Hi there! I am a newbie to this website and I just love it! So much information and wonderful support!
I have a question that I was wondering if any of you more experienced or knowledgeable low carbers/somersizers/atkins folks could answer.
I have only been lowcarbing for just under 2 weeks and I am having great success. I am enjoying eating food that I previoulsy deprived myself of and I do not miss that carbs at all! I have also gone grain free as well and find that it is realy helping my digestion. It took me a long time to get here since I think I am somewhat of a carb addict. I feel like I am now home to stay!
My questionis this: Last night I ate more than a bit of Somersweet in a low carb desert. For the first time time since I began lowcarbing I woke up in the middle of the night hungry and blindly trudging to the fridge to consume a snack. This was happening every night for almost a year before I started low carbing. (it was VERY distressing and embarassing) Also, my stomach was very bloated and upset today.
Could I be reacting to Somersweet like a sugary carb? Would I react the same to any artifical sweetener? The one I am thinking of is sucralose since I just bought some Atkins Vailla Syrup? Should I wait until more time goes by to use any of these products? Or never? (oh my)
Another worry is that I am wondering if I am ultra carb sensitive and should I worry about Diabetes?
I would really appreciate any info that your all have.
thanks so so much!

I haven't used Somersweet in cooking yet. I have used Splenda, and I can't tell the difference. It doesn't mess with my blood sugar or cravings. If Somersweet was the only difference in what you ate last night, then I would suspect that for causing the problems.

If you worry about diabetes, go to your doctor and ask for blood tests to rule it out. HGBA1C, fasting blood test, or GGT. If you don't have it, then you prolly won't develop it by succeeding at low-carb.

Keep up the good work!!

Melissa

Oh thanks so so much for the info!
Yep it was ths only thing different.
so I am going to try splenda..more readily available and cheaper too! If that causes the same problem then I guess i will just have to not eat either.
And thanks for the info re diabetes. I actually had these tests awhile ago but I am due to go to the dr in June so I will ask. I wonder if blood sugar was making it so difficult to lose weight. And also before I low carbed I had tons of cravings. They are gone so if I have to forgo sweets the so be it. I am thinking that low carb is a good thing for all of these things, cravings, weight loss and etc.
The only other thing that concerns me is that I am really eating a lot of calories (I just can;t seem to get that mentality out of my head) It just doesn't seem possible to eat this way, all this delicious decadent food and lose weight! I don't want to sabotage myself with negative thoughts either! I guess I am used to deprivation! lol


thanks again!

Eventually you will be de-programmed about the calories and fat.

Think about it this way. On a typical binge, I would get over 3000 calories per day, maybe more. I've never had the courage to go to Fitday and enter in my sins. On average I get 1500 now. And, yes, that's including the butter, mayo, cheese, and real fat products. If I had been doing a low-cal/low-fat program I would prolly be getting more calories going to a low-carb program, but it's real food, and your body needs it. You have to eat extremely low-calorie and low-fat to counter the added carbs and sugar. Just think about which way of life is more enjoyable. There are so many substitutes and low-carb products on the market. It's like - who needs the refined crap!

Here's a link to a weight maintenance calorie calculator site you might find interesting. I wsa very surprised at how many calories I would have to eat to maintain my current as well as goal weight. Compare those two for yourself.

http://www.caloriecontrol.org/calcalcs.html


It's really interesting to talk to someone who's at the beginning of their low-carb journey. I've been at this for years. Only now do I feel as if all the pieces of the puzzle fit.

Keep up the good work!!

Melissa

Thanks Melissa!
I think that you are oh so right! I was absolutely torturing myself counting calories and always went over cause I was HUNGRY!
Now I am never hungry cause there is always something yummy to eat. Something satisfying and usually nutritious. today i had whipped cream. I could make a poem about it! It is just too good to be true! It is hard for me to imagine that I will lose weight doing this.
This is definitely a plan I can stick with. And on my end it is great to talk with someone who has so much experience and knowledge!
Do you mind if I write in again and ask you more questions?
(I have tons

thanks again!
I am going to go the website tomorrow!
ps. just went to the grocery store and looked at the carbs on some of the stuff I used to eat! Wow...sugar free candy was a real eye opener!

I'd love to talk to you more. I don't claim to be an expert, but I've been around the block.

I am very passionate about low-carb. There's so much to know, to learn. You've got an awesome journey ahead of you!

Melissa

You are so right! Everyday I think of something new that I have a question about or I discover something new about myself or the low carb eating plan.
The best part is that I feel like I can do this long term... its good for "getting there and staying there" I have no cravings which amazes me still.
Have you added many carbs to your maintenance plan? Which plan do you think is the best?
I am just counting carbs and stopping at ~35. Also no grains/potatoes/corn and for now no fruit.
Does that sound reasonable?

Thanks for all your help?

I started out adding fruit, since I love fresh summer berries. I get about 1/4 cup w/ heavy cream and splenda after dinner. Last night was the first carbs in a while. I had 4 wheat crackers with cream cheese.

