Sugar Detox Conclusion

I hope all of the mothers out there had a great Mother’s Day. Yesterday was my third mother’s day and I hope to celebrate many many more in the future. Being a mother is such a privilege and although my rugrats can drive me crazy sometimes they are the reason I started to focus on my health and wellness. I could not imagine not being there for all of their special moments – big or small.

My sugar detox was something that I knew I had to do although I dreaded it for quite a while. I had way too much of a weakness for sweets. I did not have one specific reason for completing this detox but a number of them - a desire to lose the baby weight and wanting to rebalance my sugars, and sticking to my goal to focus more on nutrition. I really also believe that after having my baby girl naturally I felt a greater sense of empowerment over my body.

 

That empowerment helped me complete this detox - one of my biggest personal challenges. The detox definitely left me with physical changes; however the mental changes and realizations I gained far outweighed the physical. If you are considering this detox I would highly recommend it. Below are just a few of the outcomes I experienced.

1. Smaller Waistline

It could or could not have been the detox but I am only an inch or two away from fitting into my pre-pregnancy pants. In addition to my smaller waistline I also feel a lot lighter and less weighed down.

2. Energy Increase

As a result of feeling lighter my energy increased. It was easier for me to get up in the morning even while I was getting up multiple times throughout the night to nurse.  I also didn’t have any slumps throughout the day.

3. More Health-Focused Family

One thing that made the detox easier was that hubby also participated with me. If you plan on doing this and live with other people I would encourage you to get them on board as well so that you have a support system and less temptations.

Additionally, I also cut out added sugars to baby boy’s meals.  Surprisingly he ate everything up and it made me wonder why I even added sugars to his food to begin with.

Knowing that my family is eating healthier makes me feel so good. I have a long way to go with baby boy, but the small changes that he’s accepted makes me very hopeful.

4. Smoother Skin

My skin is one of my biggest insecurities. In my early 20s I had very bad cystic acne, which left me with A LOT of scars. I always had a suspicion that my diet could have had something to do with it but I never wanted to admit it. My skin has a long way to go but I really believe the detox helped it become smoother and keep new breakouts/pimples at bay.

5. Exploration of New Foods

Instead of thinking about all of the foods I couldn’t eat on the detox I changed my mindset to consider all of the foods I rarely eat or have never even tried. I went to the Farmer’s Market weekly (now part of my routine) and bought a variety of foods, often times picking up something I have never cooked with before. This exercise opened my eyes to how boring my diet used to be and how much more food I have to choose from. The pictures below are just some of the things I created and ate in the last three weeks.

Daikon Fries

Roasted Zucchini Salad and Steak

Homemade Tomato Basil Soup and Salad

6. Cravings for Sweets Decreased

The first few days of the detox were hard. All I wanted was a chocolate bar and going to the store and seeing sugar everywhere made it even harder. After the first week however those cravings slowly died down, which of course was part of the purpose of this whole thing. A month ago my heart used to jump for joy at the mention of ice cream or dessert and although it still sounds good now, the level of excitement is not nearly as high and knowing what sugar does to my body gives me the strength to pass it up.

7. Thirst for Nutritional Knowledge Increased

Out of all of the effects of the detox the greatest one in my opinion is my newfound thirst for nutritional knowledge. Throughout the detox I watched so many documentaries and have read so many books that I don’t think I could ever go back to the way I used to eat. I have learned that food is powerful and has the power to heal and any food that destroys the body really isn’t food at all. Overall, this detox was one of the best things I could have done for myself and I am excited to continue learning more.

I am sure I will have days where I consume some unhealthy food and sugar, but I now know that those days will be few and far between. Moving forward I am committing to a diet that will nurture my body, not destroy it.

Sugar Detox: Snacks

Today is day three of my 21-day sugar detox. I have been following this food list. One thing I have realized during these past few days is that in order for me to be successful with the detox I will need lots of snacks on hand.

