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It’s day seven. Week one of the 21-Day Sugar Detox is coming to a close. What I learned this week was surprising. I chose to do the detox during one of the most stressful weeks of the year for me at work because during the last detox I did in January I recognized the unhealthy relationship I have with food and stress. I wanted to see if I could make some changes in my behaviors.
I, and maybe many of you, tend to reach for unhealthy carbs when we get stressed. That bar of chocolate or glass of wine can really help to relax me when the stress gets to be too much. The occasional glass of wine or bit of chocolate is okay. Over time, though, it becomes a habit. Habits lead to overindulgence. That is where we get into trouble. Or at least I do.
Doing the sugar detox has helped me reframe how I see food in my life. Food is meant to be nourishment and life-giving. It can be enjoyable, too, but it should not be a substitute for healthier behaviors, such as going for a walk to burn off a little stress.
Some stress can be managed. We typically know when work is going to get a little more intense. Often there are schedules that we can see well in advance. If that is the case, we should plan for it. That is what I did this last week. I knew that sweet potatoes are a nutrient dense carb that can be satisfying after a heavy workout so I surmised that they might also help during times of intense stress. I made sure to have some on hand most days to help deal with that intense stress. That made all the difference. At times when I would normally reach for a candy bar or some other type of junk, I grabbed my sweet potatoes and munched on those instead. I really noticed their absence on the day I did not have them with me.
Will I eat sweet potatoes every day now that the worst of my stressful period at work is over? No. But my particular job does run in cycles so I already know when the next stressful period will be and I will be prepared with my nutrient dense carbs to deal with it instead of reaching for that junk like I have in the past.
