Struggling through detox, need ideas and support

fatmommy2013

I never ate much. Yet I consumed at least twelve cans of pops day, and tons of coffee. As of two weeks ago, I claimed I didn't like the taste of water.
I come from a long line if over doers. And when I was exhausted,as ridiculous as this is, Id eat candy or drink pop. The healthiest thing I would do to raise my blood sugar was the occasional piece of white bread and orange juice.I ate sugar so I wouldn't have to sleep.i basically over schedule to the point here I don't really have time.now my house is trashed,kids going crazy, because I slept basically for two days
I had horrible withdrawals and I basically stuck with it.i drank one pop with my husband because he was upset I wouldn't.but other than that,nope.
I've been taking careful watch of my sugar.and I'm not drinking coffee or pop my more. I'm drinking water, and the occasional crystal light.its hard for someone like me who basically drank obscene amounts of calories to eat so much and get their energy from food.Im never hungry.
But I am exhausted. I remember hearing on tv that coming off high sugar diets can take a long detox period, and maybe that's the issue. But I am completely fully exhausted, and still rocking a headache.Anyone have any ideas for that? I'm still crazy thirsty, yesterday I had fourteen glasses of water.

artsycella

I haven't been where you are, so please take my ideas or suggestions with a grain of salt.

First, let me say that it sounds like you are doing an amazing thing for yourself! Good for you and congratulations on taking this step to be healthier and happier. Just imagine how great you'll feel in a month or two!

For suggestions, well, I'm also one of those people who used to never, ever drink water. I hated it. I drank tea (copious amounts of sweet tea when available), soda, coffee--anything but water. A few years ago I resigned myself to drinking water and it's most of what I drink now. I don't mind it nearly as much as I used to, because I associated drinking water with feeling hydrated. If I think about it, I still don't like the taste much, but I try not to think about that too often. (And for those people who say water has no taste, or if it's "good" water it has no taste--you're all wrong! Even the most pure, filtered, mountain spring water harvested from unicorn tears totally has a taste.)

Anyway, my one suggestion from that experience is to consider switching to carbonated water, if you like that (I do). I used to buy Pellegrino and Perrier by the case. That really helped me transition into drinking water. You could also buy a SodaStream or similar water carbonator and try making your own sodas or carbonated water. It's cheaper, and you can make much healthier, caffeine-free sodas. I've made honey-cinnamon sodas, bourbon vanilla sodas, blueberry lemon honey sodas--all, in my opinion, tastier than store-bought sodas and probably objectively healthier too.

Anyway, good luck and feel free to reach out if you need it.

BarbieAS

You're doing an awesome thing - good for you, seriously. But, If I were you, I'd take things one step at a time.

All of that sounds more like caffeine withdrawals rather than sugar. Can you pick one and then tackle the other? For example, cut out pop and other sugary treats but allow yourself the coffee (with either REALLY moderate amounts of sweetener or switch to something artificial...I know some people don't like those but, especially for the short-term, it might be a good option). Or dump the pop and coffee and then address your diet. And you don't have to go cold turkey on any of it. Try going from 12 cans of pop and 6 cups of coffee to 6 pops and 3 coffees for a week, then step down again, etc.

It's good that you're doing this and that you know what needs to be done. But your success level is going to be MUCH MUCH higher if you do things more gradually rather than doing a 180 and sending your body into total shock over the change. If you're this miserable, you're much more likely to give up. Go easier on yourself and you'll be happier, short- and long-term.

SJVZEE

It took me over a week to get over the horrible headaches/lethargic feeling from quitting diet soda, which was my only caffeine source. Just keep at it and it will get better!!

Bernadette60614

I did this with medical supervision at a major teaching hospital and here's what I'll pass on:

. Buy a good quality protein powder, and have one scoop in your crystal light (use a blender) every 3 hours. That will keep your blood sugar level and you won't feel constantly like sleeping.

. Do you have steamer? You can get a cheap one on Amazon (I like Hamilton Beach). It makes steaming veggies mindless. Buy precut veggies and steam them. Have those for snacks.

. Drink one full 8 ounce glass of water for every hour you are awake. Yes, you will pee alot.

. Go to a health food store (or on line) and get a "Detox Tea". These support your detox with herbs.

You are "detoxing" from preservatives, flours, sugars, and other stuff. That's incredible! But, you need to support your body by what you put into it: "clean" protein, "clean" veggies and water.

GL: I did this for 3 weeks this year and it changed the way I eat forever. I now eat at least one lb of steamed veggies a day, drink green tea instead of coffee and haven't had sugar for months.

LAW_714

If you drank as much sugar as you say --

1) Good for you for trying to cut way back!

It's a wise choice. You really shouldn't drink something whose calories are all sugar and little else. Basically, all that does is spike your blood sugar and provide virtually no satiation or nutrition (and in the case of soda, something that has enough sodium in it that it actually makes you thirstier for yet more of the same. It's a vicious cycle).

2) If you're drinking that much sugar, you're probably stuck with having to detox and thus having 'carb flu'. You're changing your eating habits. Your body is adjusted to swimming in a sea of sugar and insulin and when you cut it back (which you should) it's going to take your body some time to readjust. That's just how it goes.


