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THE 21-DAY SUGAR DETOX DAY 14 RECAP

It’s Day 15. I’m two weeks in. One more to go. WOO!

Yesterday The 21-Day Sugar Detox was challenged with a social event in the neighborhood.

What I Ate

Fortunately the main dish was pulled pork and I was able to bring two side dishes so it all worked out okay. I didn’t even ask how my friend prepared the pulled pork, but I know it wasn’t sitting in a sauce all day because he slow roasts it on some fancy grill/smoker so I’m assuming he used a dry rub and not a sugary sauce. The sauce was served on the side, and I didn’t partake. So I think I did well.

I made this black bean salad with corn, red peppers and avocado in a cilantro lime vinaigrette. (Since I didn’t have red peppers, I used green and then added some tomato for color.)

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers and Avocado in a Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

I omitted the sugar, although the beans and corn still aren’t technically 21-day-sugar-detox-friendly. Still, I love this salad and figured it was okay for a special occasion. I mean, if I’ve gotten to the point that THIS is a treat, I’d say the detox was successful, yes??

Of course, if you’ve hung around here for any length of time, you probably know that I really shouldn’t eat avocados. As much as I love them, they do not agree with me. I stupidly thought I’d be okay with just a little. I used to be able to eat them sometimes. But no, my stomach was in knots for the next few hours. Bah humbug. Guess I will have to omit the avocado next time. Honestly, I don’t think I’d miss it in this salad, but it’s a shame because it has such wonderful health benefits. Oh, well.

I also made this zucchini ribbon salad. It was wonderful, and it went over very well at the gathering. In addition to the grilled zucchini ribbons, I used arugula, my lemon vinaigrette, feta and almonds (my son is allergic, so we had to be careful, but he didn’t want any anyway, and I felt like the salad would be too bland without them.) It was lovely, and everyone liked it.

zucchini-ribbon-salad

I passed on the cornbread (that was painful — it was full of bacon and cheese, but I want to stay true to the no-grains portion of this diet) and the dessert. I did have two small glasses of red wine — one before dinner and one with. After that, I switched to water.

When I got home, I was still feeling a bit ill from the avocado so I made myself a cup of this kombucha green tea. I can’t believe I’m actually drinking tea! This makes me happy. I have never liked it and never forced myself to, but now it’s definitely a nice thing to have in my arsenal when I want . . . something, anything, but don’t want caffeine or sugar or calories. This one actually has some caffeine, but not as much as coffee. I’d like to find something without caffeine that I enjoy as well.

Working backwards, for lunch I had a salad of mixed greens with my lemon vinaigrette, beets and goat cheese. I’m still using up these cooked beets I bought at Costco. SO handy to have around.

For breakfast, I made these cinnamon apple muffins from the 21-Day Detox guidebook. (Incidentally, if you don’t want to purchase the whole program, you can get this book and do just fine. You won’t have the access to the forums or the daily emails and the easy printables, but you have all the info you need.)

PALEO Cinnamon Apple Muffins

These got mixed reviews. I LOVED THEM. In fact, I ate too many. I knew I should stop after 2 or 3, but I think I had 4. Funny how even something slightly sweet still makes me want to overindulge. My husband didn’t care for them. I think it’s because he was expecting a muffin, and because I made them I knew they were mostly egg. I love the combination of egg with the cinnamon and apples — it reminds me of something, a dessert that I’ve had somewhere. Maybe a custard or bread pudding. (He doesn’t care for either.)

They’re a bit of a pain to make because you have to peel and chop apples and then cook them in butter and cinnamon to soften them up, then wait for them to cool before incorporating them into the batter. THEN you have to wait 40 minutes for them to cook. But I thought they were well worth the wait.

I was STARVING because I had waited too late in the morning to start making them. I need to learn to think ahead better if I’m going to continue eating this way. In a way, I’m glad they’re not too easy to throw together because I can see myself overdoing it with these. But how nice to have a go-to recipe for those days when I’m tired of savory breakfasts. I don’t really care that no one else in my house likes them. MORE FOR ME!