I must tell you that I am just starting over. I've been doing low-carb on and off, mostly off, for over three years. I've got a horrible sugar addiction. Even the smallest taste and I am ravenous for more.

But, this time is different. I've got all my stuff going in the same direction. I'm exercising every day (low-impact aerobic workout) and NO sugar. I did Atkins for a week, then moved to CALP. I've gone from 301 on the 14th of May to 292 as of this morning. Most of that is water weight. Thanks to Atkins that excess water goes away pretty quickly. I also went off the pill a couple of days ago and that caused another drop of excess water.

Like I said, I am no expert. But, I have been around the block. I've been going 90 miles an hour on induction, and I've been face down in the muck, with no idea how to get out again.

The big thing has been a Diabetes scare. I was told in no uncertain terms that if I didn't shape up, in three months it was guaranteed that I would have Diabetes. I am that close.

My biggest advice - if you are going to slowly add carbs into your program, be very picky about which ones you allow in. Stick to veggies, or really seriously whole grains. Fruit too, if it doesn't make you crazy. I am lucky in that respect. If I stick to low-glycemic index fruit I am ok. Think mainly berries.

Definitely get enough fiber. I've learned that you don't 'go' all that much on low-carb plans unless you get a lot of veggies. Something that gets to be a problem for me. So, I supplement with Metamucil. Helps a lot.

Also, another big suggestion - take measurements of several areas of your body. Then, you can refer back every month or two and see how you are doing there too. Some people report that they still shrink in inches, even though the scale isn't moving. Do this now, and it might hold off a binge from disappointment at the scale not moving.

I have to NOT weigh myself to be successful. If I weigh and see it go up, or not move at all, then I get really disappointed. That carb voice starts talking. I'm aiming for once a week or a month - when I can work up to that. The scale also becomes an addiction when you are trying to lose weight.

I think each plan is pretty individual. You should try one for a month, see how you feel, how your hunger level is, how it addresses your cravings. How you lose weight, inches, etc. If you are happy, and making progress, then stick to it. I personally like CALP very much, and I'm incorporating Suzanne Somers delicious recipes because I think some of her ideas are awesome. I can't wait for macaroni and cheese. With egg noodles of course. Spinach bread for sandwiches. Lasagna. And, let's not forget the sweet stuff. I'd like to perfect a cake recipe so I can make birthday celebrations legal for me. I will always love sweets. But, they don't love me. So, it is my personal mission in life to find substitutes for all my favorite grub.

I'll pass on any recipes I come up with.

I think the biggest message when it comes to low-carb is that refined products are unhealthy. Stick to real food, leaning on veggies, lean proteins, and you'll be good.

Melissa

Oh thank you so so much for the info
Especially about the berries! I had read that in SS but had forgorren it
You are so right about sticking to the natural too...last night I had some syrup (ok lets be honest, a LOT) and then got myself a big old carb headache. So I am going to have to be careful about anything with additives that is not completely natural or that I don't make myself.
I am going to go "au natural" until I reach goal or get real close and then I will add some fruit first (because that is the only thing that I miss really right now)
I am grain sensitive except for corn and that will be way way down on the list. I now chuckle when I read articles listing popcorn as a good snack...been there done that...tighter waistband and bloated tummy were the result!)
I have no problem "going", in fact my problis the opposite but I do love veggies (being vegetarian) and just naturally lots. And luckly I don't like carrots or potatoes that much so I don't miss them...only beets)
Am just going to duct tape on the mouth of the "calorie"
voice in my head that still think it has the right to talk and I am following your suggestion and packing away the scale (we are moving so I won't see it for quite awhile!)
I have a "goal" pair of capris and a pool party to shoot for instead! And even though these are "goal" I am not going to let myself obsess about them either... I'll get there when I get there...right now I am enjoyging the scenery on this delicious low carb journey!


thanks again
You have been so wonderful and helpful to me!

ooooooooooooohhh just wanted to slcirify...when i said syrup....
It was low carb syrup made with Splenda....

I am no sugar here to stay!
(no bellyaches and no hot flashes!)

Just curious, because there are a lot of low-carb syrups out there and they are all a little different.

Good luck on the goal. I've got so much to lose that I have several mini-goals along the way. And, a non-food reward for each one I reach.

Melissa

I am not sure what brand it was. I got it at coffee shop in the mall...As I recall it had something like a pirate on parchment looking label...I read the ingredients and Splenda was listed as the sweetener along with several others. It was delicious but unfortunately I did not read the ingredients carefully enough after I ascertained that it had no carbs cause I got a jumbo headache (I am sensitive to certain things) Splenda does not bother me at all so it must have been something else in there.
Atkins makes a Vanilla syrup as well that I just bought but am gonna wait awhile before I try it lol!
also today I made my own using Splenda, vanilla and coconut milk
It was yummy! And creamy! I had to use a lot of vanilla so next time I am going to get a vanilla bean and put it in a jar with some Splenda in it so that I can have "vanilla sugar."

nighty night!

what a great idea about the non food rewards!

My goal is t fit into this particular pair of capris...
and sit down too!

Just curious how you are doing Kacey.

Melissa