Recommitting

It has been two months since I signed up for the paleo challenge at my CrossFit gym. Eight whole weeks or eight measly weeks, depending on how you look at it. This is supposed to be a lifestyle change after all. And yet, I'm finding myself starting to slip. Now, I know deep down I have no intention to trying to eat 100% perfectly for the rest of my life. When I started this challenge, my sugar addiction was hands down out of control, so my goal was simply to start making better choices. Overall, I feel that has, for the most part, been achieved. However, I have noticed lately that I'm starting to allow too much sugar to sneak back in, and I'll use ANY special occasion as an excuse to indulge (even if it isn't to the extent that I used to, I'd still like to know that I don't ALWAYS completely cave when the unhealthy temptations are, you know, within 50 feet of my pie hole.)

So, I'm recommitting. The challenge is a three month challenge, so to kick off this last month, I've decided to try Diane Sanfilippo's 21 Day Sugar Detox. She wrote this prior to writing Practical Paleo. Basically this is a three-tiered program, where each tier is progressively more restrictive on reducing dietary sugar intake. None of the tiers allows processed foods or alcohol, but the first tier or level (best for people new to this type of program) for example, still allows dairy, whereas the third tier does not. I am doing the third tier because, in the program outline, it said this was the level to choose if you're already following a paleo or primal diet/lifestyle. One thing I've also noticed is that I'll use a paleo-ized treat as an excuse to continue to overdo the sugar. And once I do, that just fuels the craving fire, and I only want more. I had also hoped that my taste for sugar would have been altered by now, but no such luck. Which is obviously due to the fact that I've been less than serious about actually cutting it out of my diet. So I'm hoping this program will be that extra bit of motivation I need to really make a change.

What I'd like to try to do is turn this blog into a daily record (which will also require more commitment!) of what I'm eating so that I'm held more accountable for my choices. So here goes:

Day 1 of 21DSD

Breakfast: 2 eggs (microwave scrambled), 1/4 cup of homemade guacamole, 1/2 cup of roasted broccoli (drizzled in olive oil and salt and pepper to taste before roasting), 6 asparagus stalks.

Lunch: Salad consisting of appx 1.5 cups of spinach/romaine mix, broccoli, asparagus, turkey breast and a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, topped with slivered almonds. I also had a small handful of whole almonds on the side.

Snack: Approximately 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup curried tuna salad

Dinner: Three lettuce wraps filled with ground turkey, guac and sauteed red and green peppers and onion. I also snacked on two strips of turkey breast as I was making dinner.

Currently: Drinking coffee and about to settle in with an Oxygen magazine special issue on abs ... with an article on sugar and addiction. Go figure! The goal for the rest of the night is to not let my sugar habit and cravings get the best of me! I mean ... let's be real, it's only day 1!