Well, sadly, I think the art. sweetners have to go for me.

[Roserae]

:sadblinky

Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I don't think I can tolerate the artificial sweetners. They cause awful cravings. I didn't think they did, until I reinducted after going on vacation and going off the program for a while.

I was so amazed during my reinduction on how I didn't even think about food anymore. While on Atkins previously I had lost that great feeling and didn't even realize it.

Last week I got a stomach bug and was put on clear liquids, so I had my first diet drink in 3 weeks. Now I'm over it and can have real food again and I'm still drinking the diet drinks and had some jello and carb countdown milk, and I had a big salad for lunch which stuffed me...lots of good stuff in it, cheese, tuna, avocado, bacon...so no wimpy salad. And then just a couple of hours later I'm wondering what else I can eat. I'm not even hungry! I really think it is the art. sweetners.

Too bad, too, it's nice to be able to have a treat once in a while...but I don't like that out of control feeling. I'm sure I'm better off without them anyway. Guess I'll just save them for the rare occasion. Ho hum.

[loonatika]

All you can really do is give it a week without them and see if they are the problem. You may just need to try different types if they are, ie if you were using aspartime, try splenda or vice versa.

[2big4mysize]

glad you have recovered form your tummy bug. Yep the sweetners can be triggers if you get that cephalic response many of us do.

[Heidi3]

I rarely if ever use a sweetener for more than one reason but have found that TOM really affects my cravings and if I have something on the sweet time at the wrong phase of the moon :yikes I want to eat the furntiture!!!...have to take deep breath and get a big drink of water and get the heck away from food!!!

[Roserae]

Yes, it's going to be difficult. Just getting started anyway now that I've introduced them, it's hard to give them up. But I didn't particularly miss them these last few weeks, so I just need to bite the bullet and quit and hopefully in the next few days I won't want them at all again! Thanks guys.

[sadie147]

I recently bought some stevia packets..and i was pleasantly surprised. I really didn't think i was gonna like it but it's not bad. Maybe you can try it may not have the same effect as art. sweeteners since it's a natural one?