Detox sucks.

But I'm on my way out of it (hopefully).  Seems my "drug" of choice, a.k.a. Mountain Dew (the sweet, sweet nectar of the Gods), is one of the hardest of the sugars to quit.  Of course it is!  Why would I pick something easy?? 

My new "diet" calls for more protein, and moderate levels of good carbs and minimal starches.  On the bad carb list are cereals, breads, and soda...just to name a few.  All three are my faves.  Sometimes I'd eat them all at the same time in one sitting.  Then get the shakes an hour later and binge again.

So, I've cut those things out and WHAM!  Headache, body aches, irritability (well, much more than normal) were driving me down and trying to have their way with me.  I told my food counselor from sent from Heaven, Lisa, that if there was a can of pop sitting on the table next to us, I seriously would not be able to focus on anything that she was saying to me.  THAT's how strong that addiction to sugar is.  It's the "precious". 

Lisa promised me that all of this would pass, and I'd feel so good afterward.  Dammit, she was right.  Yesterday at about 10 a.m., I snapped out of this funk and holy shit, I don't think that I have ever felt this good before.  Or at least not for a long time.  Have you ever experienced a runner's high or anything like it?  That is how I felt.   Seriously, I felt so good that I had a hard time going to sleep.

So I started this on Monday, and today at my nine o'clock meet with the guru, I weighed in and lost a total of 3.4 lbs.  I know you're thinking "well, it's all water weight", and you're probably right, but hey - I don't jiggle when I walk so I could care less if it's water weight, jello weight, feather weight, poop weight... 

I'll share with you my daily meal plan...  it's kept very simple, so I don't get overwhelmed and I can be as creative or as boring as I want it, as long as I stay within the plan:

Breakfast - protein (1 egg), fruit (1/2 C raspberries), dairy (1/2 C milk), protein supplement (this fruity powdery protein stuff that I mix with water)

Snack - 1/2 C nuts (any kind) or string cheese.

Lunch - 3 oz of protein - chicken breast, turkey breast, lean beef, shrimp... veggies (2 cups raw or 1 cup cooked), fruit (half cup to 3/4 C of whatever fruit)

Snack - A protein bar from the guru, or a glass of milk, or a string cheese...

Dinner - One good starch like potato, brown rice, corn, quinoa, wild rice (3 oz to 3/4 cup), 4 oz protein (same meats as lunch), same amount of veggies as lunch.

Evening - if I'm hungry, I have more of that protein drink stuff, or a protein bar from my guru.

Water, water, water, water, water, water, water.....yuck, right?  64 oz is the minimum, the guru pushes more esp. in this detox phase.  I keep a 2 qt pitcher of water in the fridge and keep drinking off it throughout the day, and you  know it's really not that hard to hit my mark.  In fact, I've been doing 2 of those pitchers a day no problem and I actually still feel thirsty.

You'd think I'd feel so hungry all day long, but so far I haven't.  I don't experience that drop in blood sugar that would make me sick.  Literally, I'd feel nausea and have the shakes so bad before that I would just binge on food to make it stop.   Then I'd feel tired, and 2 hours later it would repeat. 

I would not be able to do this without my nutritionista, Lisa.  She texts me up to 4 times a day to remind me - "hey, how's the water going down?" - or "hey, time for a protein snack!" or "Look at what we're having for dinner" and gives me the recipe.

She and her husband follow this diet so they walk the talk.  They know how it feels.  They make mistakes, too - yes they are human.  She also has celiacs, so she's uber vigilant about gluten free products etc...  I don't have celiacs, but I reap the benefit of that kind of diet.  My skin is clearing, my scalp isn't so oily, my knees and joints don't hurt. 

I also don't like to call it a "diet"...  it's not a fad.  It's a life style change.  It's a meal planner.  "Well, what's for dinner?  Let's see, I need a protein - I got some round steak.  I need a starch - how about new baby potatoes.  Veggies - well, either fresh off the vine tomatoes or steamed green beans, or stir fry some onions and peppers with my steak."  Done.

If Brian doesn't want what I eat, he makes his own.  But so far, he hasn't really minded what I've been making.  I feel better that the pressure to make a tasty meal that we can all enjoy is off of my shoulders.  If he doesn't like veggies, then he either goes without or makes something else for himself.   Not my problem and he's totally OK with it.  THANK YOU BRIAN.

I'm not deprived.  Last night, I grilled hamburgers (real hamburger - not veggie burger), baked my own homemade potato wedgies with sea salt, grilled some red onion for my burger and had beans from the farmers market.  So, it's not yucky diet food.  It's real fresh food that I can find in a normal grocery store.  I don't  take any magic pills - although that stuff is available.  Lisa is just fine not to push that stuff on me. 

I realize that I'm all excited and that this is something new and wonderful.  A month from now, I may not feel so motivated, but that's why I have a helper.  I can see Lisa everyday if needed.  She answers my texts right away.   

Caffiene is OK!  I have coffee and add a chocolatey protein powder to it instead of cream and sugar.  It's awesome.  I refridgerate some of it and make my own iced coffee for my afternoon treat.  Sorry Mickey D's. 

Too much information?  Hope I didn't tune you all out.  If you need any inspiration, I'd be happy to try and help out.  I told Lisa about the diet blog and she thinks it's awesome.  If you have any questions, I could pass them along to her.

Oh, and P.S.  I don't have to exercise until I drop, either.  All she asks me to do right now is get out and walk.  If I can get 2 miles in, she's happy.  This very beginning part of my diet is not designed for me to go out and run 5 miles.  That will change as my weight drops more...    My reward is a "mommy-free" day and a delightful massage appointment at 4:00.

Hang on girls!  It's gonna be a wild ride!  - Anne