Addicted to Sweets? The Cephalic Phase Insulin Response

[Mirya]

Originally Posted by Dolphin

Hey there my Arkansas folks!!!! My family who raised me is from there!!!—Straight up old fashioned Arkansas raising. Nobody messed with us in the neighborhood because we were deep .

Oh yeah the sugar thing is no joke!!! Read my siggy girl and you'll see if you stick with NOTHING sweet in your life you WILL LOSE AND THE CRAVINGS WILL CEASE. I just chose to have a beer one day and all he11 broke loose, that lead to apple smirnoffs then it was on like Donkey Kong.

WOOHOO GO ARKANSAS. My family is from Little Rock and Walnut grove.

[Kdog923]

This Cephalic Insulin response is no joke. I am a recovering 6-8 diet coke a day guy, and I can tell you, the original description of drinking soda after soda with no satisfaction, fit me to a T. I realized once I kicked the artificial sweeteners, I stopped getting headaches and my hunger disappeared. Now I drink when I am thirsty and not to try and satisfy itch I cant scratch. This is a fantastic website, but this may be the most important bit of info on here for hardcore insulin junkies.

[Peej]

I went through week 1 of induction without any artificial sweeteners and after the first few days had no cravings for sweets. I've never been hugely into sweets but I still indulged when I had the opportunity. The other day, I picked up some diet rite thinking that because it was made with Splenda it would be ok. I didn't necessarily crave more sweets, but I found myself feeling much hungrier than I had felt since cutting out carbs. I also drank much more of the Diet Rite than I had intended.

After that, I started diluting it with some seltzer so its about half diet rite and half seltzer. This way, I still get a little bit of the sweet taste but its not enough to make me feel hungry for the rest of the day. Day 3 of doing that and it seems to be the compromise that has worked for me. I also limit myself to one glass per day as a treat after dinner.

Hopefully this continues to work out well, because I really was so excited that there was a soda that I could still drink. I was definitely a diet coke junkie before starting on Atkins.

[Amaranda009]

Hi Guys, totally agree- i was addicted to taste of sweet. One little bit and i wanted more. i too find it so much easier to not have them at all.

[Greeneggs&ham]

My experience earlier this week supports this topic. I have been drinking nothing but water for two weeks. A couple days ago I found myself at a fast food restaurant with friends and decided to have a medium diet pepsi. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but found myself craving carbs that evening almost as bad as I did prior to switching to this WOE. It took every ounce of willpower (and a little binging on legal foods) to overcome the desire to munch on crackers, cereal, and milk! I think I just need to accept that no sweets (real or fake) is just one of my crosses to carry and in the bigger picture, that's not such a heavy cross!

[happyinlife]

I have been sooo stubborn in the past. When I would read an article or hear something on TV about sweetners and diet sodas would roll my eyes. A typical
day for me would be "no water." I started with 2 cups of coffee w/ fat free french
vanilla creamer, and equal. I would have a diet pepsi on the way to work and would have to make a quick stop at the convenient store to get a reeses cup. That was my routine every day. I drank diet sodas all day long. I was always thinking about sweets. Sometimes a would give in to the desire for a second candy bar in the afternoon or maybe ice cream in the evening. I diffently believe that the diet pepsi was the trigger. What I have spent on diet soda over the last twenty years! I am sleeping better at night. I am not craving sweets. I made my family a carrot cake with cream cheese icing over this past weekend. I had no desire to lick the bowl. I have passed by that cake everytime I enter the kitchen. I haven't had a desire to have a piece. Nothing! I am amazed and have been waiting for the overwelming desire to binge. Thankfully the family polished the cake off and there was no slip ups.

[Thessalonian]

How come we can't drink Diet Coke that has 0 net carbs?

[Neecy]

Originally Posted by Thessalonian

How come we can't drink Diet Coke that has 0 net carbs?

It contains aspartame, which is a known staller, in addition to being unhealthy. You can try to find a splenda-sweetened alternative such as Diet -Rite, but the best alternative is plenty of water!!!

[Thessalonian]

Got it. And I suppose the same goes for artificial sweeteners. But those of us addicted to sugar, it is hard not to have anything sweet in the first week, especially after dinner. By having removed all fruits from our daily regime, I just need something to cover this need. Water won't do the trick unfortunately... And trust me, I drink 5 ltrs a day...

FYI, I can't find diet-rite or Splenda in Greece. We haven't got a "low-carb" culture yet

[Neecy]

Not all artificial sweeteners are verboten on Atkins. You can have Splenda/sucralose and stevia. Just be aware that even these sometimes cause an insulin response in some people.