If after reading Worth the Weight, you decided that it’s time to start your health journey, you’ve probably discovered that the first part of the journey can be the most challenging.
It’s true, the shortest phase is the hardest. Those first three days can seem unbearable as you adjust to eliminating unhealthy food from your diet. You may suffer from headaches, fatigue, sweats, thirst, hunger, frequent urination and just plain feel like giving up.
Those three days can put you through a lot, but they are the gateway to living a healthy lifestyle once and for all. By the end of the third day, things begin to level out as your body makes the switch from burning sugar to burning fat and continues to eliminate toxins from your body and repair your gut. Your energy will increase as the fog lifts and you’ll begin to feel less hungry and irritated. Once you get through this phase, you’ll never want to go through it again, and that alone can motivate you to stick to your healthy lifestyle when temptation comes your way.I know, the other side of the detox period sounds wonderful, if you can just make it through the first three days. But you’re probably wondering: how do you make it through such intense symptoms that come when you are at your weakest?
Here are some strategies that can help you survive the detox phase:
Start on the weekend
It’s best to start on a day when you don’t have to work. If you work on the weekend, choose the days that you usually get off. During the first two days, you’ll want to be able to stop and rest, if needed. You’ll be thirsty and will need to use the restroom often, so it’s best if you don’t have work obligations to tend to. Plus, you could get cranky and being at home could save you from losing your job. (Yes, it could get that intense!)
Stay on top of your hunger
You’re going to get hungry, this is not a surprise. So be prepared and don’t wait until you’re about to pass out before you eat. You’ll feel better if you allow yourself to eat as much salad and vegetables (cabbage family veggies) as you want throughout the day. If you like carrots and celery, keep some near you to munch on. This will help you control your cravings by giving your body what it needs before you get into crisis-level hunger.
Stay hydrated
Drink lots of water and tea. This will help you control your thirst and avoid falling into the “I thought I was hungry, but I was really just thirsty-trap.” Thirst can trick you into thinking you need to eat – your survival instincts will kick in and try to get you to consume liquids however it can. So, drink water as often as you can and especially when you’re not sure if you need a snack or a cool drink.
Let yourself rest
There really is no way around this, especially during this phase when the body is attempting to cleanse itself and reboot its fuel source. You will feel more tired because your body is working so hard and needs the repair-time that sleep offers. So let yourself sleep – even if it’s in the middle of the day. Go ahead, take a nap, you’ll feel better when you wake up.
Light, enjoyable activities only
You may feel like being a complete lazybones, but you can only nap for so long before you begin to get bored and start thinking about all of the food that you shouldn’t be eating. To avoid this, you’ll want to keep yourself distracted by doing things you enjoy that won’t require too much energy. It could be as simple as taking a short, slow stroll around the block, playing a game with family, or catching up on your favorite shows or reading a great book. I enjoy doing arts and crafts, so painting or coloring with gel pens are activities that helped me through this phase. Whatever you choose, keep the activity light and stress free.
These strategies may seem too simple to really work, but if you commit to giving them a try, you’ll make it through those first three days in no time. Compared to the rest of the phases of this lifestyle change, three days really isn’t a long time, but it certainly can feel like it. Three days are going to pass, whether you stick to eating right or not, but you’ll feel better if you’ve made progress during that time.
What if you mess up?
If you cave, just start again. Don’t have a pity fest, just fix yourself a salad the next time you get hungry and keep it moving. Remind yourself that the process works, if you work it. If you feel like you need more than three days, take as many as you need. This is your health journey and this time, you will have a successful outcome.