I did it guys!! I did 21 days no gluten, dairy, sugar, alcohol, or processed foods. You are probably thinking what crazy person would choose to detox during this time BUT here me out. The first few weeks of qtine I was baking everyday, drinking all the wine, I made homemade chicken fingers, tacos and so much comfort food-which was what I needed at the time. It was fabulous but was NOT sustainable.
I decided to do this for many reasons but mostly I have been wanting to detox from sugar for months-I just never had the right time; traveling, house guests, social events, birthdays there was always SOMETHING that was keeping me from committing to a few week cleanse. Because when I commit, it's all or nothing. I don’t take shortcuts and I wanted to do it right. This sugar detox was to heal my gut and a potential overgrowth of bad bacteria called candida. I frequently had sugar cravings, carb cravings, wine cravings and knew my sugar intake wasn’t in control. Whenever I feel I am becoming too reliant on something (ie sugar, alcohol, carbs, caffeine) I like to take a cleanse to “reset” and remind my body that I don’t need it.
Another big reason I went on this journey is for my clients. This cleanse is first hand experience to what it feels like to have eating restrictions and to follow a strict regimen. It’s hard. It’s especially difficult if it's your first time cleansing. It’s incredible insight for me, how to build meal plans and recipes around restrictions-making sure to create filling and tasty recipes to support any client who commits to a cleanse. I honestly didn't even feel like I was cleansing because I got in the habit of cooking with no gluten, sweeteners and dairy. And I feel amazing! But it didn’t start out so easy.
I experienced headaches, hanger, mood swings, and constipation (sorry, but I am a nutritionist, this is common lingo for us) on this cleanse, mostly in the first week. But by experiencing all of this I am now more empathetic and compassionate for my future client. I will address their concerns and abilities and tailor their needs to what will work for them. If they want the strict regime great, if not, that’s fine too I will create a plan that works for them! Overall the experience I am gaining from this cleanse has been insightful and I am ending it feeling my best self. I got rid of bloating I was experiencing-even after every meal-I never felt bloated. Some people associate bloating with “full”.
This cleanse was totally worth it because it challenged me to get more creative in the kitchen-yay! Nothing excites me more than making amazing tasting healthy food. Like if I can perfect my sugar free coconut cookie, I will be sharing it ASAP. I became reliant on sweeteners like honey and maple syrup in pretty much everything; dressings, desserts, smoothies -which is totally fine in moderation but I wanted a little break. It led me to create great recipes that don’t need any sweeteners, gluten or dairy. Which has always been my favorite way to cook-so thanks for the reminder cleanse!
One last thing that has been worth it while on my cleanse-proving to myself that I can do something like this really boosts my confidence. When you make a promise to yourself and fail-it makes an impact. No matter how small the promise is. I have told myself so many times I am cutting sugar but never followed through longer than a few days. So completing this cleanse was a huge accomplishment for me- I am looking forward to helping others do the same!
If anyone is thinking of detoxing anything from their life I want to be there for them whether it’s sharing clean recipes, a friend to vent to, or nutritional advice. Let me know friends, I am here for support!
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