Caffeine and aspartame .....

[eireanngobrach]

Okay I know the ADBB is STRICTLY by the book and I know DANDR says caffeine should be avoided, but he doesn;t not say that it is because it will spike your insulin or because it is treated like a carb, he says, if I am correct that it sometimes causes blood sugar swings that can induce cravings? If that doesn;t happen to me, and I want to cut down from 10c coffee a day to 2 c coffee a day, BLACK, is that alright? What has been your experience with people who take in caffeine vs. people who don't? Obviously if I hit a plateau this will be the first to go.

I also know DANDR says to stay away from aspartame because it is bad for your body in general, BUT if I don't really care about that, can I have a sugar-free jello cup with aspartame in it( the pre-pack oneas from the grocery store)? Can I have a diet rootbeer? I usually use Splenda in my recipes, and I don;t drink soda or eat jello THAT often. So I guess my question was, aside from the poison like properties of aspartame, does the body treat it differently with regardds to Atkins than say Splenda? Would I see a greater weight loss if I only used SPlenda as opposed to aspartame?

[tickletussler]

Aspartame can make some of us stall - actually the thought of eating Splenda or any other artificial sweetener has been known to cause a spike in blood sugar (I think Perry talks about it in one of the stickies on artificial sugars?)

Therefore my suggestion is that if you find later you are stalling or getting cravings, then it could be the artificial sweetener you are using.

[Checkers]

I've gotta say that I'm not one of those people that gave up caffiene and I can lose weight drinking. Induction is so hard on me anyway that I didn't want to go through caffiene withdrawals too. But this time around I have a goal to get off the caffiene in the future as I'm very addicted. Caffiene withdrawal for me is miserable. I also have alway just drank whatever diet pop a liked without problems. But this time around I've been able to get off the diet coke becuase hubby's Diet Rite was just more refreshing. Yes, I know there's a new option for Diet Coke, but now that I'm it I don't want to go back. This time around I'm also going to learn more about the good fats I should have. I guess the whole point for me was that I wanted to just lose weight and worrying about these other things overwhelmed me. Now I feel in control and like I can think about my health also.

[eireanngobrach]

that's what I am thinking checkers... my biggest health problem is that I am only 5-7 and I weight 255 lbs. Granted all of my blood work is excellent, but still. I am hypoglycemis, so I don't really use sweeteners THAT much on their own, only if I know I can eat a good healthy meal within an hour after using it, so I am not addicted to sugary stuff anyways. Caffeine on the other hand is my archnemesis. I can get through some days without a drop but some days I just need it. I am a health scientist so being sleepy is just not an option, nor is dealing with being shaky and having a headache.

So I guess what I a saying is I am more concerned with the weight loss than the adverse effects caff. and art. sweeteners have on me right now

[tabekat]

no java man 4 me

I didn't want to give up coffee when I first started Atkins. I felt very stubborn about it. I was extremely addicted to it because I loved the taste of it, I loved the little pick-up it gave me, and I was sentimentally attached to it because my deceased hubby had loved it.

But the good monitors kept encouraging me to give Atkins my all, and now I'm so glad I did.

The problem with caffeine is that it gives you a wonderful lift, but that false sense of well-being is soon followed by a big crash. Then you feel lousy and need another cup of coffee. Over and over again. This up and down roller coaster is just so bad for your blood and body.

I switched to decaf. It was hard for a few days and then I was past it. I now prefer foods and beverages that keep me on an even keel. One big benefit - I am much less moody now that my food and beverages are nurturing me instead of making me bounce up and down.

Go ahead and give the caffeine up. It feels great to give up things that harm you. And the health benefits you gain are so worthwhile.

(I still enjoy the smell of it and take a big whiff at the supermarket!)
It always did smell better than it tasted...

[Checkers]

Yep, it's going to be a journey, not a sprint. And everyday I am learning more about healthy eating and really researching my food choices. Some people can really get it together during induction on these issues, but I wasn't one of them!

