Day #4 Update: No Sugar / No Flour 10-Day Challenge

I’m doing surprisingly well on my “No Sugar / No Flour 10-Day Challenge”!  Today is Day #4, and I don’t seem to be having any major issues with it.  I think the reason we’re doing so well is that we’re not doing low-carb (or low-fat or low-protein), so I haven’t experienced the symptoms that are sometimes associated with that (headaches, muscle aches, etc).  We’re eating plenty of protein (eggs, chicken, pork, and beef) and fat (butter, coconut oil, EVOO=extra virgin olive oil, and schmaltz=rendered chicken fat), as well as lots of “carbs” in the form of veggies (arugula, spinach, kale, lettuces, broccoli, cabbage, and sweet and white potatoes) and some fruits (bananas, apples, oranges).  It feels great to avoid the empty calories (sugar/flour), and eat more nutrients from the veggies and “healthy” foods!  Plus, I am cooking more, so we’re not relying on processed meats and fats, but rather, whole chickens and bone-in beef roasts, and the like.

The main difference in how I feel is that I do feel a lot more thirsty, so I just make sure I’m drinking more water, and so far I feel fine.  I don’t seem to be having more headaches or muscle aches or grogginess.  The pesky issue is that I am not sleeping through the night, which is new, so maybe that’s a side effect?  I do still feel somewhat low energy, which I did before this challenge started, but that’s probably more from this time of year (cold/less sunny) and interrupted sleep.  I probably could due to take more vitamin D, for starters!  I’ve been looking into taking fermented or extra virgin cod liver oil.  I really dislike oily (to me, fishy) fish, so I’m thinking about buying some of that to take as a supplement…  I have started adding ground flaxseed to some of my meals (mostly breakfasts), since I don’t even taste it, and it’s supposed to be high in omega-3 fatty acids.  I figure it can’t hurt!

Here are some meals I’ve been eating:

Unconventional Breakfast Bowl: diced cold baked potato on the bottom—high in “resistant starch” (good for gut health), ground flaxseeds—omega-3’s, egg fried in homemade schmaltz, topped with cheddar cheese and green onions.  Very tasty!  It’s hard to believe this is “healthy”, but what the heck, it keeps me full and is healthier than processed foods and sugar/flour!

Taco Salad: fresh baby arugula and baby spinach base, topped with seasoned sweet potatoes, black beans, and taco meat (homemade, with locally-farmed ground beef), aged local sharp cheddar cheese, lime juice and cilantro, sour cream and salsa, and freeze dried sweet corn kernels.  Sounds fancy-pants, but it was tasty too.  Who needs the tortilla?

Taco/Kale Salad: lightly steamed chopped kale with butter and garlic powder, topped with the same sweet potatoes, black beans, and taco meat, and sour cream and salsa.  I love leftovers, and they are flexible!

How about you, any good meals lately?  Are you trying to eat less sugar and flour too?

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No Sugar / No Flour 10-Day Challenge

Week 1, Monday, 10/5/15, Weight: 148.8 lbs.

Week 2, Monday, 10/12/15, Weight: 145.2 lbs.

Week 3, Tuesday, 10/20/15, Weight: 147.0 lbs.

Week 4, Monday, 10/26/15, Weight: 146.2 lbs.

Week 5, Monday, 11/2/15, Weight: 145.2 lbs.

Week 6, Monday, 11/9/15, Weight: 142.4 lbs.

Week 7, Monday, 11/16/15, Weight: 142.0 lbs.

Week 8, Monday, 11/23/15, Weight: 142.2 lbs.

Week 9, Monday, 11/30/15, Weight: 143.4 lbs.

Week 10, Monday, 12/7/15, Weight: 140.6 lbs.

Week 11, Monday, 12/14/15, Weight: 140.4 lbs.

Week 12, Monday, 12/21/15, Weight: 140.8 lbs.

Week 13, Monday, 12/28/15, Weight: 142.4 lbs.

Week 14, Monday, 1/4/16, Weight: 143.8 lbs.

Week 15, Monday, 1/11/16, Weight: 141.0 lbs.

Week 16, Monday, 1/18/16, Weight: 142.6 lbs.

Week 17, Monday, 1/25/16, Weight: 142.2 lbs.

Good news: yesterday, I started my “No Sugar / No Flour 10-Day Challenge”!  So, today is Day #2 already.  Yay!  Boy, this is not a "diet" by normal terms: I'm eating plenty of tasty foods and not limiting fat at all.  It feels so good and healthy to be eating "whole foods" instead of garbage.  Here are a couple of my first meals to whet your appetite:

Breakfast with sweet potatoes, bacon, and sautéed onions, wilted baby arugula/spinach, and fried eggs and cheese.  Smoothie with whole fruits and whole-milk plain yogurt.

