Thanks for the welcome. I know I don't have a lot of weight to lose, but I should add that I was 230 lb when I started the last time, I got down to 180 lb and even though I stuck close to my plan, I slowly started gaining. I had been following the plan that was losing weight for me, and gaining instead! That is why I have gone to the modified fat fast.
I just wanted to add that I take psyllium husks, a water soluble fiber available at any health food store, and it works well for me.
Has anyone seen any literature, or would they have any knowledge of why Dr Atkins was against using nutrasweet and preferred Splenda. Is there a downside to using Splenda. I am not very fond of Stevia but I will use it if the others are problematic.
Bob

I remember that Dr. Atkins had a problem with aspertame (Nutrasweet) because it was totally synthetic. As for Splenda, I think he died before the research was in. He rallied around Splenda because, as he described it, it WAS sugar, but Sugar Alcohol, or a bi-product of Sugar (I read it in the Diet Revolution, but I don't have my copy at hand to quote from it). The problem is that the bi-product, sucralose, is on the scare list (you'll find plenty of websites that will give you this scare).

Now, if you believe in conspiracy theories and understand that the Sugar industry is sueing Splenda, and believe that the scare tactic is an aim against a product which threatens Sugar in a big way (more than aspertame)... you just might be on the right track.... OR, there really is (??) a problem with Splenda and those who use it are the human guinea pigs.

I've been a Sweet N Low user for ages now and have become used to it in my coffee. I need two Splenda's to equal the taste that 1 Sweet N Low gave me. The only aspertame I use is Crystal Light drink mix (but I am looking for non-sweetened products that I can add Stevia too - because Sweet N Low is just too bitter).

I didn't like Stevia when I first tried it either so I gave it away. I just ordered Stevia tablets, packets and powder. I figured... heck, I got used to Sweet N Low, I'll get used to Stevia... it will just take some time. Meanwhile, I'll at least know that I'm using something that's been around as a natural sweetener for more than 400 years and wasn't created in a lab... so maybe this way, I'll be able to adjust to it better.

Thanks everyone for posting. I started taking the fish oil I had from last year this week. I'll get fresh on Friday when I get paid (along with all the other supplements I seem to need! <G> Wow this is going to be expensive. I got about 50 atkins ice cream bars (peanut butter) last week at the dollar store ($1.00/box) I don't feel they are very healthy but cheap to help me get through this week low carbing.
Denise

Thanks, Dozy, I'll give stevia another try. The thing my wife liked about Splenda was that it worked well in her cooking. The reason I asked, was that I really like drinking the new Orange Crush which has Splenda as the sweetener and I want to be certain that the 0 grams of carbs really means 0. I remember my experiment with the Atkins Bars to find out that they were a major problem for me.
I really don't have the luxury of having anything that will throw me out of induction. I have had to be extremely careful to know where every carb gram is hidden. It isn't fun, but it is working, I lost another pound at this morning's weigh in. The only other thing I have available to give up, is my single morning coffee, and I will if it is necessary. I am doing heavy physical work at this same time, so you can see how careful I have to be about limiting carbs.
I thought that a little diet gelatin wouldn't be a bad treat, wrong! I knew right away because I immediately got a food craving. That is always a good warning sign for me.
Bob

The Atkins Bars ruined me and only made me crave more. The Atkins Bars actually ended my Atkins try and 30 pound loss about 2 years ago.

As a snack I go for cucumbers and sour cream.

I also love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but since bread is a no show on the table I just put a spoonful of natural peanut butter and half a spoonful of unsweet jam (Ok, so it's with Nutrasweet), mix it up and I just pick at it with a knife. Total carbs about 2. No, it doesn't look appetizing, but it works for me to fill in a void of craving sweets. I think it's because of the work your mouth needs to dissolve the peanut butter. By the time I'm nearly finished, I don't want it anymore so my dog stands by eagerly waiting to receive a few licks left on the plate.

I downfall is ice cream. I cannot have it in the house. (I wonder if it's because my mother never allowed ice cream in the house because it was a waste of space in the freezer).

Anyway, I cannot have low carb ice cream in the house either. The limit is toooo small and deceiving. I always want more and before I know it, in a few hours, I've eaten the entire half gallon (and I still want more) and feeling bad about eating it isn't enough to keep me from getting more.

So, one thing I do is always take someone shopping with me, especially my son... that way I won't buy contraband. If I can't buy it, I can't hide it. AND no more shopping at 2 am.

WARNING: The Splenda for cooking (if I'm not mistaken) is far richer in carbs than the Splenda in the packets.

If I can't stomach Stevia for cooking (experiment not yet performed), I'll try some of the zillion Sweet N Low recipes out there (if I have to).

My Omega3 is on order... I'm looking forward to trying it. The highest dose I could find was 1,250. I don't know about doing 6000 mg a day... I haven't researched dose strength yet.

I don't have the problem of getting carried away with carb feasting because I have suffered enough with the after effects to know that they are poison to me. I not only have to undo the damage, but then I have to get back on track again.
I was doing some more reading on omega 3 last night and found that one study recommended starting at 3000 mg per day. The reason I used 6000 was that I was following the advice in the Dr Perricone diet and I was desperate to start losing, or at least not gaining, weight again.
I live in Canada so I am not certain if it applies in the US, but I get the omega 3 fish oil at Wal Mart for approximately $15.00 for 160 1000mg capsules.
Bob

I’ve had plantar fasciitis for the last year after a knee injury (torn meniscus) from playing tennis. After 5 weeks cheat free low carb, I hardly felt any heel pain. Then last weekend I went out of town and ate some sugar and bread. Wow, I have a throbbing, burning pain in my heel and even toes. It is going away again after 2 days back on the program. I just have to act as if I am allergic to sugar and grains when I’m out. Dr. Atkins is right to call sugar an anti-nutrient.