[Moochiecat]

You are free to do whatever you like with this, and cutting down from 10cups of coffee a day to 2 is no doubt going to be difficult enough, so it's a good place to start. (be prepared to go through withdrawal, and when you are feeling unwell, keep telling yourself that it will definitely pass, and hang in there!)
Choosing to eat aspartame you will always have that question in the back of your head "How much weight would I have lost if I had stayed away from it?"

The drawback from being free to do whatever you like with this is that it's going to turn into "*YOUR NAME HERE*'s New Diet Revolution" and when people aren't successful, they blame Dr. Atkins...so be mindful of that.

He wrote it for a reason, and the reason was because it works as it's laid out. Sure, you can change it up, but you very possibly are compromising your weight loss.

Again, you will be no doubt suffer from Induction flu, and you'll probably feel like crap for a day or so...maybe more (I only ever drank 1 cup of coffee a day and I was still sick on day 7), but it will pass...just soldier on through it and don't give in to more coffee.

[eireanngobrach]

actually now that I think about it, it is the smell and the taste and the habit of drinking it that I am so used to isn;t it? I mean if I can go a day without a drop and feel okay then I can do this right!?!? Right now I drink about a pot a day, so if I can get that down to a lot of decaf and 1 cup of caf a day then I think I can kick it.

I have already had a few this morning so tomorrow will be my challenge!

[Moochiecat]

You know what's crazy?

I switched to decaf cold turkey...and remember I said I only have one cup a day? I still behave just as goofy about my one cup of decaf as I ever did with the regular....I wake up, and I just can't wait to smell it brewing, mix it up, and take that first sip!

I really think it's the ritual of the whole thing....and I have confidence you can get through this.

[Checkers]

I have to completely disagree that it's just the ritual. I've quit caffiene a couple of times in my life and it was a painfull withdrawal. If I didn't have caffiene during my initial two week induction period I wouldn't even have been able to work. The whole time I had absolutely zero energy, even at the end. I needed a crutch to get through or would have quit. So I'll stick to my on hurdle at a time method.

[Moochiecat]

There's no denying that it's an addiction, yes.

But I'm saying that even with my coffee being decaf, I enjoy that morning cup just as much as I ever did, and that's where the ritual thing comes in.

[eireanngobrach]

well thanks all for your imput. I will DEF cut down to prob. 2 a day and then over time 1 a day of caff and one of decaf and hopefully soon i won't want anything. I will tell you the only coffee drink I have had a craving for, and that is just because everyone else at work gets on everyday at 4pm is Starbucks java Chip Frappucino. Oh boy was that good. I wonder if I can find a recipe for myself when I am out of induction that uses decaf, splenda, sugar free micha syrup, sugar free chocolate and whipping cream for that!!!!!!!!

Off to the gym!

[Checkers]

You know, I actually drink much less coffee when I put cream in it. It's more like my lattes which I never drank very fast. In fact I'm feeling so good now that I'm up to 30 carbs that I may even attempt the caffiene switch tomorrow (pray for me :angel ).

[Miss Phode]

I'm also horribly addicted to coffee. I had none at all yesterday, and felt a little slow, but not terrible. Today I woke up with a nightmare-ish headache, so I had half a cup. I'm not having any more today. (I usually have 4-16 ounce cups). If I feel awful tomorrow, I'll have a quarter cup, until I can live without the caffiene. I'll be investing in some tasty decaf (if there is any such thing). Fortunately, I like my coffee, only with cream, no sweetener. My biggest problem is Monday afternoon, I'll be dragging, and I'll be dying to reach for a cup of Joe to get me thru the day. I need all the help I can get.

[cajunthunder]

I didn't give up my coffee and don't plan on it. It doesn't give me a lift or cause cravings, etc. I just like having my 2-3 cups of coffee during the day. I have a cup in the morning, sometimes one around lunch time and one in the late afternoon.

I used to work shift work and people would drink coffee to stay awake. Didn't do anything to keep me awake at all.

I use half and half and Splenda in mine, and count it towards my carbs.

I do think you'd do well to cut waaaaay back on the amount of coffee you are drinking.

Each person has to evaluate how anything we eat or drink affects us, both physically and mentally. There is no one perfect answer for every single person. Ya just gotta be honest with yourself about whether something is causing you problems or not.

Good luck!