21 Day Sugar Detox

Oh Dear! I hope you don't get a lot of negative slack from this post - but warning you might!

Here's my tip...errr experience.... I gave up "sugar" for lent. By sugar I mean candy, basically, since there is suagr in many food items like bread, and fruit, and i eat alot of fruit!

My daily intake of candy was lingering around a couple caramel cadberry eggs at 200 something calories each, a few handfulls of Mike n Ikes or jellybeans at 600 plus calories, a latte filled with sugar, and multiple hard candies... probbaly averageing over 200 calories todal as well.

I went 'cold turney". The first two days sans candy i had intense cravings, like, I want to say sexual cravings because they were all consuming and i was having trouble sitting still and focusing on anything, especially work. It's literalyl ALL I could think about. Nothing i ate tasted good, and nothing was satisfying. After wo days the cravings were basically gone - and in that month i lost 12 pounds.

I went back to eating candy but now I fit in into my calories and it helped me realize how crazed i was about it!

Good luck - i think if you can get through the first 48 hours youre golden!

When you say ED, do you mean anorexia/bulimia?

Yes, I'm currently recovering from a 6 year struggle with bulimia and binge eating disorder with anorexic tendencies.

Peace

Ok. Well then, in my experience it's probably best not to worry about it and just focus on learning how to eat again. When I was recovering from anorexia/bulimia, the focus was on eating enough calories and not worrying about the specifics. Eating disorders are control disorders so, at this stage, anytime you introduce any kind of counting, or restriction, you are actually nurturing the disorder.

ETA: I in no way thought you meant erectile dysfunction. I was just trying to understand which ED you had/have.

Ok. Well then, in my experience it's probably best not to worry about it and just focus on learning how to eat again. When I was recovering from anorexia/bulimia, the focus was on eating enough calories and not worrying about the specifics. Eating disorders are control disorders so, at this stage, anytime you introduce any kind of counting, or restriction, you are actually nurturing the disorder.

ETA: I in no way thought you meant erectile dysfunction. I was just trying to understand which ED you had/have.

Thanks, that was actually something I was considering as well which is why I have put it off during the past five months of my recovery. I have been working with two therapists as well as my psychiatrist who all agree that I have put a lot of focus into learning how to eat again and getting proper calories and have had great success in it. As well as having great success in controlling my emotions, thoughts, feelings, and stress levels apart from my eating disorder.

So yes, I hesitate that it might be too early, but I also hesitated joining MFP again and taking steps to get more active rather than focus on losing weight. I know people recovering from bulimia/anorexia have a tendency to turn to a Selective Eating Disorder (I forget the new technical name everyone is giving it now), but my goal is to focus on not doing that, rather, avoid sugars to help repair damaged neurotransmitters (similar to restricting alcohol, caffeine, and drugs).

Peace

I think it's awesome you are having so much success. Recovery is hard so my hat goes off to you.

Does your psychiatrist specialize in eating disorder recovery? This is just very bizarre advice to me. Learning how to eat food in moderation should include learning how to eat sugar in moderation (for anyone, not just ED patients). Sugar isn't inherently bad and I wouldn't compare it to alcohol and drugs at all. Or even caffeine. I really think that this is misguided advice. Eliminating sugar is, in fact, another mechanism to selectively eat.

I'm not a huge sugar eater, so I can't speak to the "sugar withdrawals" issue so much. But I can say from personal experience that cutting out all sugars (sweets, sugar that is 'in' things like breads, yogurts, etc), basically all sweeteners except what naturally occurs in fruit and veg is good for me. I do it a few times a year and it always brings my focus back to what I need versus want. Yes...the first few days SUCK and if you give in you might binge. But, after about day four - true for any sort of cleanse I think - I typically start to feel really great; even energy, clear focus and overall more healthy cravings.

By the end of 21 or 30 days, however long I decide to do it I am entirely unfazed by sugar and it takes me a while to even want sweeter things again.

These are just my experiences, not universally applicable of course, but thought I'd put my two cents in. I find that most MFPers will start to argue that sugar is natural and in everything and YOUR BODY NEEDS IT. But I'm calling that a bit of an argumenteum ad hominem and begging that perhaps those folks see that one diet isn't for everyone.

Hope you are well and good luck on your recovery brave soul!

I think it's awesome you are having so much success. Recovery is hard so my hat goes off to you.

Does your psychiatrist specialize in eating disorder recovery? This is just very bizarre advice to me. Learning how to eat food in moderation should include learning how to eat sugar in moderation (for anyone, not just ED patients). Sugar isn't inherently bad and I wouldn't compare it to alcohol and drugs at all. Or even caffeine. I really think that this is misguided advice. Eliminating sugar is, in fact, another mechanism to selectively eat.

Thank you!

Yes, my psychiatrist specializes in Eating Disorders as well as Addictive Disorders. And part of why I developed an ED is because I have an Addictive Personality Complex (as well as anxiety and depression). A lot of factors have to be considered in my recovery, unfortunately (I'm kind of a hot mess...LOL). And I don't think sugars are BAD. I don't label any food or food counterpart (even alcohol or caffeine) as good or bad, but like alcohol, sugar has addictive qualities and can alter brain and blood chemistry.

And I don't mean to insult you by asking this, because I am actually very much appreciating your advice, but what is your background? Thanks!

Ha! No worries about the ED joke :-)

I don't have a background in therapy, although I see a therapist. I was bulimic and anorexic for years. I've been recovered for 10 years. When I was 6 months out of recovery, I was still very fragile and I would have taken any kind of elimination overboard. As would most people in recovery because eating disorders are less about food and more about using control as a coping mechanism for life.

I don't think recovery necessarily has a start and finish. There are times when I'm stressed when I go back there a bit mentally. Even now, I focus more on my fitness goals than I do logging my food or weighing my food, because logging and weighing triggers the control issue sometimes. I also don't compete in any competitions like the Whole Life challenge. I tried it once and it wonked me out pretty bad after the third day.

Ha! No worries about the ED joke :-)

I don't have a background in therapy, although I see a therapist. I was bulimic and anorexic for years. I've been recovered for 10 years. When I was 6 months out of recovery, I was still very fragile and I would have taken any kind of elimination overboard. As would most people in recovery because eating disorders are less about food and more about using control as a coping mechanism for life.

I don't think recovery necessarily has a start and finish. There are times when I'm stressed when I go back there a bit mentally. Even now, I focus more on my fitness goals than I do logging my food or weighing my food, because logging and weighing triggers the control issue sometimes. I also don't compete in any competitions like the Whole Life challenge. I tried it once and it wonked me out pretty bad after the third day.

Wow.

Thank you for sharing and you are very inspiring. I always worry if "congratulations" or "good job" are the right thing to say for such an amazing recovery.

I have spoken with my therapists about the concept of recovery kind of not having a beginning or an end as well and I agree that the mental state kind of lingers, but you are obviously very strong and determined in your process.

Thank you so much for sharing.

Peace

Thank you! And I wish the best for you!