Gotcha!

Well, I think the extracts might be stalling me out. I didn't lose anything this week and I the only thing different is that I have been using the extracts. I think I might be reacting to the alcohol content in them, so this next week I am not going to use them at all and see what happens. I might need to limit them to a couple times a week. I will have to experiment and see what happens.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Hi re-booters!

Hope everyone had a good thanksgiving (if you are an American, sorry Canadians!). I stayed OP yesterday, so I am rewarding myself with a little retail therapy online today.

I haven't weighed in a while (no coach), but my jeans are getting looser. I wish I would have taken measurements when I started, because I feel like that would be good motivation since I try not to weigh in all the time. (I'm not good about timing and then would freak out about .5 a pound or whatever, so this is the best strategy for me!).

I am really missing my starbucks holiday drinks, so I've been experimenting with at home concoctions. I've been trying some of the thread suggestions. Where is everyone getting the flavored splenda from? I can't seem to find it locally, and I don't want to order it if I don't have to.

Regarding extracts, I did a few last time, but I thought they slowed my losses so I am avoiding them this time unless there is a "special occasion", but it was worth it for making a mug cake with flavoring if other people were having a good dessert (birthday cake or whatever).

Anyone have any good tricks for the syntrax nectar? I have quite a bit left and I am pretty sick of it, so I tried to microwave it to make mug cake and it turned into rubber. I feel like it I could do more with it then make a shake I would be more motivated to finish it.

I hope everyone's day is going well. Have a great weekend!

I have read a lot recently on the boards about people mentioning extracts and such slowing or stalling their losses.

I'm stumped as I am finding it hard to believe that. So, I wanted to delve a bit deeper on this with you guys. I don't want to be in denial, but I also don't want this to be a situation of group-think.

How can this truly be the case? All of us that are in P1 are consuming somewhere between 700-900 calories and we have to be no more than 40 total carbs and 25 net carbs.
I believe each of us is consuming 2-4 T a day of this at most.

So, two thoughts come to mind to challenge this thinking:
1 - Diabetics consume these products - wouldn't they be the first to react to claim the package labeling is not what it claims to be as the blood glucose would spike? Isn't that what folks, who believe they have a sensitivity to this, believe is happening to them to cause a slow down or a stall?
2 - If it is due to an uptick in calories, a few extra calories off the 700-900 is not going to slow our weight/fat loss.

What do you guys think is happening to cause a stall if you are associating it with the consumption of these products? Is it 1, 2 or both or something else? I would like to get more scientific about this. When doubt creeps in my mind it wreaks havoc so I'd like to remove that doubt with your help. These additions have really made this 2nd journey through the program so much more enjoyable that I would hate to just blindly attribute a slow down to this when there are so many factors that can be in play with heavy odds on hormones.

Is it scientific enough to take our blood glucose after consuming these and blood ketones to show no alteration before and after consuming? Would that be enough scientific proof to dispel this?
Has anyone received feedback from their coach on IPs official position on this? All I have heard was not to consume more than a few T a day which we all seem to be in compliance with.

Ro - I've read a lot about af sweeteners and their effect on individual blood sugar levels. It really can come down to the individual.

I found these theories interesting:
I think the overwhelming majority people, a true physical reaction to it is because when you eat calorie-free food your body releases a small bit if insulin as it normally would when a meal is consumed. This isn't a problem for a normal person, as the body makes a small bit of glucose to counter act the insulin and all is well. For someone who has very bad sugar metabolism, it could cause problems like hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, depending on what kind of issues you're struggling with. For carb sensitive people, once the body starts making sugar in response to a dip in sugar, it has a hard time controlling it. That's why cal free food-fakes can cause people to get hypers & hypos later.

If you eat the fake sweets with calories - for example, drinking DC with a proper meal and only with proper meals - that might help.

