Hunger Gone -- No Snacks Needed

[Sunny_0ne]

I am in shock. I have battled with excess hunger since I started Atkins. I had to eat 5 or 6 times a day because I would be so ravenous I couldn't stand it if I went more than 3 hours without eating.

I had read that in some people, artificial sweeteners can cause hunger because the sweetener tells the brain that a blood sugar spike (from sugar) is coming. Then when the spike fails to materialize, the brain causes hunger in an effort to get the promised sugar dose.

I didn't believe it. But because I had to find a way to control the hunger, I decided to leave the sweeteners alone and see what happened.

I had my last Splenda in my coffee yesterday morning. I was pretty hungry when lunch time came.

After lunch, the desire for a pre-dinner snack never materialized. I wasn't hungry!!!! Then after dinner, I wasn't hungry. I did eat a small snack before bedtime, just because I was afraid I'd get hungry!

But this morning, I ate breakfast... and no hunger at all before lunch. In fact, I ate lunch because it was time to eat lunch, not because I was hungry.

Now it is almost two hours past lunch. Normally I would start to feel twinges of hunger. Instead I still feel stuffed.

I don't even want to THINK about eating.

This is the first time this has ever happened.

So it's a little too soon to say I have found a permanent solution, but I believe that I have.

I don't like the idea of not eating sweets ever.... and I will still probably allow myself a Splenda treat once a week. But if giving it up is what it takes to be satisfied with normal meals, it is a worthy trade-off to me.

[kellymch2006]

Thanks so much for sharing this!!! Something to consider!!!

[emmie30]

I had a similar experience with cream. I cut it out and also the cravings. Im so glad you have found a solution. x

[Sunny_0ne]

It is long past dinner, and I am still satisfied. Don't even want to think about a snack. So now I am certain the Splenda was the culprit!

[Empyre]

I know exactly what you mean about wanting to eat every few hours. About that constant itch to munch on something.

Since entering Keto are completely gone. Its sooo liberating. Its great to know that I'll have control of food in the future even without keto.

[christinne]

You might have to do something to forget about eating something, you may write or aything else to make you busy.

[muzza]

gotta luv that no hunger thing lol i think its gr8

[bikinidreams]

That it all the more reason to stick to the WOE for LIFE!!!

[rajenki]

I don't think I have the same issue with sweeteners, but I don't have them often...usually about once a day. I think sweetenrs are a YMMV kind of thing and it's great that you tested for yourself to find out how they are affecting you. This WOE really teaches us to listen to our bodies.

I must say though, something I've always noticed when I get into the swing of things with this is that while the "munchies" do definitely go away, I find myself not hungry most of the time. But the hunger sneaks up on me. I'll be going along actually thinking about how not hungry I am and then BAM! Starving! Seriously uncomfortably hungry. I imagine this is the type of "hunger pain" I never let myself get to in the past because I was constantly munching. Sometimes I eat a snack between meals just to avoid the discomfort and because we aren't supposed to go more than 3 hours without eating...but not because I'm particularly hungry.

I remember the first time around on this back in the 90's that I would go so long without eating simply because I "forgot" to eat...that when the hunger pains hit, it would hurt so bad I would double over in pain.

I'm not sayin this is a bad thing...lol...I enjoy the satiation I feel! It's one of the best aspects about this WOE. When doing something like WW...I munch all my "points" away on 100 calorie snack packs all day...one carb explosion after another.