With that said, I have compiled a list of sugar-free snacks. Whether you are on the detox as well, want to limit sugar in your diet or are just looking for a healthy snack, the below are great options.

1. Nuts

Nuts are packed with protein, filled with good fats and can lower the bad cholesterol in your blood. On top of that they are easy to take with you while on the go.

2. Cheese

I love cheese. If you do as well organic string cheese or cheese slices of all varieties are great in satisfying hunger pains. I love Horizon’s mozzarella string cheese and Rumiano Family organic cheese slices.

3. Almond Flour Bread

I recently made this almond flour bread recipe and am hooked. I actually used almond meal and felt that it still turned out great. I don’t mind eating it plain but it’s also delicious when topped with butter, almond butter, cheese or any other sugar-free topping you would put on bread.

4. Kale Chips

I had heard of kale chips for quite some time but have never tried them. I know they are sold in a lot of stores, but I wanted to try making it myself. I am so glad I did because they are so easy to make and are so tasty. I only seasoned the chips with salt in my first batch, but will definitely experiment with other seasonings. Warning: these are very addicting.

5. Unsweetened Almond Milk/Coconut Milk

If you are in need of sweet treat try a glass of unsweetened almond or coconut milk with a splash of cinnamon. For added goodness throw in some chia seeds.

6. Green Smoothies

In addition to the sugar detox I am also doing a partial cleanse which consists of drinking green smoothies in the morning until noon. The smoothies are pretty filling and after the first day I realized that I could make an extra smoothie to have between lunch and dinner to keep me full (since I was starving). On the sugar detox one green apple is allowed so I have been using these in the smoothies. I have also ben throwing in whatever green veggies I have on hand. A pinch of cilantro also gives the smoothie a nice kick.

7. Hard-Boiled Eggs

Eggs are one of my favorite foods. They can be prepared in so many ways in a meal but also make a great snack when hard-boiled.  I like to throw various spices on the eggs to give them great variety and make them taste great.

8. Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds

Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are a great option if you just need a very small snack and aren’t super hungry.

9. Tuna and Cucumber

Tuna with some seasoning on top of cucumber or other vegetable is a great choice if you need something a little more substantial.

10. Roasted or Raw Veggies with Dip

Raw or roasted vegetables are always a great and healthy snack option on their own, however if you want to dress them up a little add a sugar-free dip/dressing. I love this one here.

Labor and Delivery Snacks

My baby girl is four weeks and she will be one month on Saturday April 2. Time sure flies. I meant to put up this post before she was born, however while I was preparing and awaiting her arrival I never got around to it. This is my second baby and having done this before I prepared completely different – food wise – for my labor and delivery than I did the first time.

With my first pregnancy I scoured Pinterest and pregnancy boards to find the best labor snacks recommended by other moms. I ended up packing coconut water, some hard candies and granola bars from what I can remember. Once at the hospital I discovered that I did not like the taste of coconut water, the hard candies were useless and basically all I had to hold me over were the granola bars and ice chips neither of which provided much nutrition. My labor was relatively smooth until 12 hours after checking in at the hospital. I became extremely exhausted, ended up getting an epidural that I really did not want and then I was induced with pitocin. After 18 hours of hard labor my son was finally here. Looking back I honestly think that if I had had the proper nutrition or more food fuel during labor I could have endured better and I could have had the natural labor I had hoped for.

This time around I went on a search for easy to eat snacks loaded with good stuff that would give me tons of energy. Before deciding on what to bring with me to the hospital I actually tried the food and drinks in advance to determine whether I even liked them – I know, minor detail I missed the first time.

Baby girl was four days late and by the night before her birth I was convinced we would have to get the induction we scheduled “just in case” she didn’t arrive within a week of her due date. I guess she got the message after we scheduled the induction because she decided to make her way that night. Her labor was so short (she was born two hours after checking in at the hospital) that I actually didn’t even end up eating most of these snacks, but since I did have all of them during my recovery right after her birth and during my stay in the hospital, I still believe they would have been great choices during my labor if it were longer. I am also happy to report that I had the natural birth I always desired and would not have had it any other way.

