I watched the documentary Fed Up a couple weeks ago and it sparked the idea for a Sugar DETOX. Cut out all of the sugar, natural or processed, including artificial sweeteners, (except fruit) for 10 days and get some people to do it with me. Well, we did it. We survived. And the number one thing I heard (from literally EVERY person that was in that challenge group) was how shocking it was that sugar is in EVERYTHING! Some people thought it'd be easy to cut out the sweets...they didn't realize that sugar is pumped into so much more than desserts. My main goal for hosting that group was to open our eyes and realize just how difficult it is to avoid the toxins that the food industry pumps into EIGHTY PERCENT of foods available to us. Success.
SO
I decided to watch Hungry for Change next. I had seen the trailer and heard rave reviews but hadn't watched the full thing because I didn't want to pay $30 to buy it #eyescrossing and didn't think I'd be able to convince the hubby that it was needed....BUT Amazon had a free "rental" (stream on computer) if you signed up for a trial of the Prime membership so heck yes I did it! :D
And.....
Holy WHAT?!
I learned S O M U C H.
I stayed up till like 2 in the morning watching it because it just kept blowing my mind lol.
I started watching it again to take notes to share some of this knowledge with you guys...it's taking longer than expected because seriously like every 5 seconds I'm stopping to write something else down!! It's THAT GOOD. I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!
Let me just share with you some of my top takeaways from the first 10 minutes.
We are not eating food anymore, we are eating food-like products.
2/3 of everyone who begins a diet REGAIN more weight than when they started...dieting stresses your body and sends a "FAMINE!" signal to protect you (therefore putting on more weight)
Humans are programmed to put on fat when there's food available. (Think back to hunter/gatherer days- availability of food meant survival)
The food industry makes products look better, smell better, and pumps in more chemically altered ingredients to keep us addicted and coming back for more-- just like the tobacco companies pumped in more nicotine to get people addicted. Hmmm...
MSG is added to majority of foods...MSG is what is used to make rats fat so they can be experimented on. (And those rats' offspring have learning problems and eating disorders...hmm...)
Even if you eat 10,000 calories a day, if those calories are from the wrong source, you'll stay hungry
because:
"People are overfed yet starving to death!"
We eat so much- too much- CRAP (because that's what is so easily available to us and marketed AT us) but it's leaving us HUNGRY and literally STARVING-on a cellular level...you know, those things that our body is made up of? We are starving them by not giving them the nutrition they REQUIRE to function properly.
Too many calories + not enough nutrients + not enough activity/USE of calories (office jobs/lack of exercise) = OBESITY AND HEALTH EPIDEMIC
I know that's a lot of info...and that's just the first 10 minutes! I just want to help you guys understand WHY I am about to embark on this scary journey...
For the next 90 days, I am going to follow a whole food, plant-based diet. Yep. There. I said it.
This is scary for me because I have ALWAYS been an extreeeemely picky eater and there are lots of foods that I'm going to have to try that I've never wanted to...and that I never liked. BUT I want to do this and I want to do this right.
Why? Because it seems to be one of the healthiest ways to live.
And I want to test that out.
I want to see how I feel.
I want to see if it gives me more energy.
I want to see if I can, for the first time in my life, pop up out of bed without an alarm and actually feel rested.
And, selfishly, I want to see what it can do to this body of mine.
I know the holidays are a tough time to stay on track with healthy eating and all that, and yes, I'm going to enjoy myself on Thanksgiving day and on Christmas, as I believe everyone should, but I'm going to be wise with my choices and portions, bring some healthy options with me, and the other 88 days of this challenge, I'm going to do my absolute best to follow this lifestyle. (I hate the word diet.) I may stumble. I may eat something I don't realize isn't "allowed." And I may have a weak moment and fall off the wagon. But I promise I WILL see it through to the end of the 90 days and get back on track if/when ever I fall.
I want to see if this is how I want to eat for the rest of my life...and if I can convince my hubby it's the way to go for our whole family. ;)
I'm not going to be focused on what I can't have. I'll be focusing on pushing myself outside of my comfort zone & the amazing nutrients I get to give my body. I'm excited. I'm nervous. I'm anxious. But I know I can do this...and I'm excited to share the journey with my challengers and all of you. <3
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