way off track...again.

[Alyson Leahy]

I really did not think I was going to have this much trouble with sugar after the Whole30. I mean, I do love my sweets--but I felt so good after the 30 days, down a few pounds and clear skin....really thought I was over the sugar addiction. I read stories of other people who did multiple Whole30's just to kick the sugar habit but thought, "nope, I've got this. No sugar, ever again. Easy peasy." Ughhhh.

I just keep going back. I know it's bad for me and it makes me feel horrible--both physically and emotionally--and yet I keep going back. Tonight it was some homemade M&M cookies. And then some Culver's custard (which wasn't even that great. But I kept eating it!).

I feel like such a failure. I want to get over my sugar hang-ups and be as healthy as I can be. I've been looking into the 21-Day Sugar Detox. Has anyone done that? What were the results?

[Brenda Brailsford]

Alyson I can relate to all of it. It's so mind boggling to me we keep eating it when we are so aware of how crappy it makes us feel. I have fallen of the Whole 30 wagon numerous times but I feel I learn something new everytime. I know for certain that I crave the sugar more when I am stessed and when I have not had enough sleep.

I say dont beat yourself up sounds like you've done it before so you can for sure do it again.

[Alyson Leahy]

Thanks, Brenda. I definitely need to examine the reasons for my sugar binges. Most of the time it's pure boredom, or I get tired of cooking for myself and just want something easy (I cook for a living, so needless to say I don't always want to stand in the kitchen at home, too) and so I look to processed treats. I see the excuses/reasons for cravings but I'm not yet sure how to get past them and ignore them.

[Alicia Jaybird]

Alyson, I feel the exact same way! I was so happy that the Whole30 helped me reflect on how much sugar I actually ate--I had convinced myself beforehand that I really only had sweets occasionally. The amount of times I reached for chocolate/sweets/random treats at work during the Whole30 and had to stop myself helped me see that "occasionally" actually meant munching on small bits of sugary things a couple times a day. Often what I really want is comfort and indulgence and it's still a struggle to get past that. I find myself most able to avoid sugar cravings post-W30 when I am excited about whatever meal I'm eating--for me that means I need to constantly try new recipes and ingredients, usually with lots of fat to make sure I stay full for a long time.

I fall off the wagon and into a pile of sugar (in various forms) more than I'd like to admit, but I approach it trying not to beat myself up. I'm thinking of keeping a food journal now that I'm post-W30 so I can look at it and try to identify times of day, emotional states, or other trends in when I'm craving. It may also help me to recall the horrible hangover feeling and lack of energy that I have the day following a sugar binge. Not sure what to do other than that besides not keeping most forms of sugar in the house (I keep raw honey for occasional use in sauces or tea, not worried about it) and working on my willpower perhaps by doing occasional "Whole7"'s if I feel a particularly bad slide. I too would love other suggestions.

[Alyson Leahy]

Thanks for posting, Alicia; it's nice to hear how others struggle/move past sugar issues. Bread, beans, alcohol, dairy--no problem saying no (and I'm from Wisconsin, the land of cheese and Culver's custard!!) but that sugar just has a hold over me. Part of my problem is I love to bake, so creating sweets from scratch in record time is never a problem. I have been experimenting with healthier flours, like almond and coconut, which has been fun. And incorporating Stevia or using fruit as sweeteners in Paleo baked goods. As an "aspiring radical homemake" I assume you also bake? Using Paleo approved ingredients is definitely one way to get that comforting feeling you crave without sacrificing health.

I agree about using new and different recipes often; just thinking about organizing new meals and stocking up the freezer for my 21-Day Sugar Detox has got me super excited to eat healthfully. I can admit that I'm a dork

I've kept food journals various times over the years, but I can never seem to stick with it. During my Whole30 I actually did an illustrated food journal (I have a degree in Graphic Design and all the fun computer programs) using a drawing tablet that hooks up to my Mac. It was a fun way of thinking about what I was eating, and it took some time to complete the drawings each day--which meant I wasn't using that time to mindlessly snack! Not sure if you are in to art, but an illustrated food journal could be a nice distraction when cravings hit.

