My big D.Tox experiment started six weeks ago. I was two weeks full-on damn near perfect on the program, and after that I was able to add back in to my eating the things I really missed.
The thing is, I didn't miss much.
I had zero physical issues coming off of coffee, so even though I still love it, I'm down to one or two cups a week (contrasted with two or three cups a day.) I'm a tea devotee now, and happy with that.
Gluten, which I thought would be the hardest to give up, has proven not to be hard at all. Yes, I've had Lou's pizza, but for the most part, I've let go of wheat. There are too many other options out there. Peanuts? Gone. Turns out I really like almond butter. Dairy, you fickle minx, you've been the hardest to avoid, but even still, it isn't bad. All that crap they tell you about cravings subsiding when you start to eat better ... turns out, it's not crap.
Now, I have found ways to treat myself. I have indulged in chocolate chia pudding. It's basically almond or coconut milk, chia seeds, cocoa powder, and a bit of blackstrap molasses - one of the few "sanctioned" sweeteners - to take the edge off. I'm not gonna lie to you; this is not the chocolate mousse you're looking for, but it certainly satisfies that part of my brain that wants something chocolatey.
And yes, one night I ate a (couple of) handfuls of sugared pecans. And a slice of fruit pizza. But other than that, there have been zero sweets. I'm like a recovering alcoholic, because I want everyone to experience how good it feels to not have crap in my system.
I just feel different. I am not out of the woods yet, but really - are we ever? There's always temptation or laziness out there, threatening our success. It's a matter of telling it, "Nope; not today."
In the next six weeks, I have a lot of work to do. I'll be heading off to my first half marathon in a year, and I want to feel good when I finish. (Also, I want to look cute in pictures.) So I'm sticking to the plan; I'm (literally) working my ass off. Let's see where we go! But one thing's for sure; this feels different.
