I’m currently sitting in a coffee shop, sipping an almond milk mocha, because my 21-Day Sugar Detox is done!! I figured this deserved celebration with a sugary beverage, at my favorite coffee shop, and my oh my does it taste glorious. Every frothy sip from this perfectly crafted espresso concoction is bringing a smile to my face. It’s also Sunday and I’m currently writing. All things that make me really happy, so I guess you could say there’s a lot to be grateful for in this moment. 

I wanted to give you all the low down on my 21-Day Sugar Detox experience. The good. The bad. The ugly. Scratch that… none if it was that ugly 😉 It was mostly good, sprinkled with a few moments of realllyyyyyy wishing I could make a protein shake with frozen berries and my stevia sweetened protein powder. Let me tell you that protein shakes without ripe fruit and normal protein powder are… different. I tried. You can guess how it tasted based on the fact that the recipe didn’t end up anywhere on social media or the blog. Still chugged it because it was packed with nutrition. Just not tasty nutrition. 

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a few of these moments where I yearned for something I couldn’t have, but the amazing thing about this detox is that you still have tons of great options to fall back on! There was never a moment on this detox that I felt incredibly deprived. If I wanted something sweet, I could have roasted sweet potatoes drizzled in almond butter and sprinkled in cinnamon. I played around with lots of protein pancake recipes that totally hit the spot as well! And here’s the great news… if your diet already consists mostly of whole foods, there isn’t much you have to change. Swap out a few snacks and avoid the weekend wine drinking and you’ve got this! 

Here are a few lessons I learned over these 21 days…

1. Twenty one days isn’t that long. Five years of poor energy levels, aggressive sugar cravings and inflammation throughout your body, is a long time. Not three weeks.
2. Cutting things out of your diet isn’t easy. Approaching a new nutrition plan with the mindset of what you can ADD into your diet is much easier. Think of this as an opportunity to try new foods and new recipes, rather than thinking about all the foods you can’t have. 
3. Listen to your body. If your body is telling you that it needs more energy while on this detox, increase your carb intake – try plantains, sweet potatoes, russet potatoes… ALL THE STARCHY VEGGIES! This made a huge difference in the second half of the detox for me. 
4. Find things to experience your emotions with, other than food and drink. Our society has trained us to have a cocktail and a lavish meal when we’ve achieved a great success. It has also ingrained in us to wallow our sorrows away with a glass of wine and a pint of ice cream. Celebrate and grieve in new ways. Laugh with friends, dance to your favorite pump-up song, snuggle your pup… the pantry doesn’t hold your answers to emotional relief. You do. 
5. Find your why. Why do you want to cut sugars out of your diet for twenty-one days? Are you seeking better energy levels, so you can keep up with your kids, your dog, your life? Are you sick of falling prey to the afternoon sugar craving and relinquishing your willpower to a can of Coke and a candy bar? There will be challenging moments in those three weeks and you’ll need to recall your “why” to keep you strong. Take time to think about it. Write it down. 

Do I recommend this detox? Absolutely. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. This is a healthy way to detox your body by consuming whole foods that nourish. No starvation tactics. No cayenne pepper, lemon and maple syrup elixir. Just a great way to train your taste buds to appreciate the real foods that fuel our bodies best.