If you're needing something to pacify, you really don't have to zero-out on caffeine at the same time you're cutting sugared beverages. You can keep the coffee and the tea (and if you HAVE to have those sweetened, there are zero calorie sweetners, though I've found with time that by progressively cutting back on sweetners, I eventually went to no sweetner at all). But as a stop gap (and a little energy) tea and coffee may be helpful. If you want to cut out caffeine later, you always can.


When I cut out soda I basically gave myself a "if it's natural" rule, so I could drink water, tea, coffee, or lemonade (juice would fit, I suppose, but fruit juice content is pretty high in sugar as well, especially since many 'juice drinks' have as much added sugar as soda. Lemonade could as well, but it doesn't have to so I would make lemonade myself.)

Good luck, and sorry about the detox. It's worth it for what it does to your diet in the end.

fatmommy2013

I really did drink that much and Ive paid fir it with my weight, my health and really, Im paying for it again now.
I know me, and any pop or coffee will just lead me right back to where I am now. A grown woman with the diet of complete nonsense.
I have re-wiring before.I used to have a legitimate dieting issue. I think in someway ,a lot of this is the fault of that.
So, I guess, dies anyone have any ways they wake themselves up without sugar and caffeine?Would moving my exercising help?

adrylong

I am not a fan of water. I will drink it with a lot of lemon to help. I do agree, though, that I have been able to substitute my soda with carbonated water (with lime). I like the La Croix brand which is sold at Target. It even comes in a can, in case you want that "soda feeling."

I just want to know where I can buy the unicorn tear water. It must come in a rainbow colored container.

Mcgrawhaha

Hyponatremia

fatmommy2013

I would think it'd be glittery too hmm.theres no calories in glitter right?

fatmommy2013

Something else about this really bothers me. I'm not saying I thought I'd lose weight over night, but you kow how people goon andonabout soda bloat? I do not look at all any less bloated. I actually gained weight. How could that be when you consider the calorie cut? I expect nothing overnight.but a littke something would've been nice.

fatmommy2013

Hyponatremia

what?

Mcgrawhaha

Water intoxication. you may be drinking too much, which can be dangerous.

fatmommy2013

So I should call my dr right?
Hmm. Imnot even sure I have one.
Ill google it.

Mcgrawhaha

No, just make sure your not over doing it on the water!

Symptoms can look the same as dehydration. The fact that you were seriously thirsty after drinking 14 glasses of water, is what stood out to me.

Mcgrawhaha

I think a good rule of thumb, for the average adult, is no more than a gallon of water a day. In my opinion, that is MAXIMUM.

fatmommy2013

I looked it up, doesn't seem right outside of a few symptoms. I will say I have always been overwhelmingly thirsty. I ight just be used to it now' given that seriously breakfast was a coffee with ice cream in it.befire breakfast I'd have two or so cans of pop. After coffee I'd have two or three more of pop by ths time. So that's a lot of fluid. Looking at it on paper tells me maybe I'm just used to drinking a lot .
Hmmmm

fatmommy2013

Ps you look amazing!

RllyGudTweetr

Why do you need a "detox"? Have you been diagnosed with damage to your liver or endocrine system, such that your body's ability to process out toxins and undesirable food elements has been permanently compromised?

Confuzzled4ever

sugar addiction is evil..

There's not getting around the symptoms of it..
its worse then withdrawl..

Every so often i go on a sugar binge and have headaches for a week afterwards, and feel like crap. It passes with time..

I dont' think there's an issue with how much water you are drinking. you need more water to flush all the bad stuff out of your system. Most likely when you get through the "withdrawl" symptoms the water weight (which is most likely what the gain is) will go away.

I always gain a bit when I switch up what i'm doing. our body gets confused and holds on to weight to see what's going on. Then when it realizes it will be fed, it releases the weight.

Just dont' give up!!

fatmommy2013

I hope so!

Bernadette60614

How much are you sleeping at night?

You may quite simply have trouble sleeping because you have been "hyping up" your body on caffeine and you are just catching up.

To wake up, I like green tea. Yes, ,it has caffeine, but it has a host of antioxidants so it is a natural lift.

As for weight gain, you may want to consider that this is water. When I did my medically supervised detox I gained 4 lbs the first two weeks, and then pow lost 6 the next (I'm not substantially overweight...I just felt like crap most of the time.) I think the gain was water weight, and the loss was a real one.

It takes time. To me, the value of a detox is not the weight loss (though that is nice..) but that I loss my horrible, horrible cravings for sugar and refined carbs. I make much better food choices now and I'm no longer obsessed with cravings.

fatmommy2013

Bernadette, I cannot put into words how helpful it is "knowing" you! I am so grateful someone else has done this, and gets this. My doctor had at one point suggested that it may need to be supervised. I was sleeping very little. I'm not super over weight either, but I am not in my ideal rAnge.
Feeling better, getting healthy is the goal. But weight loss to me is such a part of that.

simplemamato3

I drink an emergen-c several days a week , when my energy is feeling low. Per directions you can have two servings a day. Maybe give that a try. I was drinking 3-4 sodas a day and have been slowly cutting back, tomorrow will be my first day with none. Good Luck to you!

fatmommy2013

Thanks ill look into that!

Bernadette60614

My pleasure!