Cleansing....

A week ago I started cleansing. 

I gave up foods I love.

And now hate.  

{But, really I only hate Dr Pepper.} 

So, how's the cleanse going I hear you asking. 

Well, good...for the most part. 

I'm so over my Dr Pepper cravings. But, with moving on from those cravings I encountered new cravings. 

Cravings like I have never before experienced. 

Scary cravings.

On this cleanse I can pretty much eat any fruit (fresh or frozen), veggie (fresh or frozen) and then 1/2 cup brown rice or lentils a day. I've kept in the protein because Im nursing so I've been eating 2 eggs a day and some days some chicken breast. Overall, that was holding me over pretty well. 

Until.....

the cravings for breads and sweets hit. 

Oh.my.word.

I was doing really well mentally until I took my girls to a birthday party on Saturday. I couldn't eat the cake. I {heart} birthday cake. I mean like really really love it. It's probably one of my favorite foods in the whole wide world. But, I was strong and had none. 

Then on the way home my sweet husband called. This was pretty close to the exact conversation:

Derek: Hi honey. I know this is really mean but um...will you pick up a pizza and a Dr Pepper.

Me: Oh no, its cool. Sure, I'll pick up a pizza and Dr Pepper for you. (I'm not really sure my thoughts were exactly that nice. But, ya know...I was on this cleanse by choice, right?)

Derek: are you sure? I know thats kinda mean. Im sorry.

Me: no, seriously. Its fine. Just call it in, I'll go get it. (whatever buddy. How stinkin' rude! Do you know I just passed up birthday cake?! BIRTHDAY CAKE! and now I have to drive 30 mins home with a pizza in the car!? Seriously!??!)

So, home I drove. 30 minutes home mind you. With a Dominoes pizza sitting in the seat next to me. 

On the the way home my bread and sugar craving kicked in in full force. Ava asked me what was wrong. I said nothing was, I just really wanted a hot, fresh from the oven home made chocolate chip cookie, that was all. {The next morning after church she brought me a chocolate chip cookie from her class. Sweet girl. Of course, feeling like a lousy mom, I couldnt eat it} 

I started feeling really down and blue on Saturday night. Not like cant breath so Im turning blue blue but like depressed blue. I continued to fight that until today. And the cravings for bread and sugar havent gone away. I googled the connection between feeling depressed and sugar withdraw and sure enough, theres a connection. {totally could have told you that!} I had no idea how addicted to sugar I am.

The cravings have been bad. Like, really bad. 

I feel like a drug addict needing a fix. 

Today I felt like I was almost over my sugar craving and just wanted some bread. Just a warm roll from Golden Chick. 


So, I found a solution! I found some recipes that use coconut flour instead of wheat (or white) flour. They call for ingredients I can eat! And if I can't eat an ingredient I can modify it to something I can have!! 


My awesome hubby {this was his penance for having me pick up pizza! :) JK of course} stopped by Sprouts on the way home and picked some coconut flour up for me. The minute he walked in the door I was on my way to making coconut flour pancakes! The recipe I found did call for honey or real maple syrup but since I can't have those I just left them out. I did think to throw in some mashed banana on the last couple pancakes to make them a little sweeter. I topped my pancakes with {fresh from the crock-pot} homemade applesauce.

My husband says this picture looks really gross. Let me assure you I think I tasted heaven tonight.

Let me tell you. I WAS IN HEAVEN! Totally cured my bread craving! I feel like I can get back on track and stop going completely insane thinking about bread and sugar all.day.long. {Seriously, it was that bad}


One big thing I've learned through all of this is that I do have some self-control! Honestly, I've wondered that about myself before. I mean I can abstain from bad things but when it comes to food {and Dr Pepper} I just eat what I want and don't hold the bad stuff back. Now, I know if I put my mind to it I can!

Well, I can because I have a God who gives me the strength, through the Holy Spirit, to practice self-control! Thank you, Lord!


So, I have 14 more days to go. That's all *smile* Six pounds down in 6 days, not too shabby. I'm pretty darn close to my pre-preggo weight but my old clothes still aren't quite fitting. Now, to figure out what to do about this belly fat......