Detox

So, on Monday I started doing a simple "detox" food plan. Meaning I've given up sugar, wheat, and dairy for a little while. I got the idea from someone on a blog or on Twitter (and if I were a better person I'd remember who they are and link to them, but alas, I am not).

So, why am I doing this when I've avowed to no longer diet? Well, a couple reasons. I am fucking sick of being sick, first of all: since September, I have been felled with nine different illnesses, two of whom required antibiotics (three if you count the antibiotic drops I'm taking for pink eye right now. PINK EYE. ARG). I'm hoping the detox will help give me back a bit of energy and immunity.

But mostly I'm doing it because since Thanksgiving I've gotten pretty comfortable with eating a sweet bite after a meal, snacking on crappy things, and eating heavy, fatty meals as a matter of routine. Not the mention the huge uptick in fast food meals we indulged in when Tori went on her "I only eat chicken nuggets that come with a toy" food strike (I started making my own nuggets for her at home--foiled that plan). This simple detox is just an easy way to help snap those habits that I'd rather not have anymore. After all, fast food becomes a lot less exciting when you can only have the salads (McDonald's puts sugar even on their fries--bastards), and it's pretty hard to make a meal heavy without dairy or sugar.

This is the first time I've attempted this since really feeling like I've fully incorporated the intuitive eating practices (which for me is part of my HAES philosophy) into my life and, more importantly, into my heart. So there is no feeling of "diet" to this detox; for instance, while out to dinner the other night I forgot and ordered blue cheese dressing for my salad (remembering that it didn't have sugar from my old sugar-free days, but forgetting it was dairy). When I was dieting (or when I was "abstinent" a concept some of you are familiar with), that would have been the a) the end of the world and b) enough reason to trash the whole detox concept and just go ahead and order that Romano cheese dip and the brownie with ice cream as well as the steak I was having. With intuitive eating practices instead, I just shrugged and laughed. No blame, no shame, no "ruining" of detox program. Best of all, no starting over.

Additionally, the detox came to me intuitively; meaning I saw someone talking about it and thought, "Huh. That sounds perfect for after the holidays." It wasn't at all a 'must lose those holiday pounds!' thing, just a 'I want to feel better' thing.

It's been pretty great, although I admit it's only been a few days. I haven't been feeling deprived at all, algthough I wish I had a sweet bite (raisins or other dried fruit) after dinner; stupid me for shopping poorly. Here's what my day looked like food wise yesterday:

Breakfast: a packet of no-sugar added instant oatmeal with pumpkin spice and vanilla added by me, raisins, and a couple packets of splenda (I'm switching to a more natural sweetener when I have time to go to the store tomorrow). And my diet rock star, natch.

Lunch: 1/2 can of Spicy Chicken Chili on a bed of tortilla chips. Yummy.

Snack: Well, I tried to eat some dried apricots but it turned out they were bad, so I ended up eating a small handful of potato chips instead (silly me--not shopping appropriately)

Dinner: Pounded chicken tenders lightly breaded with spelt flour and spices, fast fried, with steamed broccoli and baked hash-brown-style potatoes (cooked with some oil, salt, and a little bit of onion soup mix I had left from Christmas dinner).

Snack: I'll probably have an apple with some natural peanut butter.

See? Not so bad. After all, on this detox potato chips and peanut butter are allowed. It's hard to complain. It's also the first time I've made a diet modification that didn't also include monitoring volume; I eat when I'm hungry, I stop when I'm full. Clear evidence that I have actually become able to listen to my body came on Christmas day when I wound up uncomfortably full for the first time in months; I'd filled my plate just like everyone else but I no longer really wanted that much food. It was bizarre, I tell you, to actually eat less than Sarah did for the first time ever.

I started talking about intuitive eating on this blog nearly two years ago. It took a year for the concept to sink in and then a year for my own experiments and attempts to actually level out into what has become for me the first time I've ever had a healthy relationship with food. Sure, if I'd had gastric bypass two years ago instead I would be skinny now (possibly), but knowing me and my personal experience with diets? I'd also be absolutely fucking nuts and unhappy as hell and, worst of all, probably on the road to gaining it back.