I really love the concept of 80/20 eating. Because can I really go the rest of my life without a Salted Caramel latte or a scoop of ice cream or a homemade brownie? Probably not. For the first couple of weeks after I finished the Whole30 I was really disciplined about being Whole30 compliant throughout the week and then splurging a bit on the weekends. Splurging as in: cream in my coffee, a slice of cheese on my bunless burger, or homemade split pea soup. Lol. Such simple indulgences compared to a pint of Ben and Jerry's. But you know what? It worked. I would tell myself it was okay to have a bit of fun for two days, and then come Monday I was ready to stay Whole30 compliant. I'm going to this detox to remember why I don't need sugar, and then I'm going to attempt the 80/20 philosophy once more.

And yes, I too just try to keep sugar out of the house. All forms of processed food, for the most part. Trouble is my fiance doesn't exactly share my new-found love for the Paleo movement. He made it one week on the Whole30, which is more than I expected

Nice talking with you. Would love to hear more about your radical homemaking!

[Andrea D.]

Alyson, I, too am a sugar addict. I have been off refined sugar since 2007 (gasp...I can't believe it's been that long!) but for several years I still made plenty of baked goods, ice creams and other treats substituting natural sweeteners...it wasn't until discovering Primal/Paleo/Whole 30 did I realize admit that sugar is sugar is sugar natural or otherwise. My first W30 helped immensely but I did find that when I was craving sugar I would reach for fruit (which is of course approved in moderation...but not as a sugar substitute!) and soon after my W30 I eventually went back to occasionally indulging in "paleo treats" which was a very slippery slope for me! I've got things pretty well under control now (it's taken more than a year!) but it sure is a process! In regards to your 21 DSD question...yes, I've done the level 3 detox and found it very helpful...great program. I think W30 and 21 DSD are the best out there for helping people "reset", identify triggers and learn the tools to overcome addictions. Although I think that W30 is a more balanced approach to eating for life and the 21 DSD is just that... a detox. Good luck!

[Alicia Jaybird]

Hi Alyson! I love to bake and before going Paleo I would make lots of homemade bread and pizza dough. I enjoy experimenting with Paleo and Primal baking, but if I make something I need to have a plan to get it out of the house ASAP--if there are cookies/truffles/pieces of cake around, I will eat more than "small indulgence" worth. My go-to Paleo comfort food (not W30 approved) is pancakes made with almond flour and topped with some of my homemade, no sugar added applesauce.

I did the same thing in terms of stocking up before my Whole30. I went to a really cool place where you pack your own meat; basically you walk into a huge freezer, put some gloves on, and go at it. My vegetarian roommates were slightly creeped out when I came home ecstatic with 10 pounds of meat!

I like the idea of an illustrated food journal, though for me the quality would probably be 4th grader doodle rather than graphic design. During my W30, I kept a photo log on my blog (well...for the first 23 days, and it was great, but then I got lazy and never finished uploading the pictures. Embarrassing!) I can tell that my subconscious food mentality is still slowly coming around to the idea of healthy portions and the concept of not snacking--whenever I'd look at a day's worth of pictures, I'd think "those portions look so small! Is this really enough food?" even though I was eating to sate my hunger and certainly enjoying those meals. Possibly the biggest benefit of the Whole30 was the reflection it inspired. I had many realizations about the way I eat and the reason I feel drawn to certain unhealthy foods. I can now refer back to those realizations when I see myself making unhealthy choices and need to think about how to stop the pattern. Hopefully there is another one in my future and it is just one step to an overall better outlook!

[Alyson Leahy]

Andrea-- Thanks for your response! It does help to know that others have successfully avoided refined sugars for long periods of time...there is hope! I agree that the sugar detox is just that, and that the Whole30 is definitely more of a long term thing. I do hope to stick to the Paleo way of life after this next detox.

Alicia--I make my fiance take leftover cookies to work all of the time Better that a bunch of male engineers eat them than me!

Packing your own meat...what will they think of next. Usually I go shopping for meat at my parents' house when I visit home, lol.

4th Grade doodles are totally acceptable! I used to do the picture-blog thing too...and then I got lazy. How do people stay up to date with blogs?! Those who can are truly amazing.