Week 3 was an interesting one...

I wrote this on Sunday but haven’t been able to upload until now… Damn internet!

I can't believe another week has gone by already... while it was a turbulent one, it certainly rushed passed with lightning pace. Some interesting things that happened this week...

- I didn't have any sugar, in any form, YAY! (I still give myself a high-five every day that goes by - I think it's important to celebrate the little things)

- I actually felt my body transitioning from one that burns energy from sugar, to burning energy from fat (I’m pretty sure I went into a state of Ketosis, which I will try to explain later)

- My sugar cravings were practically nonexistent (probably due to the above point, which did come at a cost)

- I found it so much easier to say 'no' in social situations (I am slowly becoming equipped with more facts to help me feel stronger in myself and in my decision)

- My friends are surprising me by being super supportive (while I love them dearly, they often don't like it when I'm in health-kick mode. As Sarah Wilson explains this, "When you bravely take the plunge and quit sugar, you hold a mirror up to others' fears".)

- I had a slip up, and accepted it without grief (no paralysing shame - hooray!! It wasn't a sugar-related slip up, but I did make some coconut rough chocolate using rice malt syrup when my coconut butter attempt failed miserably)

So, I can see the road ahead may not be as scary as I first thought. That is probably the biggest turn around from this week - I guess I am adjusting to this as a lifestyle, rather than just seeing it as a 'detox'. I just returned home from an Asian themed dinner party and, surprisingly, very easily refused the banana fritters with vanilla bean ice cream, the lychee cups with chocolate and even the fortune cookies (although I still received my words of wisdom... "Don't lose sight of the bigger picture" - crazy right??) And it made me realise - I can actually do this! Not just for these 8 weeks, but for good. I made my own sugar-free brown fried rice dish and veered away from the sweet curries and super-saucy meat dishes. There was so much food, so many people, no one even noticed what I was or wasn't eating and it was surprisingly easy! I think how much sugar I have avoided in just one night, and all by being a little conscious. 

I've found myself asking, but it's only been 3 weeks?? Where have the crazed craving monsters gone? And the strange little personality-sucking alien has not shown his face? I definitely wasn't expecting this. I also know that not every week will be like this, there will be tough times ahead. But I’m in a better headspace, ready to tackle these things head on. 

But it seems the sugar wasn't my biggest problem this week – it was my body going through some sort of change. According to my naturopath, it is learning to function by burning energy from fat, rather than sugar. I remember reading in Sarah's book that you might feel crappy for a few weeks as your body transitions into this phase, and it came at me hard this week. At the start of the week I was nauseous, unable to eat, ridiculously tired and unable to focus. I was absent minded, felt lost, and so very moody. One of my students told me that when he was talking to me, "it seemed like you were far, far away Miss, and it was scary". Each day this week got a little easier, until by Friday I was back to my old self, and have been feeling great all weekend. I think this was my body switching into a state of Ketosis.    

Ketosis, from what I understand, means that our bodies are using fat for energy, and comes about as a result of a low sugar and carbohydrate diet. Ketones are molecules generated during fat metabolism (when our bodies are breaking down fat for energy, rather than burning up the carbs and sugar that we usually have in excess). I like to see it as little Keto-men eating away at my various and plentiful excess fat stores around my body, and it makes me feel pretty good.

But these little Keto-men shook up my whole system. As I was previously eating sugar in such excess, I guess my body had a full on reaction. But it seems like I’m back to normal now (thank God) and definitely feel far better than I did prior to the detox.

Some meals from Sarah Wilson’s book I really enjoyed this week were the fennel soup (creamy and delicious) and the broccoli and cumin hash (what a flavor hit). I also am pretty proud of my zucchini pasta (made with my new favourite tool – a spirooli!). 

 

I am definitely spending a lot more time in the kitchen now, so that has been a bit of an adjustment, but one that I am so happy to make. Who would have known it could be so much fun? I can't believe the detox is nearly halfway complete... looking forward to more recipes for week 4.