Now instead I have a chance to keep working on loving the body I have instead of dreaming of the one I want. I still have a long way to go, but I no longer have food yelling at me constantly and distracting me from my ability to love myself. It's glorious. Does this mean I don't wish I was (my dream of perfection) a size 12? Of course not. If I woke up thin tomorrow I'd be totally fucking thrilled. It does mean that at long last I've come to terms with the fact that I WILL NOT wake up a size 12 tomorrow. No matter how hard I wish or pray. Tomorrow I will wake up in this body, I will move it, I will feed it, and I will love it.

It's not a bad place to be. I'm eager to see where this journey takes me from here.

Comments

[Kristin]

1.

Wow...this is a HUGE accomplishment! I am completely and totally impressed.

[Holly]

2.

Wow, good for you! This all sounds awesome.
Do you have any suggestions for a more natural sweetener? I have Splenda and I know it isn't the best but I really don't know what else to use.

I am going to be embarking on something similar this year. I was thinking about how much I miss swimming and how I deprive myself of that simple pleasure. I am thinking of setting myself a date on which I will go swimming. To prepare for that I will either have to work on building a body I am comfortable with, or find a way to be more comfortable with the body I already have. Either way, I need to exercise more and improve my eating habits for the sake of health.

[hanlie]

3.

Go for it! I'm also dairy free, sugar free and additive free and I have never felt better. And as you say, you never know where it might lead! I did a review on an excellent book about eating more naturally and improving your health on my blog yesterday. The author has wonderful tips about how to get your children on board too!

For Holly: natural sweeteners would be small amounts of raw honey, dried fruit like raisins and dates (you can grind it in a blender), fruit and freshly extracted fruit juices.

[Jo-Ann]

4.

gah gastric bypass. E's coworker had it and has also had 4 other surgeries for "complications" he is stick thin and has malnutrition issues.

Take care and enjoy healthy living.

[chickenpig]

5.

The detox thing sounds great. I think you should also include a spa day or two so you can detox your spirit ...and get a manicure if it suits ya' :) (I know with money being tight actually GOING to a spa might not be in the cards, but perhaps a nice soak with candles lit and some hot stones or something while Charlie watches the wee one?)

However, if Tori goes to daycare still, even one day a week, you can count being healthy OUT. The reason you have been sick so often is kiddie, daycare germs. Every parent of a kid going to a new school spends a LOT of time sick the first year...or two. It is the main reason (other than the fact that my now 3 year olds still crap their pants...the shame) that the twins are not in daycare yet. I can't afford to be sick, or have the baby constantly sick.

Sooo...To make a long comment even longer, make sure you detox your home and kid too. Get the flu mist vaccine, have bottles of purel at every sink and use them often, wash the handles of your sinks and bath with bleach, as well as doorknobs, and wash your hands often. Mickey D's is also a plague of kid germs, so use sanitizer after you leave, on Tori's hands too. (it's safe for 2 and over) I don't use all the anti bacterial crap because it doesn't work, but bleach and sanitizer combined with frequent hand washing works wonders.

[Epiphany Alone]

6.

Very empowering, C. Love it!

Holly - Read Kate Harding's Fantasy of Being Thin and then go to Junonia and buy a kick ass bathing suit that supports whatever needs supporting to be comfortable in the pool and get swimming, girl.

[Catherine]

7.

Where on earth are you finding instant oatmeal without wheat gluten? You know I'm doing no-wheat-no-sugar, and oatmeal is something I miss. But I can't find any instant brands that don't have gluten. Did you read the label?

[Tine]

8.

I love hearing people talk good sense about their bodies. It gives me hope. Yay for you!

[Amelia Sprout]

9.

I'm doing something similar. No french fries or other fried food (except maybe a samosa), no suggary coffees in the morning, eat a good breakfast, bring my lunch to work.

So far, I have actually lost weight, but the best part is I feel great.

[Katrina]

10.

I'm doing that! But I doubt you're reading my blog. ;)

I cut out sugar and caffeine a week ago, red meat last Friday, dairy on Sunday, and wheat yesterday.

