Post Detox Week and Many Other Toxins

WOW! My week following the 21 Day Sugar Detox was nothing in which I thought it would be or what I had planned. 

The weekend after the detox was SuperBowl weekend.  I had very little sugar or wheat that weekend, as I was not craving it at all! 

Monday was a GREAT DAY!  It was my daughter's 14th Birthday.  We got to sleep in and start our day late due to icy roads---which always makes this mom HAPPY! My daughter had a small "after school hang out party"! It seemed like we were off to a great start to the new week....

BUT, that Monday night/Tuesday morning around 1am, I woke up with the worst stomach cramps EVER.  I spent the next 6 hours hugging and clinging to my toilet.  IT WAS MISERABLE!  And for the first time in my life I saw a SIX PACK OF ABS COMPLETED SHREDDED ON ME! ***Not exactly the way I wanted to see them for the first time ever! LOL!!

-Tuesday, I was worthless.  I slept ALL DAY and ALL NIGHT and even late on Wednesday.
-Wednesday, I did my best to get back to normal....and spent much of my day working and preparing and leading children's ministry. 
-Thursday, I felt GREAT!  I went back to cossfit and even had a really good workout! I worked/ I cleaned. I cooked.  It was a normal day......
-Friday, I woke up with a terrible headache, stiff neck, head cold and cough!  REALLY?  I went to crossfit, but really didn't want to be there. I felt like I was in a fog all day. I was exhausted all day.
-Saturday, I was still tired, but better.

SUNDAY---Today, I feel much better.  I just sound a bit "manly" and have a cough still.

Despite the "ill struck" week I had, I did really well with limiting my sugar intake and remaining wheat free.  The only downside of this week is not getting enough calories....but considering I was sick and all, that's probably to be expected.

Here are a few things I have tried to add in and the results:
Shakeology----no issues and taste like rocky road!! YUM!
Nutthins---bloated me---taking them back out
Trail Mix---too much sugar, hurt my tummy--taking back out
Kind bar--- hurt my tummy--taking back out
Berries with raw honey---new favorite sweet treat
Almond Butter---this is "legal" on the detox but I had never had it until this week.  LOVE IT!
I "almost" made an adult drink with soda last night until I saw that 20oz of coke has 65sugar grams. This would have put me in a coma!!!  TOTALLY NOT HAPPENING!!!

Workouts this week were not near what I usually do (but sickness occurred).
Monday- Boot Camp with Trent
Thursday-CrossFit
Friday-CrossFit
Sunday-8mile run

This week I am looking forward to two things......
1) I have a doctor's appt and am looking forward to what plans the doctor has for me this year.  We have made some huge strides this year and can't wait to review the results.  ***My doctor is a friend of mine that I workout with:-).  She has been such an inspiration and a great form of education for me this past year!
2) I have a private Olympic Lifting Class on Thursday!!! OH YA!!! LIFTING HEAVY and DOING IT PRETTY!! LOL

SUCCESSFUL Detox

I am almost a full week past my final day of the Sugar Detox.  I do apologize for getting this blog up a little later than I intended.  LIFE and a TUMMY BUG struck me quickly after I completed the detox.

I am happy to report, I absolutely ROCKED that 21 Day Sugar Detox.  I only had ONE cheat on a PMS day of 10 chocolate covered raisins....other than that, I was 100% to the program and the program did work for me!!!

Looking back, the first 5 days were the hardest.  Mainly because I was learning to break a lot of bad habits......like a glass of wine on Friday nights, occasional chips when out to eat, lots of grabbing of fruits or processed food on the go.  None of these were an option for me! Even though I have pretty much gone wheat free in the last few months, I was shocked to see how I really WASN'T wheat free after all.  There were so many other things I was eating that contained wheat in those tiny ingredients on the back of the items. 

But the BIGGEST EYE OPENING LESSON for me was how much of it was a mental battle.  In the 38.5 years I have lived, I think I have been programmed to think I must eat till I am full.  So those first few days and first week, it was hard to just eat my eggs, bacon, avocado all at one meal and be done because I WAS STILL HUNGRY!!! **Or at least I thought I was??  I didn't have oatmeal or toast or piece of fruit to help make me feel full.....therefor I THOUGHT I needed more!   After the first week, I had realized I was NOT HUNGRY after all.  I just had mentally thought that since I was not feeling "stuffed" that I wasn't getting enough.  And let's face it, you can't really eat a ton of veggies and ever feel stuffed?  I was learning that "perfect fuel" didn't feel the same on me as what I was used to putting in me.  Suddenly, I was finally seeing that I was FUELING my body to work rather FEEDING my body to work!  I can defintely say my relationship with food had changed completely because of this detox.

