Class #5 /Sugar Detox /Tuesday December 12, 2023

 Warm welcome. Hello, hello, beautiful people, family, friends, and anyone else out there who might happen to stumble upon my new blog, Plate by ZUMBA with ZIN Monica Velez.  I want to warmly welcome you here!

Introduction to Today's Topic. Today is Tuesday, December 12, 2023, and this is Class #5 in our 5 week series of Plate by ZUMBA, the Holidays version.  I am running this class via ZOOM from 8 to 8:30 AM California time, every Tuesday and Thursday in December.  Today's topic will be on sugar detox.  

I would like to begin our discussion today with talking about addictive foods.  I hope to also talk a little bit about sugar and the detox plan.  And, finally, we may discuss about controlling your appetite and reducing cravings.  I have two short videos I may show you, from two prominent doctors in the field of nutrition, health and well-being.  And, anything we don't get through today can be adjusted to another meeting time.

Briefly, my background.  For those of you who don't know, I was once almost 200 pounds, and in 2010 I had a wonderful friend invite me to one of her ZUMBA classes and offered to teach me how to eat healthier; as a result of her friendship and informal coaching me, I lost almost 50-60 pounds in 6-8 months time, kept it off for 2 years.  Now, in 2023, this is the Holidays version of Plate by ZUMBA as I like to call it; I decided that for December I wanted to stay on track with my clean eating, especially since I got a tiny bit off track in November for Thanksgiving.  I talk more in detail about those events in previous videos/and blog that you can check out if you're interested.

Check-in with each other.  How have you been since our last class time together?  What did you do well, or what promises to yourself did you keep?  Way to go!  Also, in what area did you struggle to stay on track?  Was it your clean eating, or food tracking, water intake, exercising, or something else?

So forme, over te weekend we went to a holiday show and a meal out together.  I ate a guacomole, that they put pomengranate seeds and orange zest in it in addition to avocado (which I thought was unique so I tried it) and asparagus sticks cooked or grilled.  I am pleased with (proud of) myself for choosing these items on the menu.  

Afterwards, then we went to go get frozen yogurt and I had half pistachio and half vanilla, topped with nuts and strawberries.  For me, I did better; because in the past, I have done sugary toppings, such as hot fudge, along with candies and cookies; and, I would fill the yogurt bowl.  This time I filled it but more like half or three fourths full.

I received a compliment from a family member, saying that it was commendable to "do it", meaning stay on track.  She was commenting on how many people would just fall back into their old ways; I'm paraphrasing our conversation.  The family member also asked about it and I was able to share a little more detail about my meal plan, also known as clean eating.  It felt wonderful to receive another compliment, this time in regards to my commitment to clean eating, even in a celebratory restaurant environment.  It also felt pretty good to have a family member show interest in my new lifestyle through asking questions.

One thing I did not do since our last meeting time is tracking food.  Even though last time our lesson was on tracking food, I did not apply it!  (Oops, my confession).  However, I will say that I did more mental planning of cooking healthy foods, while avoiding unhealthy ones.  We have a lot of vegetables in the house right now, so each menu item has included vegetables in it.  

Today (which is Monday as I'm writing but will be Tuesday when you're watching video or ZOOM) I ate a wheat free banana nut muffin (made from healthier ingredients such as a blend of almond flour with coconut flour and other ingredients from one of Dr. Davis' Wheat Belly books), an egg with cheese and vegetables, and chicken and a baked potato with a lentil vegetable soup for dinner.  It was only after doing this lesson/topic that I discovered one of the items I mentioned to you is considered an unhealthy food item.  Can you guess what it is?  I'll share more with you when we get to that part later.

Goals for today's class/lesson.  I hope you will learn something new.  I hope you will learn one take-away of a practical thing you can start doing today to improve your life.  Maybe you will decide to give up sugar, or do something else that can and will be more healthy.  Maybe today's lesson will encourage you to stay on the path you're already on of clean eating and exercising.  Maybe you will begin to start sharing more with the people around you more.  Maybe you will learn about where the hidden sugars are in many so-called foods, or maybe you will give up drinking diet sodas.  

Let's begin today's lesson.   Can foods be addictive?  Which foods can be addictive?  Some addictive foods known are sugar, chocolate, cheese and meat.  When I thought about these in my own life, cheese surprised me the most.  I have had times in my life, in the past, when I actually did crave cheese, but at that time, I had no idea that I possibly had an addiction to it!  Chocolate was a no brainer for me, because I have seen my choco-holism in the past; I would eat two or three candy bars all by myself at the movie theaters, or just because.

I am hoping to show you a video on Addictive Foods with a guest doctor, Dr. Neal Barnard.  If you're catching the video replay later, you may be able to hear it, but that all depends on if I can figure out the techie stuff.

(Watch/listen to brief 10 minute video).

Let's talk about breaking habits.  Let's say you've decided you want to improve your eating; or, let's say you have an area that could use some improvement.  The video talks about 8 ways to break habits.  What are those?  Is there one breaking habits tip that you'd like to do?  Which one is it?

1. Start your day with a good breakfast
2. Eat foods that keep blood sugar steady throughout the day
3. Eat loads of essential plants
4. Leptin (a hormone) tames your appetite.  But it shuts down when you don't eat or skip meals.
5. Beware of craving cycles.
6. Get regular exercise and rest.
7. Use social supports.
8. Use other motivators (for example, get healthy for your loved ones)

This entry today is a work-in-progress.  I am not finished, yet I will publish for anyone that wishes to read it.  Later, I will add more notes and detail.  I am hoping to watch a 2nd video during this class time, also.  The next video will be on sugar and the detox plan.  

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog, today.  I hope that you are feeling inspired, hopeful, and/or motivated to eat clean and reach your goals, whatever they may be.  I send you warm greetings, and I hope to "see" you in the next blog, ZOOM meeting, and/or video recording.  Take care and be well.  Most sincerely, Monica Velez