I Quit Sugar for 90 Days: This is What I Learned

I Quit Sugar for 90 Days.

Starting January 1st, I have been on a gut healing journey. I talked about all the details in this post HERE.  I started the protocol as a “practice” back in November to get used to eating different types of foods. It was very helpful to ease into all the transitions and give myself grace if I couldn’t perfectly follow the protocol. My protocol involved excluding many foods including: grains, gluten-free grains, sugar, dairy, alcohol, coffee and a list of red and yellow foods found on my MRT test. (Click here to see that list)

As you are reading this – you might be thinking – what the heck did you eat Chelsea!?!? Well I found a lot of foods to eat actually! And I found myself trying new foods which was fun too. When you focus on what you can’t eat, it feels very restricting. So I put my focus on everything I could eat and found that I had a lot of options!

My protocol focused on lower carbs to heal my candida and bacterial overgrowth so all my meals consisted of protein/fat/veggies.  I made it as easy as possible because I hate overthinking food because I would rather focus on other things! (like writing!) I found 5-6 recipes and rotated them every week for lunches.  I pinned a few of my favorite low-sugar gut healing recipes here.   I also ate a lot of taco salads. I mean like once a week.  Who doesn’t freaking love tacos?!?

And when I say I Quit Sugar for 90 days…I quit ALL sugar for 90 days.  That means no sauces of any kind, no dressings, no protein bars, no processed foods, no dried fruit, and up to only 1 serving (1/2 cup) of fruit per day. I really had to look at the back of every product and most processed foods were a no go anyway.

Over this time period, it gave me a lot to think about and looking back I feel like I learned a lot about myself and my relationship to food. I thought you might find it interesting so I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences so you could learn too!

Let’s dive in:

1. My brain power was on fire.
   I want to start with this because I am still amazed at how amazing and clear my head has felt. I feel less achy, less sick, and less sneezy.  My brain at the end of the day was still functioning.  I believe that limiting my grains and gluten completely was the biggest factor. For a long time, I was very resistant to cutting grains and gluten out 100% because I am not celiac.  But I do believe that cutting these foods for most people can help with aches, immunity, and digestion. It might sound challenging to ditch grains/gluten for a set period of time, but you never know how good you can feel unless you try! 🙂

      2. I like not drinking alcohol.
I didn’t really attend many parties. But the times that I did – I loved not drinking.  Instead I sipped on sparkling water which I never thought I  liked??  The bubbly fizz put me in a relaxed mood.  I wasn’t worried about how much or how little I was drinking and my mental capacity stayed clear and steady all night long. Some nights, alcohol makes me sleepy quick and then I just want to go home.  By the next day, my stomach felt amazing.  I was ready to accomplish my to-do list. And funny enough, I never felt restricted because I knew I was making the choice for me.

3. Not eating all the food helped me to be more present.
I am a foodie so eating all the food is my favorite. But all the restrictions meant that I couldn’t munch on food all night long.  So instead of eating all the            food and focusing on if I am eating too much or too little or whatever else I might be thinking about – I could focus all my attention on the people                    around me.  Food is supposed to bring us together to connect more, but sometimes is does anything but that.  And that not eating all the food made me enjoy myself and feel freedom.

     4. Sugar can be abused easily.
      In even the smallest ways, sugar can be abused to provide energy, alter your mood, or just give comfort. It is so easy to get into the habit of eating sweet         snacks night after night.  And there is nothing wrong with eating sweet foods and having dessert! But sometimes, we eat the food more out of habit than         actual desire and it ends up not serving our body.  After the 90 days, I have found myself not thinking about sugar at all (even chocolate!!). Before, when I indulged I let myself eat until I felt just awful. Now I have no desire to feel like crap or to numb myself out from life. I plan to enjoy treats from time to time, but can choose to taste and enjoy treats for the experience not for the comfort.

    5. Investing in yourself is powerful.
   It wasn’t the easiest 90 days, but it was so worth it.  I am proud that I followed through for over 90 days. Just that in itself is something to be proud off.   I invested in myself by hiring a nutritionist.  Once I put up the money, I didn’t really have a choice but to go all in.  I sure wasn’t going to waste the money I put up!!! I truly believe that if you want real results – you need to dig out the money to hold yourself accountable.  When you invest in yourself, the return is SO much greater than if you didn’t.

 

I am SO glad that I did this protocol.  More than anything it helped me re-connect to my body and listen to how I truly want to feel.  My gut did a lot of healing and have noticed significant improvement in how I tolerate different foods! I highly recommend a full sugar-detox and gut healing protocol.  If you have any questions for me – post them below! I would love to share more and help guide you!

 

xox
Chelsea Jolene