Not surprisingly, after one week of this new cave-woman diet (see last post), I feel a lot different, in a very good way.
But first… the Struggle Bus.
Admittedly, the first 4ish days were rough. I had HORRIBLE headaches that lasted all day, and all night. At one point, I was convinced something non-sugar-withdrawal-related was going on and thought about going to the doctor. So, of course I searched the internet, only to find that those headaches were completely, painfully normal.
The sugar cravings also were rough. I had gotten in the habit of eating something sweet (namely, Nut Goodies that I smuggled in from Minnesota) every day after lunch. If I didn’t have something sugary after lunch, then it was usually peanut butter cups from Trader Joe’s after dinner. It was so wired into my brain that I NEEDED something sweet to complete my meal(s), that going without it was tough at first. My nutritionist, Robin, told me to eat fruit whenever I had sugar cravings… so I stocked up on bananas and almond butter. To my surprise, that actually helped a lot!
Sometime during my 4th night, I pushed through the headaches to “the other side.” And now, it feels as though the fog in my brain has lifted.
Granted, it has only been a couple days. However, these are the immediate differences I’ve noticed so far:
I fall asleep faster, sleep more soundly through the night, and wake up NOT groggy which is a very new thing for me. For as long as I can remember, I have been the girl who wakes up 10x per night and can’t sleep well, hits snooze a bajillion times before getting up, and HATES getting up early. “Sugar-Free Me” got up early Saturday to do yoga and Sunday to go hiking. Seriously, who is this new person?!
I have consistent energy throughout the entire day, with no crashing after lunch.
My mood, in general, has been better and more consistent.
My focus issues feel like they are getting better. I felt super productive at work today and yesterday, which is always a great confidence booster!
Not that I really care about weight (I care more about how I feel and how my clothes fit!) but just out of curiosity, I weighed myself tonight after dinner. Keep in mind: I have NOT restricted myself at all in terms of portion sizes or calories whatsoever. In fact, I feel like I am eating MORE. I am constantly snacking on almonds, veggies, and fruit between my meals. But umm…. I have lost 5 pounds since last Tuesday. From a weight that I have been at (plus or minus a couple pounds) for YEARS. How crazy is that?? It makes sense though, based on what I’ve learned from this book called “It Starts With Food” that I just started reading. It talks about why nutrient-dense foods fill you up faster, and why you can eat unhealthy foods to the point of being sick/super full. (Here is a nice article on how these things called satiety and satiation work… Very fascinating!).
I have discovered how fun it is to cook meals from scratch! I’ve never been a cook (besides very simple things) and this whole experience has forced me to spend some time teaching myself new things in the kitchen. For example, tonight I made spaghetti squash with homemade meat sauce for the first time. It was not only delicious and fun to make, but I had this unexpected, beautiful feeling of appreciation for it once it was ready. It reminded me of when I was in Peru. My “host mom” would spend several hours a day chopping up fresh veggies from the market, prepping homemade sauces, etc. for the elaborate meals she made. I always felt this amazing sense of gratitude and love for how much she put into cooking for us, which in turn made the whole experience of eating together a special, and memorable one.
My daily stomach aches are completely gone! 🙂
One week down, and I already know this was the best investment in myself that I could have made this year. I love how I feel so far!!!! ❤
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