Who doesn’t love desserts? They are creamy, sweet, filled with fat and butter. Yummmmmm….As I stated last post I have not had dessert in 75 days. I decided to detox from sugar thinking it would be great for my exhaustion. I also read some research stating that abdominal fat was often an indication of the over consumption of sugar. Sugar causes insulin spikes in the blood. When we eat that candy bar and drink that soda, our blood sugar sky rockets! What happens after this blissful sugar high? We come crashing down to the land of, “I need either more sugar or some caffeine.” The spiral continues until we are addicted to sugar. Not only have we started the cycle for sugar addiction, we are also telling our bodies to store fat. Yes! Stable blood sugar is beneficial for weight loss (See disclaimer at the bottom of the post if you think you’d like to give up sugar).

Insulin and energy:

“Insulin is a hormone that causes most of the body’s cells to take up glucose from the blood (including liver, muscle, and fat tissue cells), storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle, and stops use of fat as an energy source,” fitnessblackbook.com.

With the information I gathered on blood sugar and weight loss I decided to try 30 days with no added sugar. Diet consisted of lean meats-fish, turkey, beef, chicken, vegetables, tomatoes, nuts, beans, vegetable protein shakes (no preservatives), eggs, peanut butter, low fat dairy, etc…I did not eat any bread, grains, rice, or sugary fruits. Calorie consumption was relative to my plan before ~1500 to 1300 calories. The food I was eating before consisted of wheat bread, fruits, sugar, honey, cereals, frozen meals, crackers, pretzels, meats/grains/dairy, diet soda, potatoes, and pasta (all within the calorie restriction). The scale was not moving and my body was not responding to calorie restriction.

When I  started eating whole foods it was more difficult to meet the calories I needed. Ex. Spinach has 7 calories a cup vs. eating potatoes that are more calorie rich. And whole foods fill you up faster. I simply wasn’t as hungry. Something to note: women should not eat less than 1200 calories per day and 1500 for men. Reducing calories below that level leads your body to think you’re starving and your metabolism will slow down. Plus it’s not healthy (See webMD.com search starvation).

Fitness and my plan: I did not work out the first 14 days. I wanted to see if the research was valid (stable blood sugar leads to fat loss). I had been running 15 to 20 miles per week.

Sugar Detox Week One (my experiences)

Headache, fatigue, irritability, and then more headaches and irritability.  I mean I felt like a cranky zombie. A cranky zombie who would probably tackle someone walking by with a cupcake. Oh my~ what did I sign up for? I decided to keep going. I was determined to finish what I started.

Sugar Detox Week Two

Energy has increased. No longer craving sweets or wishing to raid the vending machine for sweets.

Sugar Detox Weeks Three & Four

Able to run 6 miles instead of 3 without being exhausted. Energy is through the roof! Skin has cleared up with a healthy glow. I have dropped one pant size. I’ve lost almost 2 inches off my waist  without working out every day. I ran no more than once or twice a week.

Sugar Detox Weeks Five through Present

After the first 30 days I began to add more foods. Sprouted grain bread/Ezekiel 4:9 bread, sweet potatoes, quinoa, greek yogurt, fruit-berries, pears always with protein and never alone, croutons, etc..). Added circuit training into the fitness plan. I feel 100 percent better. I require less sleep. I no longer have the after lunch slump, and my skin looks better. I no longer crave sweets.

Will I ever go back to dessert? Probably in moderation (once a week), I don’t think anyone should deprive themselves for life. However, eating a diet that mainly consists of sugar affects your blood sugar and energy levels.  I’ve also lost four inches of fat off my stomach. It’s flat now. I feel better without dessert and that’s worth sacrificing for! I’m sure cutting out unhealthy processed foods helped with the fat loss as well. Good luck on your journey friends.

Disclaimer: Do not follow this as a weight loss plan. Every person should consult their doctor before starting a diet or exercise program. Your doctor can recommend a nutritionist for you or a plan if you desire. Information presented are my experiences/experiment.