If you’re an expectant mom or just someone on the hunt for nutritious snacks I would recommend trying these to see if they work for you.

1. Perfect Bars

These Perfect Bars are one of my new favorite snacks. I discovered these while grocery shopping at Sprouts one day while they were handing out samples. I was delightfully surprised at how good it tasted. The peanut butter bar (my favorite) is full of protein (17 g), contains 20+ organic super foods, and along with all of their bars is non-GMO, gluten and soy free.  These can be eaten in place of a meal, so they are a quick and easy way to provide energy during labor. I had  a Perfect Bar in the car on my way to the hospital and it definitely held me over until after the birth of baby girl.

2. Mamma Chia Drinks

I love chia seeds.  They are fun to eat and provide an abundant amount of health benefits and nutrients including protein.  Because I am not a coconut water fan, which is highly recommended for labor, I decided to give the Mamma Chia drink line a try. I also wanted something healthier and more natural than Gatorade. Right after the birth of my daughter the nurse wanted me to eat something to keep my energy up but I didn’t really feel like eating given that it was 1 a.m. so instead I drank one of these. I love the guava mamma flavor.

3. Protein energy bites

Hubby makes these delicious energy bites containing oats, peanut butter, chia seeds, chocolate chips and cranberries. We use Enjoy Life dairy, nut and soy free chocolate chips. They are delicious and Paleo friendly. The chia seeds and oats provide a great amount of energy and nutrition and just one of these is such a great and satisfying snack. Let me know if you are interested in the recipe, otherwise these are really easy and could be made by eyeballing the ingredients. After mixing everything refrigerate for an hour or more before rolling these into individual bites.

4. Cuties

Who doesn’t love Cuties? Easy to peel, quick to eat and super refreshing.

5. Veggie-Go fruit strips

These are one of my new favorite sweet snacks. The best part about these are that my son loves them too. Each strip contains ½ a serving of fruit and ½ a serving of vegetables. Our favorite flavor is Mountain Berry Spinach which contains berries, spinach, apples, sweet potatoes and nothing else.

2016 Goals

Happy 2016! It’s been a while since I posted on this blog, but I am determined to keep it up this year.

I am still focused on fitness, but being 35 weeks pregnant it has been difficult to keep up. I must say that I have definitely been more active with this pregnancy than I was with my first, which is a plus. Given that being active has taken a plunge with pregnancy I have decided to pay more attention to nutrition and overall wellness.

I have been learning so much from listening to nutritional podcasts like Dishing Up Nutrition by Nutritional Weight and Wellness and reading articles and books. Many of the things I have learned so far have changed my perspective on food and the biggest eye opener has been learning about nutrition/food and the direct correlation to many of the diseases and health problems being faced today. I will definitely touch more on this in detail in future posts but for now I encourage everyone to go on their own self-education journeys.

This New Year has also brought on many new goals. These include:

• Eliminate processed foods by the end of the year;
• Decrease sugar/carbohydrate intake;
• Increase vegetable intake;
• Start juicing at least once a day (after baby’s born);
• Plan ahead and start packing lunch to work after maternity leave;
• Buy better sourced foods; and
• Keep active

In order to achieve these goals I needed to figure out where I am starting from. To do that I kept a 14-day food journal detailing everything I ate everyday as well as how certain foods may have made me feel. Like everyone else, I am human so of course I have my days of indulgences, especially while being pregnant, but when I reviewed my food journal I realized that I indulged far too often. I won’t bore you with the details of my journal, but if you are interested you can view it for yourself here. I plan to journal again in the middle of the year to see how far I have come.

I have a long way to go, but with two little ones depending on my health and wellness it will definitely be worth it!