For those who aren't experiencing a true physical response to artificial sweeteners, stalling can probably be attributed to non-hunger eating & appetite stimulation from the sweet tastes. I am a salt craver. If food is salted, I crave more and eat more of it. Salt is a big road block for portion control, to me. I am not a sweet craver so I don't have the same problem with AS. Sometimes some things are just triggers and we have to watch those trigger foods
http://forum.lowcarber.org/archive/i.../t-250141.html

This is interesting scientific research:

The researchers proved this by giving two different groups of rats some yogurt. One batch of yogurt was sweetened with sugar. The other was sweetened with saccharin. They found that three major things happened over a very short period of time in the rats that were fed artificially sweetened yogurt.

First, the researchers found that the total food eaten over 14 days dramatically increased in the artificial sweetener group — meaning that the artificial sweetener stimulated their appetite and made them eat more.

Second, these rats gained a lot more weight and their body fat increased significantly.

And third (and this is very concerning) was the change in core body temperature of the rats fed the artificial sweeteners. Their core body temperature decreased, meaning their metabolism slowed down.

So not only did the rats eat more, gain more weight, and have more body fat, but they actually lowered their core body temperature and slowed their metabolism. As I have said many times before, all calories are not created equal …
http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/06/19/a...ing-your-diet/

Many of the theories I've read always point back to af sweeteners leading to wanting to eat more, thus contributing to weight gain...but the metabolism theory is interesting...

Also, the closer you get to goal, the more sensitive your body may be getting to things that were not effecting you before.

eta - something else I just thought about - this maybe why when doing IP through a coach, when stalled, the restricted is usually the first thing removed. *most* of the restricted products are bars full of af sweetener...I'd be curious to know if coaches key in on the restricted when the client is eating the 'chip' products, like zippers.

Beth - thanks for that response. Did the study say whether the AF was Splenda, Stevia, Truvia or one that affects bg. I would think that matters, wouldn't you? I thought the whole point of these natural sweeteners is that there is zero effect on the bg. This is why I asked if it was scientific enough for an individual to test themselves to determine individual sensitivities.

I have been reading your distressed posts regarding these extracts and artificial sweeteners. I think you are fine. When I did ideal protein in 2011/12, I made pudding cakes out of the ideal protein pudding packets and used a different extract every day along with coffee, stevia and creamer every morning. My losses were like anyone else's- some weeks big, some weeks nothing or small- which is your body catching up, repairing itself, etc. you are 100% correct, with those low calories, you are going to lose. It is calories taken in vs calories burned, period. That is proven simple science. Yes, artificial sweeteners do stimulate the same area in the brain that sugar stimulates- the more you eat, the more you want, but if you don't eat more calories, you are not going to gain weight! As far as alcohol goes, the body will not burn fat while metabolizing alcohol but the amount in a teaspoon or less of extract is not going to do it and baking it, bakes much of the alcohol out, leaving the flavor. I think you are doing great! Good for you to find tricks and tips that make this extremely calorie restricted eating plan work for you. There will be weeks for all of us where losses are less or stalled, if we are 100% on plan, the scale will catch up. Keep doing what works and don't let what works or doesn't work for someone else psych you out!

Thank you! I am anxious to get to goal and the wait is killing me - it is taking longer than planned so that is the reason for probing. I have never successfully maintained and I don't want to let doubt in when I was highly confident with my ability to do this. My satiation levels and enjoyment are up with the introduction of new flavors and creativity. I don't want to have to go back to boring, comparatively speaking, if I don't have to. I am going to stick it out with my current approach.

I honestly believe it is extremely individual. I KNOW that I react very strongly to fake sugar. I have tried the experiment many times with using Walden Farms products, Torani SF syrups and Mio water flavoring. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I use any of these products I have a low / no loss week. It cannot be coincidence that I am timing this around the natural weight loss rhythm.

I agree that it is not the calorie portion of the product that is the issue. It is my bodies individual reaction to the artificial sweetener, or in this case, the alcohol content of the extract. There are people who use WF products every single day and do not have an issue. I am not one of those people.