I really don't feel all that bad! AND my skin has cleared up significantly. I'm not doing it for the weight loss, like you said. I'm doing it to clean my body of all the toxins that have built up from me eating crap food. But, happy side effect, I've already shed 10 lbs.

Today and tomorrow I'm going to be eating broth, and then my room mate / best friend / Admiral of my Ship of Life are going to do the Master Cleanse. (The one with the lemons.) Then, after slowly reintroducing solid foods, on to Weight Watchers!

xoxo
katrina

[Annika]

11.

For folks looking for natural sweeteners: my very favorite is agave nectar. Honey and maple syrup are also great, but should be used in smaller quantities (they are really sweet!).

[watercolor]

12.

There is a guy on the new Biggest Loser who had one of the weight loss surgeries who didn't lose much weight at all in spite of now having a stomach the size of an egg. He just eats a little bit all the time..... ack. So, in the long run, I think learning to eat healthy and properly - however that looks in your life - is a better plan. At least, that's the route I'm taking. Hugs!! Great job!! This stuff is hard work.

[Cabert]

13.

My first comment here, and I'm delurking despite any good sense that I may have left.

I felt impelled to say that I'm more than a little leery of the Toxin-free diets that have become popular in the last two years or so. I'm a skeptic, and I've read a lot of books about pseudoscience, and to me the Toxin-free diet smacks of pseudoscience. This article in Newsweek (http://www.newsweek.com/id/171953) mentions that avoiding gluten is a newer craze that should really only benefit people with Celiac disease (about 1% of the population) but can result in people eating more fruits and vegetables, which can make people feel better. I'm cautious of diets that preach abstience of particular nutrients, such as sugar, fat, proteins (of which gluten is one). I have always felt that ingesting a moderate amount of compounds such as fat, sugar, alcohol (except for recovering alcoholics), and caffeine is healthy, but diets ought to contain mostly fruits and vegetables. And short of lactose-intolerant people, I have also only ever heard anecdotal evidence that avoiding dairy is beneficial. You can certainly live without it, but it isn't a toxin to those with the enzyme capable of breaking down lactose. In their TV show, "Bullsh*t," Penn and Teller do their best to demystify the pseudoscience behind detoxing on their episode "Detoxing", season 5, episode 4, but they tend to be less than polite.

I'm aware that everyone chooses their diets as best they can and tends to be a little sensitive about it. I have friends who follow Atkins or South Beach, and none of them are particularly reasonable when discussing their diets. But I just wanted to throw my dissenting opinion out there.

[birdie]

14.

I love the idea of doing a detox...I can't go too overboard as I am still nursing (so no fruit juice only detoxes for me!) but I could do something like what you are doing no problem. Thanks for the inspiration.

And you go, girl!

[Chickie]

15.

Good for you! Starting Monday, I ended my affair with Burger King and have quit eating snack foods and fried food. I can't believe how quickly I felt so much better without it. Like I'm cleaner or something. And 7 pounds have gone away! :)

[Michelle]

16.

Good for you! That is awesome!

Since I am pregnant, I eliminated caffeine (well except for what's in chocolate, I'm not crazy), artificial sweeteners and of course alcohol. I have been working to limit HFCS from my family's diet; seems almost impossible to completely eliminate it. So I am really limiting sodas as well; I used to drink 1-2 a day and I think I've had 2 this entire week. My husband says I become a crunchy-granola hippie when I'm pregnant. Too bad I don't focus on what I put in my mouth like this when I'm not pregnant. And that is what I am going to try to focus on once this little one is born. In fact, in a rare move for me....I just spent 15 minutes on a fast-Mex chain's website trying to decide what would be the best option when I pick up dinner tonight.

My kids eat way better than I do and I find it somewhat ironic that some of things that I think are complete crap and won't let my kids eat...um, I eat them and don't think twice. Luckily both the little one and my older stepson have really good eating habits in general. No battles to get them to eat their veggies, in fact the little one will steal asparagus off our plates. Yes, I completely realize that my kids are freaks. :-)

[Natalee]

17.

