When I entered the workplace, and got into the routine of an office environment, I began to put on serious weight. I had become accustomed to the office lifestyle of eating out too often, stressing too much, and exercising too little.

While I felt like my weight gain had subtly crept up on me over night, the truth was, I had slowly been putting on weight for years. Over time, my weight became an emotional and physical sore spot for me. I felt embarrassed by the changes in my body, and ashamed of my inability to successfully lose the extra weight.

I became disappointed that my older self was not a better version of my younger self, and that I wasn’t living my best life. While I wanted to lose the weight, I knew that I didn’t just want to look better, I also wanted to feel better too. This led me to my journey of starting a 21-day sugar detox.  

So Why do a 21-Day Sugar Detox Anyway?

For me, going sugar-free was more than just about losing the weight, it was about resetting my mind and body.

What I lost in weight I was hoping to gain back in insight about myself, my lifestyle, and my overall eating habits as a whole. Weight loss is as much of a mental challenge as it is a physical one, and I didn’t want to miss out on all the mental, emotional, and even spiritual, benefits that can come from detoxifying your body.

The Detox Rules

The diet I followed consisted of no fruits, no dairy, no cheese, no condiments, no sauces, no ketchup, and no creamer. My daily menu included only lean meats and low-carb vegetables. I could eat as many vegetables as I wanted, and could eat anywhere from three to six meals a day.

As far as beverages were concerned, I drank 100 ounces of water daily. Green tea, and water with a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar, also counted toward my daily water intake. Coffee was also allowed, as long as I used no sugar or creamer.  

The Good, the Bad, the Healthy

While my diet experience is a success story of sorts, I experienced a lot of ups and downs that left me with a few final thoughts once it was over. If you’re considering going all in, and doing a sugar detox, here are a few tips to help you along the way.

Pros

Your Grocery Bill Will Not Go Up

I’ve always heard that it costs more to eat healthier, and it’s just not true. It’s all about budgeting. The same way you budget for junk food, is the same way you need to budget for healthy food. I did spend a little more my first few trips to the grocery store, but that was only because I had no idea what I was doing. But after the first week of listlessly wandering the food isles, I became a smarter, and more prepared, shopper, and knew exactly what to buy, and when to buy it.

You Will Lose A Lot of Initial Weight Fast

Within the first three days of starting my diet, I lost five pounds. When I weighed myself on the scale, I was shocked. I literally went back and weighed myself a second time to make sure I didn’t read the numbers wrong. I couldn’t believe it. The month before I had tried to eat healthier, and only managed to lose three pounds in a month! On a no sugar diet, you will lose weight, and you will lose it fast.

You Won’t Go Hungry

As long as you plan out your meals, and come up with a consistent eating schedule throughout the day, you won’t ever feel hungry. And this doesn’t have to be anything special. Once I got pretty comfortable with the diet, I literally would just jot down a few things I needed to prepare for the week, and on which days, and that was it. Honestly, my biggest problem was not always wanting the food I had to eat, not hunger.

Say Goodbye to Migraines and Upset Stomachs

I chronically suffer from migraines and I honestly did not experience a single migraine throughout the entire sugar detox. I wholly attribute this to my increased water intake, combined with the elimination of sugar from my diet. Along these same lines, I also did not experience any upset stomach, indigestion, or bloating. I literally was migraine and upset-stomach free for 21 days.

You May Develop a New Weight Loss Philosophy – Diet First, Exercise Second

In my previous attempts to lose weight, I always went in exercise first, diet second. Doing a food-focused diet, as opposed to an exercise driven diet totally changed my mind about my whole approach to weight loss. What I ate had the biggest impact on my ability to lose weight, and I discovered that I lost weight more effectively and consistently, when I added exercise to my diet, not the other way around. 

You Won’t Go Back to Your Old Eating Habits

After my 21 days were up, I found myself secretly craving the same vegetables I had detested so much throughout my entire detox. I was surprised to discover that I no longer had a taste for some of the things I use to love to eat. I didn’t want them, and neither did my body. I was never able to fully go back to my old eating habits, and I’d now describe my diet as more of a low-carb, low-sugar mix.

Cons

You Will Go Grocery Shopping More Often

I spent less, but did shop more. One time-consuming aspect of the diet is that you will have to go grocery shopping more often. This is not just because you are buying fresher foods that don’t last as long as frozen pizzas, but also because you will run out of things you’ll want to eat, which leads me to my next tip.

You Will Get Tired of What You’re Eating

I’d like to tell you that I didn’t get tired of the diet until I was at least half-way through, but the truth is, before the first week was out, I was ready to quit. I really felt like I had exhausted all my sugar-free and vegetable options after just a few days. It got so bad at one point, that I found myself at the grocery just listlessly wandering up and down the vegetable isle hoping I’d find something I wanted to eat.

You Might Feel A Little Down Throughout the Diet

Once my initial motivation ran out, I really wasn’t too happy throughout the rest of the diet. In fact, I was borderline disgruntled by the end. Philosophically, I felt good because I knew I was making the right decision for my body, but that good feeling didn’t always translate to my moods. By the end of the 21 days, I was tired of food and tired of the diet. I honestly had stopped looking forward to losing the weight, and just looked forward to it all being over.

You Will Put on Weight Once You Stop

I knew I would put on a little weight afterward, but I was little disappointed to see that within a week of completing the detox, I had gained back several pounds. I hadn’t even made any drastic changes (well, I did go back to adding creamer to my coffee). Once you complete a sugar-free diet, your body will be really sensitive to the re-introduction of old foods, and there is a bit of an after-diet adjustment period before you’ll find the right food and weight balance again.

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Eliminating sugar from my diet pushed me to be more considerate about the things I was putting in my body on a daily basis. It helped me to become more aware of how I am feeling both physically and mentally, and helped me develop a kinder and more compassionate perception of my own body image.

Overall, after completing a 21-day sugar detox, I learned that while the weight you lose is important, the biggest takeaway is the understanding you gain about the impact your relationship with food can have on your physical and mental perception of yourself.