If you accepted the challenge, you aren’t alone. Many of you have emailed and texted me about your successes, trials, and tribulations related to this very difficult 21 day no sugar challenge, so
I know that you are doing it! Honestly, that tells me that you are in the right place! You care enough about yourself and your well being to move your health forward in a positive direction.
It also means that if you started last week when the blog first posted, you are probably getting close to the point of not feeling so good. Some of those withdrawal symptoms are about to kick in if they haven’t already. It all depends on when you started, the amount of added sugar and/or artificial sweeteners that you were consuming and your unique body.
With every single person I’ve worked with, withdrawals are a given. In other words, everyone experiences some discomfort one way or another during the 21 day challenge. Some people feel it mildly and some severely. And a lot of that has to do with the amount of added sugar and junk food you were consuming as well as how “in tune” you are with your body.
The withdrawals are just part of the process (a part of the journey) and it’s a sign that you are on the right track miserable as it may be at the moment. And all of those uncomfortable symptoms are only temporary! I know it may feel like you’ve been hit by a truck in many ways. I promise your commitment to get healthy really is a HUGE step forward even if it doesn’t feel that way right now! That’s because once you get through this part of it, you are that much closer to a healthier YOU!
As promised in the blog from last week where this 21 day challenge was made, I agreed to share the comments that I received from those who wrote in. Of the 10 people that I’ve heard from, I categorized their withdrawal symptoms below with the highest ranking issues at the top of the list:
I’ll say it again, all of these withdrawal symptoms are simply temporary and will subside as time goes by with no added sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Since headaches are the most common symptom, I want to share with you how I got over the hump of having headaches. First of all, know that it’s totally normal. Think about it…you are detoxing your body of toxic sugar! As for overcoming it, no, I didn’t take aspirin or any other over the counter drugs. I simply drank more water (sometimes a full 16 oz bottle all at once), and I moved my body more. Really, that’s it. And in the rare occasion that didn’t work (I think once during the 21 days), I took a nap. And Viola! No more headache. I also find that walking a little bit helps and if you work up a sweat even better because that’s another way for toxins to leave your body!
*To address the “confusion” symptom above, it wasn’t a feeling of being dazed and confused, it was simply that a few people had questions about whether certain foods were ok to eat or not. Or really anxiousness about what to eat. It’s not complicated. As long as there is no “added sugar” or artificial sweetener noted anywhere on the label, it’s ok to eat. But even better is to eat foods without a label. The best thing always is to turn to fresh, whole, foods such as, veggies, salad with an avocado, tomato and no dressing, and any fruit (even dried fruit as long as it doesn’t have added sugar).
Several people reported nausea as a withdrawal symptom. I had severe nausea when I was going through this process. My secret “go to” weapon for nausea is ginger. Yup, ginger. And not only does it control nausea naturally, it is also said to protect your tummy from stomach ulcers, eases menstrual pains, relieves joint and muscle pain, can help your cholesterol levels, supports brain function, helps fight bacterial infections, helps promote proper digestion and contains antioxidants and is anti-inflammatory. It comes fresh in the form of a root, ground, in capsules, and even as an essential oil. Ginger does have a sharp peppery flavor so be careful if eating it raw. And some people are allergic to it, so I’m sorry if you are allergic because this is a magical root! I like to put mine in tea, water or fresh home made juices. But I also use it in my cooking when I whip up a stir-fry with lots of yummy veggies or in certain soups. During this period, I also took capsules simply because of the convenience.
On a good note, all 10 people that I am in contact with are now reading the labels of everything they are putting into their shopping cart and body. And those who aren’t reading labels, are simply eating foods with no labels, meaning fruits and vegetables (or fresh, whole, foods)! Bonus points to those people! Great job! This exercise is raising the overall consciousness of what we are putting into our bodies and how our bodies react to how we fuel it. And many people had no idea the amount of added sugar content in many of the foods they were consuming. Scary and eye opening at the same time.
5 of the 10 people were consuming artificial sweeteners (in coffee) but have completely eliminated them! They are drinking coffee black or not at all. Coffee is ok to consume with this challenge, but I found that I stopped drinking coffee simply because I just didn’t like it with without flavored cream (which is loaded with added sugar), so I switched to tea.
Several people reported that they are having a super hard time with sugar cravings. This is completely normal. Some of it is psychological (in your head) and some of it is physiological (in your body).
- If you are an emotional or habitual eater (even when you aren’t hungry-that’s psychological). Reaching for foods containing a lot of added sugar, can be hard to overcome, but it is possible! First, ask yourself if you are really hungry (chances are you are NOT). If you are not, be smart and get out of the kitchen. I suggest a distraction, like moving your body. Whether you do a full workout, some stretching, a bike ride or just a quick walk around the block, moving the body is a great distraction and helps build a new habit. With weather warming up in the northern hemisphere, getting outside can be wonderful for your mood too. When you are finished moving your body, drink a full 16 oz of water and brush your teeth. Since most foods don’t taste great after you brush your teeth, this is a good deterrent from eating. And if none of that gets you over the hump, meditate, journal or take a nap.
- As for the physiological reaction related to cravings (in your body), if you had been eating a lot of sugar, your body expects it and wants more of it (and isn’t that a great business plan for manufacturers of foods containing high added sugars?). This condition keeps us coming back for more sugar even when we know it’s bad, even if we feel good emotionally, even if we have “kicked” our bad habits! Instead reach for fresh, whole, food. An apple and a big drink of water makes for a full tummy and satisfies that sweetness your body might be craving with no added sugar. This too shall pass, once you’ve completed ridding your body of added sugars and artificial sweeteners. These cravings diminish automatically, like magic.
Just a word on drinking water at this point. We all know that our bodies are made up of about 60% water. The benefits of drinking water are endless. It’s good for our organs, helps our digestive processes, regulates our body temperature, cushions our joints, etc., but most importantly as it relates to ridding our bodies of “added sugar” and artificial sweeteners, is that it assists our body’s natural process of ridding toxins from our bodies and it helps treat headaches (which as you saw above, is a common withdrawal symptom). I try to drink ½ my body weight in ounces every day. I weigh 130 pounds so I drink 65 oz of water EVERY day.
A few people have even lost some weight in these first few days. Congratulations! While any weight loss is fantastic, one person lost 6 whole pounds in just 6 days! I’m so happy for you.
Keep it up, this is just the beginning!
The one thing we have forever in this life is ourselves. I commend you for wanting to take responsibility for yourself and accepting this 21 day challenge. It’s a great step in improving your overall health and longevity. We’ll check in again next week. And I’ll continue to report what we are learning from those wishing to share their progress with us.
The journey to a healthier, happier you is so worth it. I know—because I lived it.
I stopped chasing skinny and started focusing on my health—and that single shift changed everything. I lost 140 pounds, but more importantly, I found clarity, energy, and a life that finally feels like mine. I share the whole story in my book. Click here to learn more and see what’s possible.