Right on! I'm trying to get back to my intuitive post-holiday eating as well. Keep it up, you'll feel great!

Now, could you send me the hashbrown recipe, because that sounds delightful!

[Pamala]

18.

I wish I could do something like this but if I cut all sugar and carbs from my diet I'd be constantly feeling like crap. But I am going to the doctor today to get the ball rolling so that perhaps I can get this disorder dealt with so that I can cut down on the carbs and so forth. Eating pure protein based meals for both myself and Kaylee can be problematic. Makes life complicated.

[Aurelia]

19.

Hmmm, I have to wonder if what Cabert is saying might have some credence, only because I find that health-wise, the worst foods for me are the pre-prepared boxed kinds with the extras and the transfats and things like pop.

Whenever I switch to water and juice for drinks and real food that I prepare, I feel a lot stronger and healthier. (And my crappy digestion seems to show improvement as well. I am actually lactose intolerant, and I'd give my right arm to not have to eat so carefully.)

If you are going to cut out dairy, you might want to add some acidophilus capsules. That's the stuff that is in yogurt and it has healthy bacteria to keep your gut and your immune system strong, especially if little miss germs is bringing them home.

I do agree with chickenpig that you need to keep on top of cleaning light switches and doorknobs etc with some alcohol based hand sanitizer or spray lysol or something. Let the floor stay dirty, but anything fingers regularly touch, like your keyboard, or toys, or the handle on the toilet is bad for germs unless you spray it.

And yes, you WILL get that pink eye back if you don't clean your keyboard.

[Donna]

20.

Yes, love your body. Remember, it was home to your children.

[Alison]

21.

What's nice about a detox (I do them myself) is it's not about the body - it's about feeling better. Good detoxing to you! I will have to wait till I get several colds in a row to do it myself. It's hard to make myself do it otherwise....

[Rachel]

22.

yay for detox! My husband and I started a detoxish sort of diet after the excesses of our wedding and honeymoon that's stuck pretty well--it's kind of a pesca-vegan sort of thing, with very occasional ventures into vegetarianism and a little meat a few times a year. Now if I could just get the exercise thing going I'd be set...I *really* enjoy not eating dairy, I'll tell ya that.

For me the greatest challenge, one that I've resolved to work on this year, is eating my portions more slowly, so that I'm *listening* to my body tell me when it's full, as opposed to quickly shoveling food in, thus taking in more than I need and feeling stuffed. Likewise, I'm trying to let my body tell me when it's genuinely hungry, and not indulging my every whim for snacking. It does require more and better intuition, I think.

Best of luck detoxing, Cecily, and congrats on your progress with intuitive eating so far! It sounds awesome.

[Hilary]

23.

This sounds really smart to me. I think these kinds of choices are totally personal and individual and all that. Most people FREAK OUT over my Atkins-affection. Whatever. To each their own! Best of luck to you and feel better in 2009!

[Anne]

24.

Good for you. I don't even know you, and reading your last paragraph made me so proud of you.

Keep it up!

[Dena]

25.

Yay for you! That's such a big step. I am also on a no-wheat, no-sugar trip (does GREAT things for those of us who have PCOS and are insulin-resistant), and I too need a sweet something-or-other after dinner.

I wholeheartedly suggest these brownies: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/amazing-black-bean-brownies-recipe.html

I know, I know -- they're made with black beans? WTF, right?

But I swear to you: they are gooooood. My one suggestion is to not even eat them after they're first done. Let them cool overnight in the fridge -- for some reason, they taste better once they've gotten cold. And they keep in the fridge forever.

[Carrie Jo]

26.

I think being happy with yourself and feeling good are far more important than being skinny. Besides, we all know that being skinny does NOT mean being healthy. Keep up the good attitude! That will help you get better too! Also, look into maca root for energy and stamina. I just started taking it and so far really like it.

[Carla Hinkle]

27.

I am super-curious about what Cabert says.

A detox sounds interesting ... I wonder if I could do a no-sugar detox as it is sweets that really seem to get me.

