Bread and Sugar Detox

June 9, 2014

It’s a fact: I’m addicted to bread and sugar.

Last week, I talked about my trials and tribulations of being inconsistent with my training. Since last week, I’m back on track with my training but realized my eating has been inconsistent. Although I’m typically a very healthy eater, I’ve been splurging way more than is necessary or appropriate lately. When I’m hungry, I’m craving things that include bread or sugar. I’ve followed that craving like a hypnotized zombie the past few weeks.

It’s a fact: Making healthy choices feels awesome. When I make too many poor eating choices in a row, I feel like crap.

Today is the day to get it all under control.

7-Day Sugar Detox on runladylike.com
Sprinkles photo source: © Cyrus Cornell | Dreamstime Stock Photos

That’s why I’ve decided to go on a 7-day bread and sugar detox. I do not subscribe to philosophies that cut any one food group out completely for the rest of eternity. Although that may work for some, it doesn’t work for me. I’ve experimented with doing a Paleo diet and trying to avoid certain things, and it just makes me feel deprived. Instead, having control and will power over my own choices so the fun and enjoyment of eating is still there works better for me. However, I believe I’m eating too much sugar and bread right now and I want to get rid of all of it for a short period to see how I feel. Will I have more energy? Will I feel less tired? Will it help me make better choices moving forward?

Here is what my 7-day bread and sugar detox looks like:

  • No food with ingredients containing sugar, including ingredients such as cane juice, cane sugar and other names for sugar on product labels
  • No dried fruit (I can take down bags of dried fruit in one sitting)
  • No more than 2 servings of whole fruit per day (I don’t want to re-direct my bread/sugar desires into eating more fruit)
  • No alcoholic beverages that contain sugar, like wine, flavored beers, etc.
  • No bread, including sliced bread, sandwiches, dinner rolls, etc. Other grains are in, such as brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal, etc.
  • Items that are excluded from the detox are necessary sports performance items, such as Generation UCAN, Vega Sport Recovery Accelerator and Salted Caramel GUs

Want to join me?

  • Pick 7 days for your bread and sugar detox challenge.
  • Use the guidelines above to maximize your week.
  • In the comments section, let us know that you are going to participate and tips for not being so addicted to bread and sugar.
  • If you have a blog, write about your detox and your results. Be sure to link to this post.

Last week’s training recap:

  • Monday: Biked for 63 minutes on the trainer
  • Tuesday: Ran 5.5 miles, including 10 x 400 meter repeats between 1:25 and 1:35 + 15 minutes of core work
  • Wednesday: Ran 5.5 miles easy for National Running Day
  • Thursday: 1 hour of restorative yoga
  • Friday: Brick: 20-mile bike followed by a 20-minute run
  • Saturday: 8-mile run with friends at 8:34 average pace (It was 90 percent humidity and hot so this one hurt!)
  • Sunday: REST

Here are a few scenes from my training week.

Sugar detox and training recap on runladylike.com
Top row: Tuesday track workout and National Running Day 5.5-mile run Middle row: Pink sky during my outdoor yoga session, Friday morning brick, and Saturday morning group run Bottom row: Scenes from Saturday’s group run, including a 5K we “ran” into and literally ran a mile with the race during our route

Are you going to participate in the sugar detox? How did your training go last week?

Comments

Matt @ TheRunnerDad

I could definitely use a detox. Will see if I can conquer the challenge!

Liz Cox

Ok, I’m in and following the guidelines above. Question…This includes all bread? Even Rye??? Just wondering!

rUnladylike

Yay Liz! Excited to not be alone on this one 🙂 Yes, it includes all bread. Less about the ingredients for me and more about the fact that I am eating too much bread and turning to bread for comfort foods. Want to have things like carrots and hummus or an apple and natural almond butter for a snack vs. trying to find bread products to satiate myself. Hope that helps! Keep me posted on how everything goes for you!!!

Lacy @ Running Limitless

Jesica, I will totally be in on the 7 day no bread and sugar. I have the very same problems and breads and sugars are by far my favorite snack items as well as for breakfast and lunch. I’ve done a Sugar Detox before but the way you are doing it is much more realistic. Of course I already had a soda today as well as bready items so I will start with you tomorrow. Good Luck!! Can’t wait to hear how you feel afterwards.

rUnladylike

Yay Lacy! I know we have talked about this together on Twitter, so I’m so glad you are in! Can’t wait to hear how it goes for you and if it helps or you notice a difference. Please keep me posted on everything! xo

Cam

Great start! I have been completely sugar free for 5 months now after what started off as 30 days sugar free just continued. I was severely addicted, and love not being a slave to sugar anymore. There is a world of amazing treats you can make as substitutes- cacao and cacao butter are your best friends! Also rice malt syrup is the bomb, do some investigating! It’s not a challenge anymore, it’s just how I want to live. Good luck!

rUnladylike

Awesome, Cam. Thanks for sharing what has worked for you! I’m glad you are feeling more in control and have discovered some great alternatives. Thanks for the encouragement!