Now, with that being said, I don't think this diet is the best fit for me to be on 100% of the time.  I found that fueling my body for my workouts just wasn't cutting it for me.  I don't hit walls very often...and even when I do, I usually can overcome, but I felt weak and out of shape about halfway through each workout.  It was tough.  I don't think I ever found a good pre-workout meal that gave me what I needed.

So I will be tweaking the program to fit my needs.  I am adding back in shakeology once a day.  I will continue to drink a veggie drink daily, I will do only two fruits a day but with more of a variety.  And I will add back in my whey post protein drink.  Other than that, I will keep to this diet.  I plan to remain wheat free and limit my sugar.

RESULTS BELOW:
Lost 5.3lbs
Lost---
1" @ chest
1/4" @arm
3/4" @ waist  (1.5" at biggest part of waist)
1/2 @hips
1/4 @thigh

I got GUNS!!! WHAT!?!?!

Detoxing.......

I am TEN DAYS into this SUGAR FREE, WHEAT FREE diet.  I have never in my life eaten this strict or been so aware of what I am putting in my mouth.  It's been such a fun process to learn so far!  But I do believe this is harder than training for a marathon (but maybe that's because I like to run....and I like to eat....HA).

My goal this past week was to give this detox a 100% real effort.   I also wanted to start doing more than just modeling this for my kids, but also have them be a part of the learning process....without "forcing" a big drastic change on them.  This past week I can say, without a shadow of a doubt that I did great!!!  But it took more than just me to do this (like I said before, this is harder than running 26.2 miles).  I had some extra help and some extra ammo on me.....

My Scripture to help me DAILY!!!! I have it EVERYWHERE---even on my car dash!

 I also set a goal to make the kids healthy breakfasts and lunches at least three times this week.  I did it FOUR TIMES....and the kids LOVED IT!!! Gonna do it again this week, too.

As for workouts,  I had a great week of working out.  The WODS this past week were TOUGH!  But I am getting so much stronger and my form has progressed a lot with my olympic lifting.  I can't believe how much I love lifting HEAVY. I did, however, feel more gased than usual in my endurance WODS but I just did my best to "struggle well".  Overall, I feel really good about my workouts and diet combo so far.

Tuesday Afternoon Run

I may have done pullups on this bar at the football field?? HA

Weights at Home

Sunday RECOVERY Workout---8mile bike ride

How do I feel???  I feel amazing!!  The first five days were the hardest, but I am in a groove and in the mindset now! I can already see a change in my tummy area of less "puffiness".  I feel leaner and lighter, but who wouldn't when eating very clean?  I have to admit, I think I will try to stick with this diet longer than 21 days (but with an added SUPER BOWL cheat meal and with a two fruits of any kind in one day).  But who am I kidding?  I may be in a honeymoon phases still. HAHA!

OH---And I did a sonogram body composition assessment this past weekend.  THRILLED!!!!! Take a look at my Body Fat %??? MAKES ME HAPPY!!!  20% body fat now.  A year ago I was 33%!!! CRAZY!!!

UPCOMING WEEK----I have done some meal prep this weekend.  We went to Costco for a huge grocery purchase.  ***COSTCO is the BEST....they have great produce and so much more to choose from when it comes to natural, gluten free, sugar/wheat free foods.  I spent much of my Sunday making meals for the week: Taco Soup, Glazed Chicken, and Deviled Eggs.  It's not a full week but leaves me with NO EXCUSES for those busy days or evenings.

GOALS THIS WEEK---DO NOT CHEAT!  TRY TWO NEW RECIPES! EAT LESS CHEESE!

Sugar Detox Update (Getting the Kids INVOLVED)

I started my sugar detox last Friday.  And Friday and Saturday went great!  Sunday, however, was a harder day.  I think it was because everyone was home and snacking in front of me.  I don't even like those cheap sandwich cream cookies, but I wanted  18   one ALL DAY! HAHA!

