Good posts ^
Day 4-5
Currently on day 5. Yesterday (today also) was weird: I had insane cravings but they were more physicial than psychological in nature. What I mean by that is that I don't really have the desire to indulge in comfort food as such, but I am experiencing a pretty considerable amount of suffering. I feel like there is some sort of emptiness that my body is craving to fulfill (maybe it's the gut bacteria that are sending signals or something).
I'm drinking
tons of water. It just feels like the right thing to do, as a way to help cleanse the system so to speak. Since yesterday, I'm smelling a certain odor that is coming from my pores (sweating has also increased). Apparently that's normal during a detox, the toxins are leaving the body (I also experienced this when I quit alcohol). A good sign.
I had an exam today and I really was thinking if this is the right time to quit sugar (headaches, couldn't really concentrate yesterday, the exam went fine luckily). But on the other hand, a daily routine of snacking isn't necessarily conducive to an elavated level of (sustainable) energy and concentration. If I eat bread/cookies, I will need a nap because of the insulin crash. Although I'm still in the first stage of Sugar/GlutenFree, i.e. withdrawal symptoms, suboptimal energy, etc., I already don't have these crashes anymore.
So your brain may fool you that getting that sugar fix will get rid off the suffering. Truth of the matter is, that when you're on sugar, you're actually suffering, but you're just anesthetizing the suffering with the very subtance that draws you from your vital energy in the first place. A vicious cycle that is hard to break indeed. When you quit sugar, the suffering that was already there suddenly becomes more clear because you cease to numb the suffering (the chickens are coming home to roost so to speak). So quitting sugar is hard to endure, but it's really allowing the reality of your current state to manifest itself in its purest form.
Although I have tried Paleo multiple times, I always slipped back. Sometimes I would 'survive' the suffering phase and reach like 10 days but then I would become complicit and forget the very reason why I started. I think I have had a shift of headspace for the last couple of days. Something clicked. I have always consumed too much sugar and I have a habit to over-indulge. It explains some things.
It also occured to me that there is a strong link between a PMO relapse and snacking. If I eat sugar/gluten products, I feel lethargic, I rest in bed. My discipline fades away and I will scrolling Twitter/Reddit. Next thing I know I'm seeking for something NSFW. Although not every instance where I snacked has led to a PMO lapse, I can say with confidence however that every PMO lapse stemmed from a lethargic state because of sugar. That I didn't realize this earlier!
Because of the exam, I also did intermittent fasting. My first meal was around 3-4 pm. I made a salad/mix of trout fillet, boiled eggs, a tomato and chickpeas (adding olive oil on top). This decent fat-protein-carb combo stabilizes the insulin in the blood and reduced the cravings. Had some blueberries and a teaspoon of organic honey and did some hill sprints. I think that IF/OMAD does enhance the process of detoxification
@MindfulWarrior, smart move (albeit not the path of the least resistance)! Since I'm having exams, I will not be too preoccupied with adding the dimension of time intervals to the challenge, but I see its merits for sure (increased fat burning, boosting testosterone/growth hormones).
By the way, a good way to deal with cravings is drinking sparkling water (if you're not dry fasting at least). I personally add some fresh lemon juice (citrus is good against cravings). Cheers.