Week 1: Detox

I started the diet on Sunday January 17, 2010. The first day, I made the fatal error of cutting out caffeine as well as sugar, corn, artificial food colors/preservatives, citrus, nuts, dairy. I already had stopped eating wheat months ago, so that wasn't an issue.

I started the week weighing 116.8 lbs. I'm 5'5" (I have a smaller frame, this is within normal tolerance for me.)

My body went into total shock. All I could think about was sugar. And coffee. By midday, I was ready to cry from the pain. And I was starving. I ate and ate, but nothing filled me up, perhaps because nothing I consumed had ANY CALORIES. I ate carrots, celery, an apple, a banana. That's it. By dinner, I could barely think. I drove to my parents' house, where my mom was making rice and a roast for me (beef, seasoned with a little sea salt and pepper) and some homemade potato coins in the oven. I was DYING. Seriously, I'm a wuss.

On the way home, coming around a bend in the road, I plowed my car into a snowbank that had fallen into the road somewhat. It was scary. That was it for me, I realized I needed to change things up, so the next day I had a morning cup of coffee, with ricemilk in it, and a banana for breakfast. I had some potato chips (all natural!) as a snack and some iced tea when I was out, and then had leftover beef and rice and some carrots and celery at dinner. Again, NOT ENOUGH FOOD.

Also, anyone noticing a pattern? What am I not doing? Drinking water. I used to drink 6-10 cups of coffee. I cut that out, and didn't start drinking anything else. Let's see what happens as the week goes on.

On Tuesday I was in the office, and only brought an apple and a banana to eat. Mistake! Was starving by the time I got home. Stopped at whole foods. Got sweet potato chips, had those with more roast beast, rice and some fruit.

Wed was more of the same food. Banana. Apple. Rice. Sweet Potato chips. Meat. Rice. Roasted sweet potato. Oatmeal, made from whole oats, with a little maple syrup. About to die of starvation. More carrots. Celery.

Thursday again, only brought apple, banana and some potato chips. Haven't gotten used to making lunch for myself. By midday, not doing so well. At 3 PM, realize I haven't peed ALL DAY. Feeling lightheaded. Finally make myself pee. PEE IS ORANGE. Holy crap, dangerously dehydrated. Drink water, slowly. Stop by whole foods after work, find pineapple juice to mix into my water as well.

Yesterday I actually baked chicken for the FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE (oh, did I mention? I can't cook. I'm like a hunter-gatherer. I forage for food, not make food.) Turns out highly edible, and I save the rest for the weekend. Ate a ton of fruit and vegetables. Would kill for some Frosted Flakes.

Weighed myself this morning, and I weigh 111.6. Whoops.

Here's the thing. I have IBS. I was controlling it via some fiber cookie things. I can't eat those right now, so I've been getting pretty violently sick, too. I went out and bought the straight psyillium husk fiber, and have been trying to eat enough of that, but it's hard to do. I'm finally starting to feel a little better, but I've never handled a diet that's high in fruit & vegetable matter well-I tend to eat high protein. This is hard, this week, because I'm so limited as to what I can eat aside from those items.

So that's week one in a nutshell. Today I have a shindig to go to, where I plan on bringing some juice I can consume, and some chips. There will apparently be more fruit and vegetables. Nothing like very few calories at a party.

Here's something interesting: 3 days in, my vertigo lifted. The room stopped spinning. I retriggered a minor headache once, with the day of the maple syrup, wednesday. Not sure if it was the sweet potato or the syrup, so I'm laying low on both, and will try the syrup on the sugar day to help figure out if that's a trigger for me.

I really miss: dairy, certain sweets, and spicy food. But the cravings have really subsided. Overall, I could live on a modified version on this, as I add in a few things.

Readers, care to chime in? Anyone want to take a stab at what we think my triggers might be? I'm thinking sugar might be the winner. Which is the SUCK.