It's been about a month since I posted I was giving up artificial sweeteners. I also decided to forego Splenda as well...and since I think Stevia is too sweet, I didn't have a problem never intaking any of it...

So here it is: ever since I gave up all that, I have come to find out that I no longer crave anything sweet after a meal. And with the exception of TOM, I no longer crave chocolate of any sort (and when TOM arrives, I opt for a small piece of real dark chocolate) I no longer crave sugar. I no longer crave anything sweet. Cake - which has long been my weakness - no longer appeals to me...just anything 'sweet' no longer appeals to me...whether it is the real thing or it is something sugar free or low carb..it just doesn't sound good anymore...

I also gave up low carb products along with this - even the lc bread - and switched over to a very limited amount of whole grains...

Today, I sit at 118 lbs and have lost 2 more inches off my waist and 1 inch off my hips...nothing else - other than switching to whole grains - has changed in my eating habits, and my exercise routine has been basically the same...so could it have been those artificial sweeteners and the lc products that were stalling me? I am beginning to reason so!

Giving up that stuff was the best thing I could have ever done for my body!

Sheyla

Very, very interesting.

Last summer, I had a somewhat similar experience with my personal, no-sweets challenge. My challenge was only for a week; but, like you, I had much reduced food cravings and I got down to 135 - my lowest point in 2004.

Hmmm....

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

I agree with that. I use to need someting sweet daily. Now that I drink only water and greentea everyday, if I have someting sweet at a party I find most things so sweet I don't like it. Also my skin has cleared up so much now that I rarely eat something sweet.

__________________

Sheyla, that's just fascinating.

How much/often do you do whole grain, and in what form? ... and, I can't remember, do you do fruit other than berries?

__________________

Very interesting, Sheyla. I do think I am one of the lucky ones with Splenda, though. I use it in my green tea and sprinkle it over my berries. That's enough for me and does not cause any cravings. I used to crave something sweet after dinner. No more!

You must feel . . . liberated!

__________________
Alida
5'1" ~ 59 years old
Highest weight: 165
Atkins 7/10/2004
160/126/125
RE-DO, January 2008:
167/162/135

Sheyla - Good for you!

My temptations have always run to things like homemade breads and pastas. I think having a diabetic sister kept me from developing much of a sweet tooth since we always drank artificially sweetened soft drinks and never sugared ones. So after 30 + years of A.S. soft drinks I've given them up for over a year now and don't miss them at all any more. I still use splenda and stevia in my morning coffee and I wish I could give even that small amount up. But they don't produce cravings in me like they seem to do for many people. I think we all have to find our pitfalls and deal with them the way you have on this A.S. issue.

__________________

my blog

Maggie, I eat two slices of whole grain every other day...it's called Milton's. I'm currently out so I can't remember the actual name...it has 16 g of carbs and 5 g of fiber for a net gram of 11 g carbs...and adding this in hasn't made the scale go upward, either...

Yes, I do eat fruit other than berries...lately, I've been enjoying an apple every other day as well...I have come to find that I can have a banana once in awhile, too...I just try not to go too crazy in the area of knowing I can have more fruit options...it's going good, and I certainly don't want to push my limits to where I might see a weight gain from eating too many fruits.

The one thing I do still eat that does have Splenda is the Yoplait Ultra - but it is almost the last ingredient...this has fructose (not HFCS) in it (around the 3rd or 4th ingredient)...but I've been okay adding this in as a treat a couple of days a week...

Sheyla

Thanks, Sheyla. So glad this is working for you!

__________________