How I Feel

My weight is holding steady at a 8-9 pound loss, and I’m feeling really good in my clothes. I’m excited to be wearing things that didn’t fit for much of the summer — a few I even rescued from the Goodwill bin in my garage because I had thought a month ago that I’d never wear them again. Like these shorts!

pink-shorts-closeup

We are heading into the first week of school here at our house. Hopefully the school routine will help keep me on course for this last week of detox. There are no social occasions or holidays on my calendar this week so it shouldn’t be too difficult. I’m hoping to finish strong and then transition into a primal lifestyle a la Mark’s Daily Apple and his Primal Blueprint. (In fact, he has his own 21-day challenge, which really is just a call to eat the way he eats all the time and the way I am hoping to eat all the time.) For those who want to do this but don’t need something quite as drastic and specific as The 21-Day Sugar Detox, this is a good one to use — and it’s free.

What About Exercise?

Someone asked me if I’ve been exercising, and the answer is no. Not a bit. I have done some pushups and pull-ups when I think of it, but with the stress fracture in my foot and my lovely medical boot, I haven’t done any cardio or strength training workouts since starting the detox.

I’ve pretty much accepted the fact that I can’t be a runner. It’s still heartbreaking. I miss it SO MUCH. But. My feet are clearly not going to cooperate with my desire to be a mid-distance runner. Ironically, the primal lifestyle does not recommend it. It truly is a lifestyle, not a diet. (Whereas The 21-Day Sugar Detox most certainly is a diet. In fact, I think not exercising has benefitted me because the detox would have been much rougher had I been trying to keep up with my workouts — at least that first week.) The Primal Blueprint, as Mark calls it, is also about the way you exercise, the way you sleep, the way you play . . . everything.

He has a pyramid to illustrate how to exercise, just as he has one for how to diet. Everything he believes regarding exercise aligns with other sources I’ve read over the years, but I loved running so much I just tucked the information away and went on with what I wanted to do. Now that I’m adopting this way of eating, I will adopt the exercise recommendations as well and hopefully I will get myself to a fitness level that I’m happy with even though I won’t be running.

I’ve been working with a personal trainer doing strength training for almost three years, now. I can’t wait to resume that activity. I know that strength training is super important as we get older, especially for women prone to osteoporosis (which runs in my family.) Plus, building muscle helps you burn more fat, even at rest. I love this article on HuffPo about 5 Strength Training Truths Every Woman Should Know. I’m all for lifting heavy. No girlie weights here!

For cardio, I will be walking, hiking and cycling. We all know those are the safest ways to get our cardio (well, those and swimming, which I am NOT doing, lol.) Fortunately my husband loves to hike and bike so that’s something we can do together, and hopefully I can learn to enjoy walking. At least it will get me outside, alone with my music, which is one of the things I miss most about not running. For me, the challenge will be resisting the temptation to run “just a little” which is what got me this lovely stress fracture.

He does recommend sprinting on occasion, so maybe when I get the desire to run (once my feel heal completely), I will just do a sprint, and that will tire me out enough that I’ll be happy to walk after that. Ha!

So once again, I started this recap post thinking I had almost nothing new to say, and I’m writing a book.

Sorry about that, folks! I am wordy. I can’t help it.

To all who start school today, Happy First Day of School! Stay tuned for the obligatory bus stop photos.

Join The Conversation

8 Responses

  1. Since you mentioned hiking, have you guys been to Hawk Mountain? Fall is the best time of year to visit. My hubby and I were there Saturday. It was still a little early in the migratory season so we didn’t see much – just an osprey and a bunch of turkey vultures – but it really picks up during October.

    1. Yes, once! We should go back this fall. Great idea!

      Oh wait, I’m in a boot. LOL. This really stinks. Maybe I’ll get it off in time to enjoy one hike before the cold weather sets in.

  2. You look great (although you always have!) and you look like you are feeling great too! You’ve inspired me to order the book – thanks for the hint on just ordering her book instead of the whole online program.

    1. Sure thing! I just realized you can do that, or I’d have said something sooner. 🙂 I do love having the printables, though. I used them often that first week. We’d be like, wait. Can we have this? But the lists are also in the book.

  3. Yes! Thanks for the hint about the book. You do look great ! I want to try those Apple muffins. They look delicious!

  4. I am in awe with how you are managing to keep it up. And the weight loss must be the icing on the cake (sorry!) Regarding the tea – have you tried rooibos? Its naturally caffeine free and comes in different blends. I grew to love it during my 1st pregnancy and take it with or without milk.

    1. The weight loss truly is the impetus for this whole thing. I’m all for healthy living, but truthfully, I was fed up with not being able to wear my clothes. And it is why right now I’m determined to buckle down and finish this strong. I’ve plateaued and I really want to lose a few more and then keep it there. I think I’m going to have to be VERY diligent to have success with that.

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