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| Day 21 - Final Day of the Challenge |
Having had a rough couple of months following unexpected turn of events, I was looking to shed some unnecessary layers both physically and mentally, and I accomplished both and learned quite a bit along the way!
What I Learned from My 21-Day Yoga Detox Challenge:
1. The 80/20 Rule is true - If you are trying to lean up and reach a goal, it's about 80% diet and 20% exercise. Diet alone won't get you there, neither will exercise alone. Prior to my challenge, I was working out A LOT but still packing on weight because I was indulging in too many sugary treats. I have struggled with my weight since I was kid, so I don't like to put emphasis on the number that the scale reads but rather how I feel in my clothes and in my own skin. In fact, I didn't even weigh myself before I started the challenge, but I did take my measurements on Day 1 because I wanted some way to quantify the results from changing my diet to make sure I wasn't just imagining things.
I am happy to report that eliminating all forms of sugar (except fruit) from my diet along with adding daily yoga classes to my routine helped me lose a few inches from my chest to my waist and I'm feeling lighter on my toes.
2. Sugar is in everything - Sugar isn't literally in every food, but it is in many things that you wouldn't even expect it to be in whether it is refined sugar or an artificial sweetener. According to Diane Sanfilippo's The 21-Day Sugar Detox, added sugars are hidden in nearly everything--breads, pasta sauces, salad dressings, peanut butter, cereals and deli meats just to name some. Scientists work on ways to balance sweet/salty/fatty tastes to keep us going back for more. The reason we go back for more is because when we consume sugary foods it releases dopamine (a chemical messenger that delivers signals to and from the brain) that controls feelings of reward and pleasure. In essence, when we eat sugary foods we get a dopamine hit, which in turn makes us crave more and it depletes our nutrient stores only to trigger more cravings and then it becomes a vicious cycle.
Ever wonder why you are hungry all the time? I did, but once I cut sugar and artificial sweeteners from my diet it suppressed my appetite. My sweet tooth also disappeared and now I crave healthier foods.
3. Clean eating can be tasty and fun - Since sugar is in just about everything it really limits what you can eat while you are detoxing and it is probably what I found most challenging during the 21 days, especially being the self-admitted carb addict that I am. However, I had fun experimenting in the kitchen and I was able to find tasty options such as Turkey Lettuce Tacos and Spaghetti Squash. I also made a lot of veggie omelets filled with things like spinach, cilantro, tomatoes, and peppers topped with avocado. Then, when it came to dining out, I had to scour the menu for sugar-free options but ultimately found delicious items that I would not have previously ordered like sushi rolls sans rice.
Clean eating also alleviated my terrible allergy symptoms. Prior to the detox, I swore by Zyrtec-D almost on a daily basis but during the challenge I only had to resort to taking the antihistamine one out of the 21 days.
4. Yoga really does help me feel centered - While yoga is a incredible workout, it is also an excellent metaphor for life and it teaches us how to be mindful. We can learn so many lessons from our practice on the mat and apply them to everyday life including how to breathe, from pain comes strength, get rid of what's not serving you and to always listen to your body. As cliched as it might sound, yoga always makes me feel centered and at peace with myself after walking off the mat even following a grueling series of sequences that leave me soaked in sweat.
I also received multiple compliments from friends during the last 21 days saying that I looked refreshed and relaxed, which I have to credit to my yoga practice.
5. I can do anything I set my mind to - I think the most important thing that I can take away from this challenge is that I really can do anything I set my mind to when I am determined. My Mom kept asking me during the first week or so how long I was going to do my detox, expecting me to cave into sugar (she knows me well enough to know that I would follow through with the yoga part) and my answer was always "21 Days!"
I think she finally caught on that I wasn't going to give up after week two. Here I am after three weeks and I reached my goal!
Now you must excuse me, I think I hear Yogurtland calling my name...
Just kidding. I do plan on reintergrating some of the foods that have been on my "do NOT eat list" the past 21 days back into my diet, but I do hope to refrain from processed foods and sweets as much as possible. I also think I will incorporate more yoga into my life...on and off the mat! ;-)
xo
Jen
P.S. If you have any more questions about the 21-Day Sugar Detox diet that I followed, please feel free to ask in the comments section below and I'll make sure to get back to you.
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