The First Week

My willpower is on fire, it has been less than a week - I do not care I am ready to toot my little horn (and say a genuine thank you prayer). I felt a bit silly celebrating the first two or three days of being sugar-free, but now that I am one day away from completing an entire week I feel so empowered! I am one-eighth of the way through the eight week detox! Here is what I have learned over the past week.

Everything has sugar

...which is highly upsetting. I treated myself to a long Easter weekend visiting friends and family in SC. It is a lovely 5.5 hour drive, it goes by quickly thanks to audible. I have been trekking up and down I-95 with a mega bag of chocolate and caramel trail mix and a G2 Tropical Blend with the occasional baked good from Starbucks for the past two years. I made a conscious effort to avoid the obvious sources of sugar and read nutrition labels (read: looked at number of servings, total calories, and carbs). This time, the first time I looked at ingredients and found a form of fructose in everything. Here are the healthy options for your next road trip! Also, I suggest stopping at a larger travel center or truck stop (use your digression - profiling is perfectly acceptable when traveling solo), they have a larger snack selection, vs a small Shell or Exxon station.

Don't stress the little things
We all know that quitting cold turkey will most likely lead to devastating binges. Sarah says "We're not going to cut out all sugar straightaway... My theory is that humans respond badly to outright bans.... The takeaway being "The less sugar in your system before you enter week 2, the easier it will be." This week I practiced mindful eating, avoiding sugar as much as possible, but not completely eliminating it. Since this is not a crash diet and I am developing life long habits, I did not stress myself out by completely avoiding sugar. I enjoyed a margarita at the Nats game and had a glorious brunch at Sixth Engine with vising friend. I was tempted to feel guilty but realized I was actually so proud of myself, I was finally in control. Sure I was consuming sugar but I was not berating myself for the indulgence and I knew this one meal was not going to derail the detox.  And, it didnt! Success!

Water and sleep are my best friends

Seriously I would follow them on instagram if I could - water helps stave off cravings and being well rested gives you strength to brush off that little sugar cube whispering in your ear reminding you that right now Reese's Peanut Butter Easter Eggs are 75% off at CVS.    

I. have. got. to. start. cooking. meals.

Not having prepared meals has been the biggest struggle this week. I am relying on prepackaged goods from Whole Foods (which are glorious and lifesavers) but I need variety. A girl can only choke down so many cups fresh green beans in one week.  I am preparing a grocery list right now, which I will post soon and let you know how the recipes turn out :)

Best tips from I Quit Sugar

She has an amazing "Getting Equipped" section that helps you build a healthy pantry and beautifully stocked freezer.
"When I talk about quitting sugar, I'm talking about quitting fructose. - Every molecule we put in our mouths has corresponding appetite hormones... Every molecule, that is, except fructose... fructose has no "full switch"."

with love, kate

P.S. Shoutout to myself!! I have not had honey in 6 days. I used to put delicious organic pure honey on everything (read: everything from coffee and cereal to veggie patties, sweetpotates, even raw vegetables) It is important to celebrate the successes big and small!