21 days ago I started a detox. It's the longest I've gone where detoxes are concerned. Quite honestly, I wasn't sure I could do it. Not because it looked too difficult, but because there's a lot of emotion around food. Especially when you're denying yourself things you've had on a regular basis for a very long time. If you've ever committed to a diet, you know what I'm talking about.
Here's what I learned, what I liked and what was a bit of a hurdle for me:
Here's what I learned, what I liked and what was a bit of a hurdle for me:
- I liked the structure. It's nice when you know ahead of time what to eat and when to eat it.
- What was challenging was cooking meals that I hadn't had before. The directions were simple enough, but to create something new nearly every day took time. I grumbled the first few days at how long it took me to make a meal. It reminded me of how much time my mom spends every holiday cooking and preparing only to have the meal devoured in less than 20 minutes.
- After the grumbling subsided, I realized how much I enjoyed cooking for myself. It had been a long time since I'd thoughtfully prepared a meal and then relished it like I was at a 5 star restaurant.
- The meals were delicious. I can honestly say I've never eaten better at any restaurant I've ever been to ~ and I'm not a cheap date. I also liked how some of them repeated so I could cook once and eat twice.
- My energy level was off the chart. Without caffeine, sugar or cheap carbs I had tons of energy with plenty to spare.
- It was tough getting used to drinking 16 ounces of water every two to three hours. But I know that's where a lot of the extra energy came from. For the first time in a long time I was truly hydrated. Amazing how something as simple as drinking water can make such a big impact. Even though the detox ended Sunday, I've been starting my mornings off with 16 ounces of water. That's one habit I intend to keep.
- I missed going out to eat. Not so much the food, but the social side of it. I did go out for lunch a few times to places where I knew I could get a healthy salad, but that's when the emotional side of things kicked in. While everyone else was eating burgers, fries, mac & cheese and pizza, I was eating a salad. The weird part was I didn't really want to eat those things, but emotionally I felt deprived. Like I said, it's like being on a diet when no one else is and they're not even aware that what they're eating is causing an inner struggle for you.
- The biggest change came in the form of stress release. I had been piecing it together before the detox, and this solidified it for me. Eating junk food stresses us out. We think it's making us feel better which is why we call it comfort food. But actually sugar and processed foods jangle our nerves. It makes us anxious and can cause depression. It seems so harmless, especially since our fondest childhood memories are linked to candy. But it's not harmless. Studies have shown that sugar is as much an addiction as heroine. Not a pleasant thought. And I have to admit, it's the one thing I'm wary about reintroducing into my diet.
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