...today: Day 19. I. Feel. Great!

As I write this, I'm munching on carrots - they've been a pretty standard snack for me throughout this detox, mostly because they're easy to prep, and I can eat them no matter where I am. Also, you'll notice in my food journal below that pecans and raw milk cheddar are staples. But the rest of my diet has been pretty varied. As I mentioned in my 21DSD Week 1 post, I have viewed this detox as a culinary challenge...a chance to try some new dishes and get the dinner menu out of the boring rut in which we'd been stuck. And I think I've done a pretty good job. I've even got The Man eating some of my creations, though I don't think Mr. Cherry Pepsi will ever tackle a sugar detox! LOL

If you had told me a year ago that I would attempt a technically low-carb/Paleo diet, I would have laughed in your face. I've never been a fan of the Atkins-type low-carb diet, simply because there's so much emphasis on "0 carb" processed foods and less emphasis on whole foods and healthy carbs.

And the Paleo diet bugged me because it eliminated entire food groups (dairy & grains). Granted, these food groups are very irritating to some, myself included, but that doesn't make it a "one size fits all" solution. I typically do fine with grains (though I think the shrinking size of my belly might prove otherwise), and as long as the dairy I consume is *not* pasteurized, it doesn't bother me at all. So, at least for myself, I don't think it's necessary to follow the Paleo plan in its entirety.

But, the 21-Day Detox is a bit of a combination of both low-carb and Paleo, and I've loved (mostly) every minute of it. Day 3 was the big exception! But do I think I could do it long-term? Probably not. I'm tiring of eggs for breakfast...I miss my Quinoa Breakfast Porridge. And I miss fruit...mostly because of it's convenience and ease...the original fast food! And quite honestly, I kind of want a PB&J...and Hawaiian BBQ...and probably a bunch of other things I can't think of right now! But most importantly, I've learned that I can have these things in moderation, and I don't *need* sugar in order to survive. Nor do I need to swear it off completely. It's all about balance, kids...yep! I believe that's the key!

So, here's what I ate last week...interesting, I know. :)

Day 8: 
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, bacon, black coffee
Lunch - spaghetti squash with meatballs and marinara
Dinner - Almond-crusted cajun chicken, cauliflower rice, grilled asparagus
Snacks - carrot sticks, raw milk cheddar, pecans








Day 9: 
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, bacon, black coffee
Lunch - leftover almond-crusted cajun chicken, cauliflower rice, green beans
Dinner - grass-fed hamburger with raw milk cheddar on a bed of lettuce with homemade pickles, homemade mayo, tomato, and onion
Snacks - carrot sticks with almond butter







Day 10: 
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, bacon, black coffee
Lunch - Chicken salad in lettuce cups, avocado, snap peas
Dinner - Steak with balsamic reduction, roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and browned butter
Snacks - carrot sticks, raw milk cheddar, pecans, sugar snap peas








Day 11: 
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, bacon, black coffee
Lunch - Taco Salad
Dinner - meatballs and marinara
Snacks - carrot sticks










Day 12: 
Breakfast - scrambled eggs, black coffee
Lunch - Chipotle salad
Dinner - second half of Chipotle salad
Snacks - raw milk cheddar, cauliflower, carrots, sugar snap peas, cucumber slices, a few salami cubes

Day 13:
Breakfast - scrambled eggs, black coffee
Lunch - Turkey Cranberry Waldrof salad from Cafe Moxo (minus the cranberries and with balsamic dressing)
Dinner - Krabby Patties from NomNomPaleo, grilled asparagus in lemon butter
Snacks - raw milk cheddar, raw veggies







Day 14: 
Breakfast - scrambled eggs, black coffee
Lunch - Chipotle salad
Dinner - eggs, bacon
Snacks - raw milk cheddar, pecans







So, there ya have it. I feel like I did really well last week, I began feeling fantastic, and the food was delicious!

Stay tuned for week 3, my end results, and my maintenance plan (if I have one)! :)

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