Unfortunately I have zero luck "listening to my body" as I seem to have crap food instincts. I always want stuff that is not great for me. I enjoy healthy stuff, but it is rarely my first choice, so I always end up feeling deprived and my attempts at changing my eating habits never last long.

[Michelle]

28.

Well I don't think that anyone is saying that these things are "toxic". But some people don't digest some food well or might even have mild food allergies and removing these foods makes them feel better.

I don't think sugar is toxic at all but it is ridiculous all the food products that have added sugar these days.

And in general, if you don't eat wheat then you are getting rid of lots of processed foods which is probably for the best anyway.

My husband is borderline diabetic so we use agave nectar in our house a lot and really like it. So Dena, I'm going to try that crazy brownie recipe.

Here's another easy and super yummy recipe with agave nectar. Mix up a couple tablespoons with equal parts soy sauce and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Take salmon fillets and make a foil pouch. Pour some of the marinade over the fish before sealing up the pouch. Bake at 375 for 10-20 minutes (I'm usually using still partially frozen fillets). Voila! Easy terikayi salmon that just needs some veggies as a side.

[Elena]

29.

Maybe it was the new mommylife diet group by Barb Curtis?

http://mommylife.net/archives/2008/12/the_fat_flush_d_1.html

http://groups.google.com/group/mommylife-diet-2009?hl=en

Barb is over 50 and she lost 90 pounds on this a few years ago.

[Marie]

30.

Wow. That second-to-last paragraph feels so right to me. Loving the body one has. Yes. Feels more than inspirational; it feels *true*. You go, girl!

[heels]

31.

I'm always so excited to hear people talk about eating in this way. I've been working toward a more whole-foods, non-pre-packaged, minorly processed eating style for some time now, and I've had a lot of success both in keeping my weight steady and in improving how I feel. I was ultimately gratified when my son's daycare teacher told me, just this week, that she credits a large part of her amazing weight-loss success to the ideas about eating that I shared with her. She and her (severely diabetic)husband have been safely and easily losing 2-3 pounds per week with the changes they've made, and they don't feel like they're dieting at all.

For alternative sweetners- a lot of people mentioned agave, but I have some friends who swear by stevia. Stevia is plant-derived, has been around for a long time, and was recently officially approved by the FDA. I've always been able to find it in natural food stores as a sugar-like powder. I don't actually use it (I use raw sugar when I use sugar at all), but I've heard only good things.

[jenn]

32.

It sounds like you're doing great! I've been trying to do more intuitive eating as well, and except for failing horrifically over Christmas week & basically gorging on desserts, it's been working really well. I don't feel tense and anxious all the time like I do when I'm dieting or keeping track of Weight Watchers points. My mantra for 2009 is self-acceptance.

[Cultural Insurrectionist]

33.

Thanks for posting this. I've been looking for a detox diet recently. Eating better is one of my new year's resolutions:

http://www.bloopdiary.com/jdermer/new-years-resolutions-2009

Buying organic may be more expensive, but it's worth it.

[Rev Dr Mom]

34.

I'm not likely to wake up a size 12 anytime soon, either. I try to adopt an attitude of "moderation in all things" but the holidays are tough on that.

But in the last year I've done two things that I think have had a positive influence on my health. One I eat kefir on high fiber cereal (Kashi Good Friends is my favorite) several times a week, usually with blueberries. Kefir is probiotic (even better than yogurt I think, and it tastes good--flavored but not as sweet as most yogurt I've had) and I think it's been really good for me. Second, I take airborne at the first sign of a sniffle or scratchy throat. I KNOW the studies say it doesn't work, but if it doesn't it has a damn good placebo effect. At any rate, I think these two things have helped keep me healthier in the last year than I was in the 2-3 years before that, fwiw.

I think your approach to intuitive eating makes a lot of sense, but I really have to watch my bad eating habits, intuitive or not. I just can't have stuff like chips or cookies in the house. If they aren't here I generally don't want them, but if they are in the house, I'll eat them.

[Courtney]

35.