Alice

Hi Cam,

I’m really interested in this so was wondering, when you say completely sugar free, is that no ‘added’ sugars or absolutely no sugar at all? i.e. no fruit? I have absolutely NO idea how people manage to get down to no sugar at all! But I’m interested in what people class as ‘sugar’?

rUnladylike

I’d love to hear Cam’s answer, but for me, I do not count natural foods that have naturally occurring sugar (like in fruit, vegetables and plain milk) in my detox, although I’m limiting real fruit to 2 servings a day for my detox. I am not eating any foods that have sugar or another derivative of sugar as an ingredient (e.g. cane juice, fructose, etc.) regarding packaged, canned, frozen or other fresh foods with multiple ingredients. Hope that helps 🙂

Raechel

Awesome idea! I had a sugar detox imposed on me for my two week trip to China where sweet food is almost impossible to find. I have a hardcore sweet tooth but now I don’t crave it at all. I even had a little Dairy Queen the other day (my 1st sweet in the week since my return) and I didn’t even want to finish it.

Good luck! If I can do it, so can you all!

Abby @ BackAtSquareZero

I need to do this at some point. I am such an addict. I CRAVE it.

Nicole

I need to get back on the sugar detox! Bread is a good idea too – I’m the same – I love sugar and bread and tend to overindulge. I may join you starting next Monday – I’ll keep you posted!

rUnladylike

Nicole, Your recent sugar detox inspired me to do one too (and I added bread). Would love to have you join me next week. Hope your training is going well! xo

Runner Girl Eats

I should hop on this…I def have noticed a sugar increase in my life!

Teresa Parkins

Hi Jesica from a very sunny UK. I am in, I started on Monday following a week where I gave in to eating bread which I usually avoid. I just caught up with this post – great timing. Looking forward to seeing how everyone gets on.

rUnladylike

Yay Teresa! I’m so glad to have you join me on this! Can’t wait to hear how it goes for you and how you feel after the 7 days! Good luck!

Cori @ olivetorun.com

Can I do a life detox? Because that would be great 😉
p.s. I love sugar, and bread, and ice cream, and…. too.

rUnladylike

Haha! If you put one together Cori I will join you 🙂 Can’t wait to see you in less than 2 weeks!

Kimberly @ Healthy Strides

I’ve been doing No Sugar, No Grains (about 90/10), and it’s amazing how much better I feel. Even just mentally, in terms of self esteem and control. I had been making sourdough bread from scratch and discovered I was eating 4-8 pieces a day. I decided to go cold turkey and haven’t looked back since. Good luck!

Tina Muir

Whoa Jesica!! You are brave! I am definitely addicted too, but I have tried to cut it out a few times, but I ended up putting on weight and miserable. i tend to cut it down to one sweet thing a day during the 6 weeks before my marathon. Good luck!

rUnladylike

Haha Tina. I typically always have something sweet after dinner every night, whether that is a frozen fruit bar or something else. It just makes me feel complete and satisfied. The problem is that lately I’ve found myself having more than one thing and I wanted to try to tame the control for a few days. We’ll see what happens 🙂 xo

Sarah @RunFarGirl

I totally need this!! After the marathon I was still eating like it was marathon day and you eat every carb in site. The appetite has leveled off again, but we just spent a few days away celebrating our Anniversary and we really celebrated. Way to much food and desserts and “adult beverages.” I’m feeling pretty bloated and icky…not to mention my bum knee is keeping me from my usual running routine.

Brianna @ I run He tris

I will definitely be doing this, probably next week. I have really been thinking about the amount of sugar that sneaks into my diet without me even realizing it. Thanks for posting this and I’ll be linking back to you next week. 🙂

rUnladylike

Good luck Brianna! I can’t wait to hear how it goes for you! Good luck!

Alice

I wasn’t going to do this when I first read this post as … well I love the chocolate cookies they do at work. BUT then I couldn’t really stop thinking about the post, and one day went by with no ‘extra’ sugar and I decided I would do it….kind of…..Cookies have been replaced with yoghurt and strawberries so not exactly no sugar but less (also strawberries are one of the less sugary fruits!)
I also haven’t stopped drinking alcohol so basically all I’m doing it just making sure I have no processed food and my snacks all have low sugar levels/ are not chocolate. So thanks for the inspiration to do this! 🙂

rUnladylike

Yay Alice! Thanks for sharing!!! I’m on day 4 and still doing so far so good. I’m not doing any sugar at all, so anywhere where sugar is an ingredient in a food (other than where it occurs naturally like in fruit, vegetables and milk) I’m avoiding. Funny enough I haven’t had a very large appetite since I’ve started the detox, despite my exercising. I’ve also been drinking more water which I think has helped. Keep me posted on your progress. So glad this has helped you kickstart a new plan 🙂