21 Day Sugar Detox - Day 5

Today was the closest I've come yet to cheating (although...I might have anyway).  I was doing ok until around 3 p.m. and then I was dying for something sweet.  I was hungry, tired and sinusy, all of which normally drives me downstairs to the cafe for a scone (or mini Reeses peanut butter cups).  However, in my mini-victory today, I took a step back and instead got my smoothie (which I know everyone in the office assumes is a science experiment. It's not - it's my saving grace at 3 p.m. in the afternoon) and had that.  I told myself to wait 15 minutes and if I still wanted something, I could get it then.  Fortunately, I got distracted and before I knew it, it was time to go home.  Will power prevails!!

I was zonked today, though.  I didn't sleep well last night.  I wrote yesterday about how meal timing is a big deal, and I think sleep is just as big a deal.  I need 7-8 hours a night otherwise I get the sugar cravings and I start slowly deteriorating.  My body just does not function as well with little sleep.  I can't skimp on it.  In fact, I was going to get up to do a ride, but I slept in instead because I knew I didn't sleep well.  I did manage to pull myself together (partly in thanks to an Americano from downstairs) and I got a 30 minute ride in after work.  I wanted to 45 minutes, but the boyfriend was hungry so I had to feed him.

Which gets me to my 'I think I cheated'.  I made pasta for dinner tonight (he had pasta, I had spaghetti squash), but I used store-bought meatballs and sauce.  I totally forgot to look at the ingredients, but I'm pretty sure there was sugar at least in the sauce (it was Whole Foods Organic 365 marinara sauce).  I was upset when I realized this.

My boyfriend helped me put it in perspective.  I'm doing this thing to help me get a grip on my sugar intake/cravings, not to totally sign-off of sugar.  I'm going to have to have sugar eventually - the trick is to do it in moderation and not binge.  Which, I'm doing, as evidenced by my willpower/resistance at 3 p.m.  If some sugar snuck into my spaghetti squash pasta, then so be it.  I'm doing far more good for myself in the long run than harm that little bit of sugar will do.  I'm developing the will power and trust in myself to know that I can live without it without anything horrible happening.

I'm down nine pounds since the beginning of January.  Yea me!

Food for today (this is going to look very familiar all week long):

• Butternut squash, avocado and cinnamon smoothie
• Egg muffins
• Hard boiled egg
• Chicken tenders (i overcooked these...they are kind of dry.  It's going to be tough getting them down all week)
• Smokey bacon chili on roasted/shredded cauliflower
• Spinach, almond butter, flax seed and banana smoothie
• Spaghetti squash, marinana and turkey meatballs