Good for you! That's a tough one to stick to. I have to start eating like that as I've got pre-diabetes and I'm pretty sure that the bloodwork that I'm going for tomorrow is going to take that pre right off of the diagnosis. I can use you for inspiration!

[Paula]

36.

To love your body and put good food in it and avoid the "bad" (sugar wheat, milk (?)) is probably good for you. But what about your thyroid? Normal doctors and even some endocrinologists are not able to make differentiated diagnoses. And so the women torture themselves for decades with diets and other attempts.

Check this site, Mary Shomon is considered - also here in Europe - as the leading self-help lady in the US for thyroid disorders and following weight problems: http://thyroid.about.com/

[Paula]

37.

To be honest, I do not understand, why you avoid dairy, too, do you have lactose tolerance problems? Avoiding sugar and wheat is hard enough , I think!

[Katrina]

38.

RE: Milk & sugar...

I *do* have lactose tolerance problems. Not severe but enough to, *ahem*, inconvenience me when I have a glass of milk or a bowl of ice cream.

I only cut out processed sugar and foods with added sugar. I still have frozen berry smoothies if I'm feeling low blood sugar'ish.

RE: Thyroid...

Had it tested. It was fine. Had every test in the book, in fact. Hormones, thyroid, stomach things (I have been nauseated almost constantly for six years, no joke, and no one can figure out why). I'm fat for no reason other than I <3 sugar and fatty foods.

[Emily]

39.

I'm dong no wheat, no dairy, no sugar and no yeast/fungus. I have been fat for years and diagnosed PCOS. I have been eating this way since June and my cycle has regulated it self to 40days! Shocking for a woman who would MAYBE see red once or twice a year! My Dr says it is all from systemic candida. I don't know, but I'm feeling a big difference. Watch out of for hidden wheat (soy sauce has wheat). My sweetener of choice is Xylitol. There are some interesting studies done on it. I really can't so the agave or maple - they are sugar to my system! Good luck on the detox, and don't be shocked if it worse before it gets better. A good body scrub can help - if at the spa - even better! Our korean spa is $25 for the Day - all the hot pools, sauna, hot rooms and then I do my own scrub there. Anyway - glad to have found your blog, Im sure I'll become an avid reader :)

[Jill]

40.

Cec, I clicked over to see what was up because bloglines hasn't flagged you as posting in... oh, a week or so? Maybe longer? just fyi. I'll send them a note, but I wonder if your stats are down due to an error there. Obviously I don't mean because I haven't been reading, but maybe others are running into the same thing?

[kathleen999]

41.

I think what you are doing is great...I kept trying things like that to no avail...kept trying and failing. If you can stick to it, you are a stronger woman than I am.

A few people have made comments about gastric bypass surgery...I just had a sleeve, which is not bypass surgery, just makes your stomach smaller and it retains all function. I never thought in a million years I would ever do something like this, but my endocrinologist and my mom kept encouraging me to do it, and after a couple of years of hearing them talk about it, I started looking into it.

I'm totally not suggesting this for you or anyone else, by the way. I've tried to get this weight off for 17 years and I would lose a little then gain it all back plus some. If I could have figured out how to lose it and keep it off, I never would have done the surgery. My doctor also told me that research shows pretty much all people with over 100 lbs to lose, even if they manage to lose it, gain it all back. Except for those people who do an hour of exercise per day....they keep it off.

So I have to say that I did this because nothing else has worked for me and I can't keep going on this way. I am still recovering from surgery and it isn't easy, but now I have another tool and hopefully with that tool I can finally do what I haven't done for all these years. With an hour of exercise every day, maybe I can keep it off too.

Good luck Cecily! I am very happy for you and believe me, if I could do what you are doing and get results, I would have done that.

[Jill Asher]

42.

Hey Cecily.
So I have been off a wheat for almost a year, and i can honestly tell you that I feel A LOT better.

I had every test to see if I had an allergy to wheat, and everything came back negative. But the moment I reintroduce wheat (gluten) in to my diet, I get bloated, have rashes on my face and feel lethargic.

If you ever want idea's on eating gluten free, let me know. I am now a pro! :)

Good Luck....

Jill