In my last post, I gave you a detailed run-down of how to eat during a predominantly paleo detox Maffetone style. This post is to give you an idea of what to expect when you do the two-week test. How does it affect your appetite, your mood, your energy levels and general well-being?

This is what we experienced while traveling to Taos, NM and Port Angeles, WA for two weeks in late September 2017.

Day 1: This day doesn’t really count. We just arrived in wonderful Taos. Everything is new and exciting and we loved all food and their flavors. This is easy!

Day 2: Energy! We went on a 4.5 mile hike to William’s Lake in the Taos Ski Valley, panting and puffing due to the high elevation we were not used to. We discussed how we felt on this new regime and how to stay on track moving forward. Everything still seemed very easy. After the hike though, we really wanted a beer…

Day 3: I want an apple… ! Today was the first tough day. Craved fruit and hummus and veggie chips all day and became quite grumpy in the process. This is the time when your body realises that you are putting it through a new regime and your brain starts to rebel against you. It wants you to feel unhappy without your sugar and carb fix. And since we did not eat much bread or pasta or sweets before the detox, we craved what we used to have.

Day 4: Woke up with tigerblood! According to all wisdom, way too soon for that, but there it was. Boom! So we tackled a ridiculously tough 8-mile hike over 4,000 ft elevation gain to Yerba Canyon fueled by great hiking food of raw veggies and almond butter, cold roasted chicken and roasted nuts.

Day 5: Skrew tigerblood. I want to kill all the things…! We are both grumpy and irritable and food tastes just awful. Cravings are really high for fruit or even just a sweet potato. Since we are doing this together, we have the advantage, on the one hand, to know why we are in such a bad mood, but on the other hand, it sure doesn’t help to have two miserable people in the house at once… But there was a lovely sunset from the earthship.

Day 6: The grumpiness continues…. And today it brought a friend – lethargy. We feel weak and overwhelmed. Food neither tastes good nor lasts long. Our brains are trying to trick us into feeling that we really need a sugar high. These are withdrawal symptoms of our sugar addiction. No way but soldier through…

Day 7: Hump Day! And our last day in Taos. We are definitely feeling a little less grumpy today but energy levels are still very low. Better not try to accomplish too much today, let alone celebrate the halfway-point achievement.

Day 8: Yeah, food actually feels like it belongs in my mouth again! This is our travel day from Taos to Port Angeles and thus a tough one. We need to be very-well prepared to avoid running into hangriness issues when we can’t find any food to eat on the road. We have breakfast muffins prepared, find a nice supermarket salad buffet for lunch and are back to a kitchen and our own dinner by evening. Success!

Day 9: Everything is crystal clear! We are both very sharp and alert and are enjoying a bunch of new recipes (put together on the plane). Food can be soooo tasty!

Day 10: What’s for breakfast? Don’t ask…! I’m getting a bit tired of eggs in the morning and am counting the days when I can have a banana… But again very energetic, happy and alert today.

Day 11: It’s my birthday! No cake. Booo! Oh well, who needs a cake when you get to go on the most amazing hike up Klahane Ridge in Olympic National Park…? That’s right, noone! What a day and what a feeling! Life is good. (Maybe I’ll have cake in a few days, though…? Maybe.)

Day 12: I feel a little sick. There is a slight sore throat and a runny nose, but the illness never seems to be getting the upper hand, but just feels like it’s ever-arriving . Must have picked this one up on the plane? I can actually feel my body reacting and fighting against the bugs with all its might and I am confident this won’t last long.

Day 13: Energy! yes. Food fatigue! yes. We are starting to fantizise what to eat in two days time… Eggs are really really overrated and we’ve been having leftovers for a while. It’s time this is getting to an end. Luckily, an old friend is coming to visit in the evening and she will surely help to make this one a little easier.

Day 14: The last day! How do we feel? Excited it’s almost over, happy and proud to have stuck with it once again and bouncing around like kangaroos. Despite some typical PNW drizzle, we went on a lovely walk around Lake Crescent with my friend who was happy to share our odd last bits and pieces of Maffetone-method approved foods.

Day 15: We did it! What a ride and what an experience! We are celebrating by making flourless crepes topped with fresh strawberries and sour cream (Phil’s recipe) and going out for a bunless burger and a beer (yes!).

And the upshot? It was all soooo worth it! The grumpiness, lethargy and loss of appetite helped us to become more in tune with our bodies’ needs and workings again. Once you realise how sugar dictates your everyday life and what happens when you tell it to f*** off there is no going back. Once I beat the withdrawal symptoms, I never felt healthier, happier and more energetic. I’m sticking to it.

PS: Come to think of it. I never ended up having my birthday cake… On a second thought, that’s just fine :).

If you want to see all the goodies we ate, check out our @180forward instagram feed or find us on http://www.180forward.net