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  #1   ^
Old Mon, Apr-25-11, 17:37
PinguChick PinguChick is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 518
 
Plan: Atkins with Paleo/Primal
Stats: 194/162/159 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 91%
Default Solved my constant hunger - no more artificial sweetener for me!

So I've been struggling with extreme hunger all throughout my atkins weight loss journey. Even after eating a big low carb meal I still feel "hungry". It has been frustrating, and draining.

I thought for a while it was some kind of indigestion, but no indigestion or digestive remedies seemed to solve it.

But, I have recently gone completely off artificial sweeteners -
my reason was that because I am a super slow loser, like 1/4 to 1/2 pounds of weight loss per week, that I surmised that maybe I produce too much insulin in response to food. Too much insulin = poor weight loss. I also have lots of low blood sugar episodes. So I guessed that my body produces insulin in response to the sweet taste of AS. But, anyways --

I've been off artificial sweeteners for 4 weeks. Yesterday I had LOTS -- I made a thai coconut curry sweetened with plenty of splenda, then homemade low carb icecream with more splenda. Then some crystal light. Then more coconut curry. And a diet pop. This was from lunch until supper. It was incredible. I was hungry the whole time. From when I finished lunch to when I went to bed I was HUNGRY. NO matter that I filled my little belly until it was full, even a bit stuffed. It still felt hungry!

I was eating more than usual, but didn't feel full. I still had a "hungry" feeling. Then towards bed time I got a terrible headache.

I'm seriously thinking it is all the sweetener. Maybe I'm sensitive to it, I don't know. But I'm going to go off of it again for a while. Maybe I'll try another day where I have sweetener and see if the same thing happens again. Though I don't really want to!!

Anyone else have an experience like this??
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  #2   ^
Old Mon, Apr-25-11, 18:33
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,830
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
Default

Is it all sweeteners or just one type?
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  #3   ^
Old Mon, Apr-25-11, 18:49
JenMcBride JenMcBride is offline
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Posts: 165
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 155/125/135 Female 5'4"
BF:
Progress: 150%
Location: North Alabama
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I had an experience like that, too, and I was MISERABLE! I've removed and added various things to my diet and I think my culprit is supplements. As of Friday I'm off of any supplements and I've had zero gnawing hunger issues. At some point I will add one supplement at a time and find out the trigger.

Congrats for finding your trigger. Being hungry ALL the time is horrible!! Especially when you know you've been eating a good meal
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  #4   ^
Old Mon, Apr-25-11, 19:42
PinguChick PinguChick is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 518
 
Plan: Atkins with Paleo/Primal
Stats: 194/162/159 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 91%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
Is it all sweeteners or just one type?


I had mainly liquid sucralose (Splenda) and whatever is in crystal light - I think aspartame.
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  #5   ^
Old Mon, Apr-25-11, 19:43
PinguChick PinguChick is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 518
 
Plan: Atkins with Paleo/Primal
Stats: 194/162/159 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 91%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JenMcBride
I had an experience like that, too, and I was MISERABLE! I've removed and added various things to my diet and I think my culprit is supplements. As of Friday I'm off of any supplements and I've had zero gnawing hunger issues. At some point I will add one supplement at a time and find out the trigger.

Congrats for finding your trigger. Being hungry ALL the time is horrible!! Especially when you know you've been eating a good meal



Thanks!! I hope you find what is bothering you. I would never have thought of supplements! Yes, hunger is the worst when you should be full!
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  #6   ^
Old Tue, Apr-26-11, 06:26
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 14,550
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
Default

I have to say that does sound like a lot of sweetener. That much sugar, also, would give me an upset stomach; not to mention constant hunger.

Do you use liquid splenda? Are you aware the powder splenda has maltodextrin, a sugar, in it, to bulk it up?
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  #7   ^
Old Tue, Apr-26-11, 11:11
PinguChick PinguChick is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 518
 
Plan: Atkins with Paleo/Primal
Stats: 194/162/159 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 91%
Default

Yes, it was liquid splenda.

The first 2 drops (equal to 2 packets) in my lunch was enough to set off the "hunger" feeling. Then I deliberately ate more sweetener that day to test out my theory. A drop in the ice cream, 2 drops in the curry dinner, a glass of crystal light, then a diet pop. Thats tonnes of sweetener when you've been off of it for 4 weeks.

The last 2 days I haven't eaten any sweetener and I'm full and satiated after eating. No hunger at all.