Good for you, Denise, to do weight training. We are about the same age! I’ve had a fantastic personal trainer for 5 years now. She is a great friend and always gives me new exercises to keep my muscles guessing. I find that riding bike or elliptical is better than the treadmill to avoid the heel pain. Elliptical’s are pretty expensive though. I have a gym membership so I go there. I do 10-15 minutes on each machine. I do a cool down on the treadmill and just walk very carefully with good posture.

Bob: I didn’t think Dr. Perricone was that against a low carb diet. His plan is fairly low carb and he admits that he personally does not eat grains. He focuses a lot on how inflammation causes diseases. Inflammation is caused by eating processed and high glycemic foods. I like his books. I stay at 20-30 grams of carbs though and don’t regularly eat fruit or grains.

Regarding sweeteners: Have you guys tried the sugar free syrups with splenda, such as Da Vinci? These are pretty good and do not have the carby bulking agents that the powdered splenda has. Dr. Mike blogged on why he thinks Splenda is ok to use. I have had a hard time losing any weight so I don’t have sweetened things very often. Plus it keeps me craving sweets.

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/...da_misinfo.html

Good Blog... thanks for sharing it. It all sounds very logical.

My jury is out on Splenda right now. Time to do more research.

Thanks, Aunt Joyce, I didn't mean to belittle Dr Perricone, because I think he has a well reasoned approach to a healthy diet. I have to be so restrictive on the carbs in my wol that I have started to look at any food with substantial carbs as a poison for me.

I love having Orange Crush sweetened with Splenda as my treat, and I have not had sugar cravings from this product. That is why I want to be certain that Splenda isn't having a negative effect on my diet.

I use an amino acid called l-glutamine to alleviate nausea pain, and neuropathy, which are the side effect of the drug I take to suppress my bone marrow. I have also found that it is very beneficial on days when I am going to engage in strenuous physical activity. It has been used by weightlifters for a long time and maybe it would help with the workouts. I take 1 tablespoon per day.
Bob

My foot pain is connected to my fibromyalgia and it's terrible. I find that doing yoga, which includes lots of stretching, and icing it really helps.

Best of luck to you.

God bless you Lisa-Lu for being pregnant at that weight.

Several years ago (in 2001) I got pregnant with my second. I weight 260. I lost the baby, perhaps due to my weight, I don't know. Part of my sky rocketing weight gain can be blamed on the heavy depression that followed... plus several months after the miscarriage I had my chest cut open and my rib cage split in order to remove a growth (benign). That convalescence sure wasn't pleasant or good for my sexual ego.

I gave birth to my first child at 277. But 12 years ago, it wasn't so bad. Now 12 years later and my bones being weary of carrying this weight, it takes a toll. I'm not ready to cross over into being 50 being morbidly obese.

(come to think of it, I said that when it was the millenium... see why I need you guys! )

Heel Pain... I did some more research. I've been doing some foot exercises, just stretching up and down before I get out of bed and it seems to help, seems. My research at WebMD said that PF can be healed, but it's best if it's treated early. I am going on 2 years with this, and without telling a Doctor about it. I haven't gotten the Omega3 yet (Easter has gotten in the way), but there's a whole lot on my "to do" list for next week.

It would be good to see your doctor, I had really horrible heel pain, i could not even stand on them and thought it was spurs, but when I went to the Foot Doctor I found out i had sprained both my heels, and all i needed was a shot of cortisone or have them wrapped for two weeks, I had them wrapped, I hate shots, then he told me what brands of sneakers would prevent it and to stretch my heels, too, i have not had the pain since.

Another thing to consider is to go barefoot as much as possible. I try to have my shoes off at every time where it is convenient. Many foot problems are caused by footwear. I am barefoot as I type this.

As far as plantar fascitis goes, barefoot people seldom have it. Feet flex much more when not constrained by shoes.

Some further information is available here:
http://www.barefooters.org/key-work...r/3.health.html

I had very painful plantars that began one day (first day of vacation in Great Britain) last summer. I hobbled and felt crippled for months. I finally went to see a Dr. as I could hardly put any weight on my right foot. (My left was fine). He gave me a cortizone shot in my heel. It didn't work. One month more of pain later I went to see a podiatrist. He gave me 2 ccs of cortizone in my heel (again). He told me that I needed to lose my weight because first it starts in the feet and next will be the knees and then the hips if I don't lose the weight. He also told me to stretch my foot (a cold water bottle does work well but I used my wooden rolling pin and it worked great for me). I also did the stretches. He also told me no weight bearing exercises for six months. I could do swimming, water aerobics and stationary bicycle. The cortizone shots worked wonders and I have followed his advice and one morning about a month later no more pain! I still have to watch it and stretch and am now beginning to walk for exercise (starting slowly) and now am going to concentrate on losing the excess weight.
Hope this helps.
GG

I started this thread at the beginning of April and felt pretty hopeless about my Plantar Fascitus. I had to lose 40 pounds before I could see improvement in my case....it's not gone but there has been a vast improvement....I can walk (with limitations on frequency/duration) without the excruciating pain again!!! denise