All weekend I kept to the rule of only eating ONE fruit a day.  I actually had 1/2 a banana twice a day.  I usually have more fruit (and additional sugar) than this.  Especially on training days.  The weekend was so bad because I didn't actually train those days.  I did run Saturday evening....which may be why Sunday I was so hungry??  But I did not crossfit or lift those first three days of the detox. 

Monday morning (yesterday) was my first day to WOD (crossfit) since starting.  And when I woke yesterday morning, I decided that on workout days, I would allow myself two fruits.  ***Side Note: I have since learned that we (crossfit group) are allowed to have a couple, maybe even three of these choices; green apple, green tipped banana, an orange, or a sweet potato. 

So I have been have 1/2 cup to full cup of organic orange juice and a boiled egg each morning BEFORE working out.  I am eating my other fruit later in the day.

Here are some quick things I am learning and adjusting along the way:
1) First day I still lacked enough veggies to get enough carbs in.  I barely had 10% carbs.  And my calorie count was extremely low.  ***however, nothing to be too alarmed about as it was a rest day. And my sodium was way too high. (BUT I LOVE BACON! AND EGGS----the key is moderation)
2) Day Two- I tweaked the diet a little and I was MUCH BETTER on the sodium.  More veggies but still not enough.  And I didn't hit my protein count. Therefor my calorie count was still too low.
3) Day 3-I ate COMPLETE RIGHT.  But this was my most challenging day to fight sugar cravings so far. I finally hit a daily calorie intake goal I wanted.  I also got the protein count I wanted.  And I only had one fruit.  I also began using my juicer!!! MUCH BETTER!!
4) Day 4-WORKOUT ADJUSTMENT--- I added in one fruit PreWOD (Organic Orange Juice). The rest of the day was much like Day 3 and I felt GREAT! No sugar cravings and did well at workout!!!

Here is my IDEAL DAY on a WORKOUT DAY (at least so far).

****GETTING MY KIDS INVOLVED
In my last post you have learned that I have read the book GRAIN BRAIN.  I have learned a great bit of information and have heard some incredible stories about how our generation is suffering from our use of wheats/grains.  If you haven't read that post...please do.  Even better, get this book!  You will be convinced too.

This whole process started with me wanting to lose weight and fuel my body properly---but it has also led to my husband's decision to get on board (he is down about 35# and still making progress).  Then, as parents, we realized we have failed to educate ourselves and properly teach our kids about nutrition.  **We have indeed taught them about health---through our countless hours of sports.  But what use will the sports be if we aren't teaching them about the nutrition and fuel part?? Reality sets in that we are failing our kids!

But our kids are older now.  Bad habits have been formed and we don't want to be the Food Nazis.  So I have been telling the kids what I am learning....and WHY I am sugar detoxing and HOW that will help me with my training.  I am modeling it.  And now,  I have asked the kids to get involve.  But this is how I am doing it.  Our goal this week (mainly for me---but also for them) is I would get up to make them healthy breakfasts and healthy lunches but they have to eat them.  I won't take ALL grains out yet but will drastically lessen them and I will give them good sugar (fruit).  And I also won't add alot of new foods all at once.  I am on day two of this and it is going GREAT! The kids have enjoyed it so far.

Shame on me for not doing this before..... out of my own laziness and being cheap.  School breakfasts and lunches are cheap and require NO PREPARATION from me!  So for years I have done this. UGH!! So now, I am making up for it by modeling, getting them involved without forcing it....and with baby steps.

Day 1 Lunch- Organic Turkey Meat, 4 crackers with peanut butter, cheese stick, raisins, pistachios and and clementine.
Day 2 Lunch- 1/2 Organic Peanut Butter and Raw Honey sandwich, mixed berries, cheese stick, carrots and celery (half a serving of white chocolate pretzels---a treat).

***Personal Record Alert****
Totally off topic but I am just too excited not to share..... I have been doing smolov training the last month with front squats and yesterday we updated our 1 rep max.
Last month my front squat max was 160#---which was awesome cos front squating anything over your body weight is awesome.
However, 5 weeks after training, I improved that front squat to 200#.  Feeling like a beast!!! :-)