At some point I will try eating sweetener again and see if the "hunger" comes back. I may try different sweeteners too, but I have a feeling I'm never going back!

I'm so happy to have that hungry feeling gone!
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  #8   ^
Old Wed, Apr-27-11, 22:26
mike_d's Avatar
mike_d mike_d is offline
Grease is the word!
Posts: 8,475
 
Plan: PSMF/IF
Stats: 236/181/180 Male 72 inches
BF:disappearing!
Progress: 98%
Location: Alamo city, Texas
Default

It's funny, but a friend gave me a bag of "Sun Crystals" so I have been using 1/4 tsp in my coffee and tea with cream. It seems to quench appetite, so I end up eating less at meals and my progress has been better than with Splenda or Sweet'n Low. Sometimes it is all about calories and cravings control.
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  #9   ^
Old Thu, Apr-28-11, 04:55
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 14,550
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PinguChick
I'm so happy to have that hungry feeling gone!


I replied to the first message where it wasn't clear what kind. It's fantastic that you've tracked this down!
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  #10   ^
Old Thu, Apr-28-11, 08:07
PinguChick PinguChick is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 518
 
Plan: Atkins with Paleo/Primal
Stats: 194/162/159 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 91%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by WereBear
I replied to the first message where it wasn't clear what kind. It's fantastic that you've tracked this down!


Thank you very much! I am very happy and relieved to finally be rid of that gnawing hunger!
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  #11   ^
Old Thu, Apr-28-11, 09:50
cnmLisa's Avatar
cnmLisa cnmLisa is offline
Every day is day one
Posts: 7,776
 
Plan: AtkinsMaintenance/IF
Stats: 185/145/155 Female 5'5
BF:
Progress: 133%
Location: Oregon Coast
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PinguChick
I had mainly liquid sucralose (Splenda) and whatever is in crystal light - I think aspartame.

I was having the same symptoms---just hungry--I thought it was anxiety from work. I gave up the Crystal Crack...Monday was my first crack-free day...surprise, surprise---that crazy anxious hunger...gone.

I don't have a problem with Splenda or liquid splenda...but then, I only use very little of it anyway.

Glad you found the culprit.

Progress not perfection.

Lisa
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  #12   ^
Old Thu, Apr-28-11, 09:55
cldade55's Avatar
cldade55 cldade55 is offline
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Posts: 530
 
Plan: Keto
Stats: 194/159/145 Female 5 feet 6 inches
BF:
Progress: 71%
Location: NYC
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I have read that in some people artificial sweeteners can trigger an insulin response. In others, it just causes an upset stomach. Either one can cause that knawing hungry feeling. I fall into the second category.
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  #13   ^
Old Thu, Apr-28-11, 10:34
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 14,550
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cnmLisa
.Monday was my first crack-free day...surprise, surprise---that crazy anxious hunger...gone.


Woot woot! So happy for you!

Now that I'm gluten free, I'm certain some of my own "crazy hungry" problem was the number gluten was wreaking on my digestive system. Because I didn't have any "classic signs" like diarrhea or constipation or cramps or nausea... I kept having the occasional grain serving and never stretched out the time between long enough to notice its effects.
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  #14   ^
Old Thu, Apr-28-11, 15:15
PinguChick PinguChick is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 518
 
Plan: Atkins with Paleo/Primal
Stats: 194/162/159 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 91%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cnmLisa
I was having the same symptoms---just hungry--I thought it was anxiety from work. I gave up the Crystal Crack...Monday was my first crack-free day...surprise, surprise---that crazy anxious hunger...gone.

I don't have a problem with Splenda or liquid splenda...but then, I only use very little of it anyway.

Glad you found the culprit.

Progress not perfection.

Lisa


Crystal Crack.... That's hilarious!

I'm curious to try and see if I get the "hunger" feeling with any other sweeteners, but I'm afraid to try!
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  #15   ^
Old Thu, Apr-28-11, 15:18
PinguChick PinguChick is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 518
 
Plan: Atkins with Paleo/Primal
Stats: 194/162/159 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 91%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cldade55
I have read that in some people artificial sweeteners can trigger an insulin response. In others, it just causes an upset stomach. Either one can cause that knawing hungry feeling. I fall into the second category.


That's interesting. Yes, I'm not sure which one it is for me. But it happens pretty instantly, so maybe its a stomach irritation -- because doesn't insulin take a while to be produced?
Its nice to be without it, thats for sure!
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