Do some of you have to avoid even artifically-sweetened treats on this WOE?? I'm still trying to figure out what triggers my falls off the LC wagon. I believe that something that tastes sweet, even if its only Splenda, causes my cravings to flare up. If this is so, what are the chances that I will EVER be able to add some sweets back into my diet? I stopped putting Splenda in my morning tea (talk about BLAND...), since maybe this is starting my day off wrong. Maybe sweet tastes in the a.m. set me up for a day of cravings. Would it be any different if it was later in the day?? After a protein-rich meal?? I'm scared to experiment much and have to deal with the evil consequences.

I'd like to hear from the voices of experience. Thanks.

__________________
Staci

It ivary person to person--I have to have protein in the morning--I eat really weird breakfasts--chicken salad, eggs, bacon, cottage cheese, chicken legs, and an Atkins Shake most mornings--I drink diet dr pepper every day and eat SF jellomore than once a week. It took three or four weeks of no sugar or very little substitute before I went back though. . .the only thing I had was my bottle of caffeine every day. I have lost 57 lbs in 7 months.

__________________
Lori

232/190/130
My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

I do have "low carb chocolate" or "sugar free ice cream" once in a while, but always OUT of the house. That way I can't over eat it.

But it does tend to make me have the feeling I want to MUNCH the rest of the day, so I don't over do it.

But that little scoop if SF ice cream does hit the spot, when my family and I go somewhere for coffee and ice cream. I don't feel deprived.

So as huskers says, it varies. If you can have them in moderation, go for it.
If they make the cravings really bad, wait a while, then try again.

It's an ongoing process, this "finding what works for you". I think at different stages of the diet, "what works" will actually change.

At least, it has for me.

you have to experiment, perhaps trying things one at a time. for me, some foods trigger cravings and some don't. you just have to watch.

__________________


Fat Baggage- Is Yours Packed?

if i eat low carb treats i do ok but the minute i eat the *real* stuff...forgetaboutit. off the wagon in a BIG way. i know this but i STILL cheat sometimes and i dont know why i do it to myself! it juss makes me have to do induction all over and go thru withdrawals all over but for some reason, at that very second, i think that ice cream is worth it! its NOT!! GAH!

__________________
~~funkynut

started: 1/8/04
263/223/150 (5'6)
223/223/210 ~ halloween challenge
223/223/205 ~ thanksgiving challenge

I don't or at least haven't eaten any low-carb treats...really don't trust them at all. I do use splenda and have no problems with it. Ok, my one cheat area is I do sometimes (ok, fairly often) drink a diet coke (eek aspartame) but it doesn't seem to stall me or anything so guess I'm lucky there.

__________________
Atkins since 4/22/04
310/263/150

I went 2 months with no sweets, had this fear of them, then the first time i ate a lc chocolate, i shared it 3 ways, i mostly wanted the taste and 1 bite was satisfying. I did this for about a month, then i would eat half the bar, but i always made sure there was someone around to eat the other half(i didnt trust myself). And now i eat an entire bar about once a week or every 2 weeks and its no problem for me at all.
I chose to start off slow out of fear and using moderation as to avoid any problems before they could start.

I definetly agree that you have to give yourself time to readjust the way you eat physically and mentally. If you know the sweets are bad at this point, dont even go there, wait a couple of months and then add back very slowly and carefully, it has worked wonders for me doing it this way. I think the whole concept here is to get yourself back eating most foods, but the key is to retrain yourself in portion control and moderation. Of course some foods you just wont be able to have again (refined carbs).

Good luck to you finding out what will or wont work for you, once you get that straight its all smooth sailing or at least i think its smooth sailing.

__________________
Started LC 1-10-04

302/199/160, 103lbs down, 39 to go, simply remarkable.

Restart- 8-19-07
242/226/160


405 points to date ( HOLIDAY CHALLENGE )

Thanks, all of you, for the great info. It does give me some hope to think that I can someday manage an occassional (LC) treat without going completely off the deep end!

__________________
Staci

I find that I cannot eat sweets -- either low carb or the real thing -- else doing so sets off the sugar demon within me.

I do use Sweet-n-Low in my coffee, and I seem to be okay with that.

__________________
April

The face of a child can say a lot -- especially the mouth part of the face.

My Blog

After a year of lcing, I can eat sf jello no problem, I use splenda, no problem, I try not to eat sugar if at all possible.... there are times when I go somewhere and my "I can eat a little of that" comes into my head, and I will eat a little, and no more.... Since I don't have it at home, I am safe.
I have a hard time with sweets in the house (like so many), I try to not have them (dh doesn't have a big sweet tooth, does like sugar cereal for a snack tho - I just ignore that they are there) or if I do have them, they are in the freezer, behind something so I don't see, and therefore don't want.
I don't have cravings, as much as I have the "I can eat a little of that" syndrome.... so I usually will eat something once a month (maybe more if we are out a lot.) But I want to lose weight, and have learned that I don't need, or want those things as much as I used to. I make yogurt and will flavor it with splenda and fruit and that is a really great snack for me, I eat fruit every day, that is also a sweet treat I enjoy..... So,...YMMV, you have to see what happens...

__________________
http://www.youravon.com/cnorulak
carolyn in texas
started 8/11/03 327/268/177
5/20/08/ - 348
onward thru the fog

I think it varies from person to person as well. I have more control now than I use to when it comes to having sweets - lc or not - in the house. However, I think it's better if I want, say, ice cream or frozen yogurt - to go to either Baskin Robbins or TCBY and order a small one - no cone, of course. That way, I'm satisfied...and if I want more, I have to spend more money - and that's what keeps me from going overboard. Now, with Baskin Robbins, I'll order the sugar free ice cream and will look at the regular ice cream & ask for a sample of something that has sugar in it...I just like to taste it but I always order the sugar free FIRST and pay for it FIRST...otherwise, if I tasted a sample before doing this, there's a possibility I could lose my willpower and order the sugar-laden ice cream instead. Now I did go and have a McDonald's McFlurry last weekend...but that's a very, very rare occasion for me...and it was enough to satisfy my taste, and I didn't crave anything afterwards...

Fruit is what sends me into ravenous cravings for sugar...I know it's weird but it does. So when I want fruit, 1/2 an oz of cheese before I eat the fruit and 1/2 oz of cheese afterwards...and that stops the cravings in their tracks. Perhaps, if you did something like that - eating cheese befoe and after something that has sweetners in it, it might cut your sugar cravings. You could just try it to see. Or maybe even a hard boiled egg would work for this as well.

I wish you luck in finding whatever works best for you!

Sheyla

I am in day 3 of a personal sweet-free challenge. I am trying to figure out the same thing as you. My hand sabotaged me this morning. I was on autopilot when making my coffee. Apparently, some liquid splenda slipped into my coffee and I didn't even notice until I drank the last swallow and thought, "gee, this is pretty good... is it sweet?" Arrggh! yes! it was!

Anyway, I think that SF sweet may be a mild trigger for me. I do feel kind of munchie now.

FWIW Dr. Heller - he wrote Carbohydrate Addicts - thinks that the taste of sweet fools the body into thinking it is eating sweet. Thus, even artificial sweetners can interfer with weight loss.

As Maggie says, this is the University of U (you). Each of us has to learn what works best for our individual metabolism and mindset.

__________________
~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

I eat the carbsmart Ice cream every day, but I have to be careful.. really careful, or it causes me to want to eat, eat eat! but other then the Ice Cream I let sweets totally alone.

__________________
In the cookies of life, we are the chocolate chips.