Dinner with braised chicken thighs (bone-in/skin-on) and veggies in gravy, baked potato with real butter and full-fat sour cream, and steamed broccoli and carrots.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately, and now I know why I can’t keep myself from eating so much sugar and (white) flour.  It’s addictive.  Glucose and fructose are released when these substances are broken down in the body, and this happens quite quickly since they are lacking in fiber (high glycemic index).  These sugar molecules make my brain happy…but only temporarily.  They also cause hormonal changes in my body (huge insulin spikes) that don’t last, and when they wane, my brain makes me crave more.  It’s a vicious cycle.  Not to mention, other than causing a happy (but temporary) emotional state, sugar has no nutritional value.  I would argue that white flour doesn’t have any either; rather, just fast “energy”, which means they break down quickly into sugar.  These elevated insulin levels keep my body from burning my own fat stores, so as long as I’m eating sugar/white flour, my insulin will be elevated, and I can’t burn my excess body fat.  Not only that, but over time, elevated insulin levels can lead to Type 2 Diabetes and other scary health outcomes (obesity, heart disease, etc).  Yikes!

Now, I’m not a doctor, nutritionist, or even an expert when it comes to eating for weight loss.  But I do know one thing: if I am eating something that isn’t helping my weight loss efforts, and in fact it may even be harming my body in addition to halting weight loss, then I need to STOP eating it (at least, temporarily, to see how I feel “off” of it).  I currently feel addicted to sugar and flour-products, and I don’t want to be.  Sugar and flour have hijacked my brain, but it’s time to take back control.

Enter my “No Sugar / No Flour 10-Day Challenge”.  Yes, I’m avoiding all forms of sugar for the duration of the challenge.  I will not be having any kinds of flour during this timeframe either (even whole wheat).  For some people, maybe this wouldn't be a big deal.  But I typically eat multiple flour-based products a day (usually homemade, but still too much: bread, pancakes, biscuits, tortillas) and also many sugary items a day (honey, syrup, jam, chocolate, dessert).  In addition, I am going to do my best to get a full 8 hours of sleep, and be in bed by 10PM or earlier every night, which is not what I normally do.  I am going to try to keep up my exercising: jogging 3x/week if possible.  So, this challenge is a BIG deal for me.  While avoiding the sugar and flour, I will be having “whole foods” from all categories, including lots of vegetables, and also fruit, fat, meat, dairy, eggs, and even whole white potatoes (with skin!) and whole grains (brown rice and steel-cut oats).  Here’s my food breakdown:

OFF-LIMITS (DO NOT eat)

Sugar (white, brown, raw, powdered, etc)

Maple Syrup, Honey, Stevia, Agave (all stimulate the brain, even if no calories)

Jam/Jelly

Desserts, candy, chocolate

Fruit juice, Beer, Soda (even diet!)

Dried and canned fruit (with sugar/sweeteners added)

Anything with Flour in it (bread, pasta, crackers, pancakes, bagels, biscuits, cookies, cake, etc)

Anything with Added Sugar in it (such as prepackaged ketchup, hotdogs, salad dressing, pasta sauce)

ALLOWED (Eat every day)

All veggies, especially lots of green ones and leafy ones!

Good fats (extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, organic butter)

Meats (locally-farmed, unprocessed)

Bone and Vegetable Broths (homemade)

Legumes (beans, peas, peanuts)

Fruits (whole fresh, frozen)

Whole-fat, organic dairy (butter, cheese, heavy cream); I’m looking into raw and grass-fed/pastured

Nuts

Avocados

LESS OF (Try to eat only once a day)

Very starchy plants: bananas, potatoes, winter squash, sweet potatoes

Dried fruit with no sugar added: Medjool dates, raisins, apricots

Whole milk

Whole grains (steel-cut oats, brown rice, cornmeal)

Cornstarch: this is a stretch (almost like flour); I’m looking into arrowroot powder

Canola, corn, or other oils

Processed meats

VERY LITTLE OF (Not daily, try to avoid)

Alcohol/liquor (no beer!), Mineral Water

Processed foods / Eating out

Ideally, I’m hoping that during/right after the 10 days, I’ll have experiences such as:

Sleep better and wake more rested

Be less groggy/sleepy/weighed-down after eating

Have a better mood overall/more positive

Feel more energetic

Be more clearheaded/less foggy

Have fewer cravings for sweets/flour

Experience a little weight loss

So far, I’m doing OK.  I expected to have headaches and huge hunger cravings, and I don’t yet.  I haven’t even cried yet (haha!).  I have had some fleeting thoughts of wanting to eat things like bread, dessert, and chocolate, but I suppose that’s to be expected.  Unfortunately, after Day #1, I didn’t sleep well last night, but I’m hoping that’s completely unrelated, so I’m going to bed early tonight and hope I sleep like a log.  I still don’t have additional energy, but I’m forcing myself to jump on the treadmill shortly and at least walk if I can’t summon the energy for a jog.  I possibly feel a bit more clearheaded, and definitely not as groggy after eating, so that’s great!  I’m very motivated to stick with it for 10 days, and I hope to notice some good results.  Time will tell!  By the way, my loving husband JK is on-board and is doing the “challenge” with me.  I hope you all join up too!  Leave me some comments, even if it’s to tell me you think I’m crazy for doing this!