I am totally bummed that I bought all these awesome flavors that I want to experiment with, but I need to cut them out this week and see what happens. If it turns out that they are slowing me down, then I will just have to suck it up. It may be that if I use them 1-2x a week, I can still have decent losses, but I have to try at least a week with nothing first.

I agree certainly that everyone has different triggers for water retention, hormonal imbalances, things that make us feel crappy. But the pathophysiology, biology, nutrition science- in which I have taken many courses, supports calories in, calories burned, bottom line in the end. When we restrict calories too much, our bodies do try to hang onto the weight but if we keep trucking ahead with a calorie deficit, the pounds come off, even if all of your 700 calories come from extracts. Not trying to argue, just pointing out what I know to be evidence based science. And Jenny- you are doing amazing and gotta do what works for you- I enjoy your posts and you are very inspirational

Did IP alternatives from March to August this year. Lost almost 80 pounds. Went from a size 20 to a 12, 2x top to a large. I went off the plan when I got to a comfortable weight instead of my ultimate goal weight. My hair began to fall out and my losses slowed dramatically so I gave my body a break. Started back yesterday to lose the next/last 30. I've been worried it would be more difficult this time but I lost 1.6 on day 1 so hopefully that's a sign I will lose as beautifully as I did the first round. I have to say I'm looking forward to ketosis. I felt SO much better in phase 1 than any other time in my life. No bloating, more rested, and a constant itch I have went away while on IP (thinking I must have an allergy???). Anyways, yay for reboot!

Awesome!!! Welcome back!!! Have you maintained your weight since going off?? Sorry about the hair loss- I never experienced that and hope I don't this time either! I know what you mean about feeling good in phase one- makes you feel lighter, thinner for sure. And ketosis staves off that hunger for the most part. Good luck, post often.

Thanks! No worries! I am very sensitive to many foods- not just the artificial sweeteners or alcohol. It was actually IP that opened my eyes to my food sensitivities! I founds out that was I could not digest dairy well, that gluten makes me extremely bloated and so does soy. It's crazy how I ate all of that pre-IP and never knew how bad it was making me feel!

A quick update on my reboot- I ate completely off plan for Thanksgiving and gained 2#. I have been back on track since Friday and have already lost 1.2# of that, so I am happy about that. Even though it may take another 2 days to get back to where I was, it was totally worth it to me to have a day to just enjoy the holiday and eat what I wanted.

The first time on IP, I was so, so strict. This time, I am being less strict. I am still strict when I am OP and following the protocol (with alternatives), but having an occasional cheat day, while it may slow down my losses, is not the end of the world. Especially given the time of year it is and having started in what is probably the hardest time of year to lose weight.

Good job and great attitude! I am in the all or nothing mode- ate turkey and green bean casserole only for thanksgiving meal- had two glasses of wine which was my big splurge and weirdly enough that was enough to make the scale go up a pound or so- been drowning in water and walking an hour a day on the treadmill since. Hopefully will weigh in a couple days and scale will be down a few pounds. Can't wait for Zumba on Tuesday- have been going twice a week and it is so much fun. What a work out. sure feeling better- that is for sure- down a pant size and praying to be down another by Christmas.

I've gained about 7 pounds? I initially gained about 4 during phase off. The additional weight was me eating what I want the last month knowing I was gonna start back up. Wrong mentality but it proved I cannot eat what I want without consequence. So, lesson learned.

I'm so with you on this Jenny. I also ate off plan on TG and gained 2lbs. But like you, to me it was worth it. I came down with a cold on Sunday and for some reason those 2lbs are hanging on, but I understand my body needs time to heal and unlike last time I did IP I am not freaking out about it. I'm eating OP, even while nursing a head cold.

I began this plan in late Oct, with a wedding ahead of me, my daughters birthday, and the holidays. My DH asked me, why not wait until after the holidays to start? I told him there will always be something. No matter what, if I go off plan, at least I'll have lost some weight by NY and have less to lose as a result. So far I've lost 14 lbs. So worth it, even with 3 separate days of eating Off the Plan.