to feel so shit whilst trying to detox...

[lupinlass]

More of a 'this is really unreasonable' tbh!

I am doing dry january (usually drink a couple of glasses of wine every night), have stopped drinking diet coke (have drunk a can a day for the last 15yrs) and have given up a lot of sugar. I used to eat chocolate, cake, cookies, chocolate croissants, jam on toast etc etc as snacks. I have only drunk water since the 2nd January. I don't drink tea and coffee anyway and all other drinks I used to have such as squash and juice were sugar laden. Oh and I'm also doing 16:8.

To be honest, I have found doing this reasonably easy. I have just turned 50 and menopausal and don't want to go into this next half century being so unhealthy so I'm quite motivated! I am hoping it will help my skin - mainly rosacea and dryness.

So... physically I feel like absolute shit! and have done since about the 4th January. Headaches, so so tired (going to sleep in the afternoons and going to bed at 8.30pm tired), dry, tight, irritable skin on my face, itching skin everywhere else and I look like shit tbh.

I know this is to be expected for a while, but I've been at it for 2 weeks now and see no improvement in anything!! Anyone else detoxed and it hasn't worked? Or if it has, it has taken ages to get the glowing skin and vibrant energy I am supposed to get?

I'm not close to quitting .... yet but I neeeeeed to know it will all be worth it.

Sounds like caffeine withdrawals from the Diet Coke. I gave up caffeine and went through similar, all of a sudden, the headaches and haze lifted and I felt amazing!

I find giving up coke worse than cigs. Caffeine withdrawal is hard. It will happen though

I don't know if this will be helpful for uou but it's helped me so worth a try! I'm doing a similar life style change as I want to generally become a healthier and more disciplined person.

I'm reading this great book, Atomic Habits, as well and a good bit of advice he gives is not to focus on the goal but rather the fact that you're creating these great new habits that help you be the kind of person you want to be. It means I'm not sitting there going why aren't I really skinny yet! 😁 But just happy I'm becoming a healthier person. Can you look at what you're doing in the same way?

Well done for sticking to healthier choices for so long! What kind of detox are you doing? I did 'I quit Sugar' a couple of years ago and it was so hard for me since I am a veteran chocoholic.

Try to add healthy things, rather than take away bad things. How much water are you drinking? You'll need to drink quite a lot. You can include herbal teas and juices too. Can you eat a lot more fruit and vegetables? They will help to cleanse your body and I think they speed up the detox.

Otherwise, it just takes time. Your body loves sugar so it isn't going down without a fight!

If you feel like shit, you're not finding it easy. I salute you for soldiering on.

I have to be honest, I tried giving up sugar once and not only did I not lose weight, I didn't feel any different (to be fair, I didn't feel bad in the first place, just wanted to lose weight).

I find the biggest issues with how I feel are vitamins, sleep and weather. I haven't found much variation otherwise. I used to have eczema, fiddled with diet for that, no change at all.

re dry skin - would an oil supplement help eg flaxseed? The S&B board can probably help with rosacea.

It’s the caffeine and sugar.
Try sparkling water and add a bit of sugar free squash, cucumber or lemon as a pick me up . Also try some herbal teas such as strawberry and raspberry. I did what you are doing four years ago and haven’t looked back. My moods are on a lovely even keel and I have no highs and lows or energy slumps. I found it good for anxiety too.

Giving up multiple things at the same time is rough.

In future I'd do one at a time. But since you've done it, give it time.

Have you tried Magnesium supplements and Vitamin D? May help. Magnesium will certainly help with your energy levels

I’d suspect you aren’t drinking enough water some symptoms sound like dehydration.
Good luck.

I was thinking the same thing. Also, might be worth looking at a low histamine diet for your rosacea, a lot of what you have cut out are problem foods anyway, so you are doing well. Caffeine and sugar are buggers to quit. Good for you.

If you are really struggling then maybe look at which one you want to kick first and have a small amount if the others, then remove the next thing, one at a time. Sometimes it’s a bit easier to do big changes in smaller steps, rather than all at once. Good luck.

I applaud you. Same reasons, nearly fifty and unhealthy so I have just given up alcohol for now. Once I am established in this I will move onto something else. Slow and steady wins the race.

Well done-as others said, it’s withdrawing from caffeine and sugar that your body is resisting! You don’t mention what you’ve replaced with - ideally lots of fruit, nuts, veg, and try fruit teas or fruits/herbs in your water. You’ll adjust to the lack of caffeine / sugar but takes time.

Drink lots of fluids. A lot of this sounds like dehydration (you could also just have a bug there's a lot going round).

You're doing too much too soon. You need to address one thing at a time. Cut out the drinking alcohol first, get a grip on that then tackle the coke addiction and so on. You'll feel less crap and more likely to stick to it. Rome wasn't built in a day.

It’s probably caffeine / sugar withdrawal, maybe cut back more slowly

You are cutting a lot of things out at once that your body is used to so it’s reacting differently. Not a bad thing to do but maybe more gradually?

Well done, you’ve done amazingly

That's a lot to stop in one go.
Can you have fresh juice or smoothies instead of the sweet food? (Yes, I know they also contain masses of sugar but it's mildly better for you, especially home made ones).

You've suddenly gone very low carb. It's called keto flu. Lots of water and supplements will pick you up. It normally lasts about 2 weeks till your body adjusts. Your doing the right thing by dropping the junk. If you keep going, your energy level will pick up . Your body is learning to multifuel again rather than chase the sugar therefore craving it. It takes time especially as your metabolism is slowing down with age. Drop the bread pasta rice and replace with veg. Once you lose the sugar cravings, you can carefully add in more healthy carb that has nutritional value.

Also be careful with fruit especially fruit juice, it contains a huge amount of sugar. Berries are great. Loads of veg and healthy protein. Your body also needs fat for fuel, don't be scared of it.

Thanks so much for all the encouragement! When I read it back it sounds so unhealthy. But new year...new me!

To answer a few things. I have also been incredibly thirsty so have been drinking pints and pints of water. This has lessened in the last few days but my kidneys are probably singing hallelujah!!

I am having a 'brunch' at midday - something like scrambled eggs on toast, bacon and grilled tomatoes. A couple of snacks in the afternoon such as hummus and breadsticks, cucumber or peppers, malt loaf, bananas, yoghurt and raspberries and then a main meal in the evening. I have not cut out carbs and last night for example I had a chocolate pudding my daughter had made but the reduction in sugar is a lot since I only ever drank sugary drinks and all snacks were crap!

unfortunately I don't like smoothies (too thick) or fruit/herbal teas or nuts but I'm not going totally sugar free or totally keto and am happy with this. Otherwise it would be too much. I try to eat by 8pm to then fast until midday the next day which is OK but I am starving at that point.

I am also going to start taking supplements such as magnesium (not sure of the best type though), vit D and cod liver oil for my joints.

I will keep on keeping on.

OP I also used to hate herbal teas, smoothies and sparkling water. I love them all now, your taste buds may change.

Stick with OP. The way out is through. You are going to feel amazing.

Also I find a mug of hot water is nicer than glass after glass of cold...

Honestly just keep going, you’re nearly out the other side and you’ll feel much better very soon.

People I know always say 5 hours, 5 days, 5 weeks, 5 months, 5 years, DH understood that when he quit smoking years ago.