I’ll try to post my thoughts/feelings every couple of days during the challenge…

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Happy New Year 2016!

OK, I fell off the bandwagon during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays…no blog posts for 5 weeks.  Oops.  But now I’m back, and back at it.  Here’s an update of my progress from weigh-ins on 12/14/15 through 1/11/16:

Week 1, Monday, 10/5/15, Weight: 148.8 lbs.

Week 2, Monday, 10/12/15, Weight: 145.2 lbs.

Week 3, Tuesday, 10/20/15, Weight: 147.0 lbs.

Week 4, Monday, 10/26/15, Weight: 146.2 lbs.

Week 5, Monday, 11/2/15, Weight: 145.2 lbs.

Week 6, Monday, 11/9/15, Weight: 142.4 lbs.

Week 7, Monday, 11/16/15, Weight: 142.0 lbs.

Week 8, Monday, 11/23/15, Weight: 142.2 lbs.

Week 9, Monday, 11/30/15, Weight: 143.4 lbs.

Week 10, Monday, 12/7/15, Weight: 140.6 lbs.

Week 11, Monday, 12/14/15, Weight: 140.4 lbs.

Week 12, Monday, 12/21/15, Weight: 140.8 lbs.

Week 13, Monday, 12/28/15, Weight: 142.4 lbs.

Week 14, Monday, 1/4/16, Weight: 143.8 lbs.

Week 15, Monday, 1/11/16, Weight: 141.0 lbs.

Surprisingly, despite some holiday gains (and losses), I’m not terribly much higher in weight than I was on 12/7, so that’s pretty cool.  However, I did not lose any extra weight as I had hoped.  But I obviously wasn’t that serious about trying to lose, considering I made 8 kinds of homemade cookies over the past month or so.  Sigh.

The good news is that I’m still doing my 3x/week jogs, keeping up my food diary, and trying my best to eat more veggies—and green ones in particular—every day.  The bad news is that I’ve been eating WAY too many sweets and too much white flour (mostly cookies), and just eating too much food in general.  I seriously want to get to a point where I don’t do this.  I know it’s the holidays, but why do I feel like the only way I can enjoy it is to eat excessively, and non-prudent amounts of sweets?!  It’s so predictable, so why can’t I keep myself from doing it?

So, I’m not interested in doing those little progress reports in every blog post like I did last year.  And  I will not plan on updating my progress in each area unless there’s something drastic to say.  Rather, I’d like to touch on whatever topic floats my boat in a given day.

Today, I feel confused, frustrated, and out-of-whack…about what to eat.

Whoa, what?!

That’s right, friends, I’ve been doing some reading, movie watching, and soul-searching over the past 5 weeks of my radio-silence.  I am equally excited and terrified to try some new ways of eating, which is to say, I really need to lay off the useless carbs.  I know, I just said carbs there, and everyone is rolling their eyes.

BUT NO, I will NOT be doing any of the following “diets”: low-carb, no-carb, high-protein, South Beach, Atkins, or Paleo.  Nor will I be doing low-fat, Whole-Food-Plant-Based, Vegan, Clean, or Ornish.  Honestly, people, haven’t we figured out there’s no real “diet” out there that works for everyone, every time?  If there were, we’d all be thin and healthy and trouble-free.  What a world that would be to behold!

Instead, I am planning a "10-day No Sugar/No Flour Challenge" to:

Cut out added sugars and wheat flour (white, whole wheat, etc).

For 10 days.

Starting sometime in the (very) near future.  Start date TBD.

Just to see how I feel.

No other added sweeteners either, “natural” or otherwise (I’m talking to you, maple syrup, honey, agave, and stevia!).  I don’t drink soda, but if I did, I wouldn’t even drink diet soda for these 10 days.  These items have no health benefits, and very likely have health detriments, and therefore, why eat them?  Of course, I eat them because they’re delicious (sigh), and because I am addicted to them BIG TIME.  But these are not good reasons to keep eating them!

I hate to have to "cut out" something that I'm eating, but those items are not necessary items.  I can live without added sugar and processed flour for 10 days.  No biggie, right?  ;)

Next time, I’ll post on my thoughts on the book called The Gabriel Method, as well as a movie called That Sugar Film.  Both very interesting, and food for thought (haha!).  Also, I need to do a post on some serious sleep habit improving, like getting to bed by 10PM every night, and not watching TV/movies or computer/iPhone screens late at night.  Maybe I should include that in my 10-day challenge...

What do you think…want to join me on this 10-day challenge?  This is going to be hard for me!

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