For the most part I don't use too much artificial sweetener. I have 2 splendas with my morning coffee and a couple of SF ICE BREAKERS, but that's usually about it, no SF jello or popsicles. However, I've heard that for some people these sweeteners slow weightloss or increase cravings. So, I'm wondering how much artifical sweetener you use per day, and if you notice any side effects like slowed weightloss or increased cravings etc.

I don't think I have noticed anything - I used to have 2 sweet - n- low and 1 splenda mocha flavor in my coffee. I have heard the same thing about artificial sweeteners and I recently read about Truvia. It is a natural sweetener and I switched to it about a month ago. I still put the 1 splenda mocha flavoring in my coffee and 2 truvias. If you are concerned it is a good alternative. I bought it at Kroger.

I stick with Splenda. I have days when I use it and others, not at all. The SF jello and fudgesicles really helped me in the beginning, but I've found I desire them less and less...actually haven't had either for a long time. Some days I'll have a Diet Coke and other days I don't.

I don't really notice that they affected my WL one way or the other.

I admit that I am still using IMHO too much artifical sweeteners and eventually I want to address that but now is not the time. I used to use Splenda but have switched to Truvia and like it better and have not noticed any cravings nor weight loss problems with either.

I use a ton. Not long ago I tried to cut it out but really missed sweet stuff and was eating more because I couldn't have what I wanted. I don't know that it does anything for me weight-wise or cause cravings but I suspect all that fake stuff might not be good for me. I use Splenda and now Truvia and Stevia too. Splenda is in a lot of the products I eat or drink.

Heidi is a great one to ask about her experience with this.

I use sweet n' low in my coffee and splenda in any rare baking I do, but I'm totally switching to agave nectar now that I know its okay (according to this board), I never expected it to be OP, but everyone says it is and Ive always loved it!

i use stevia/truvia in my greek yogurt and haven't had a problem with it. i much prefer it to splenda etc. in terms of taste and potential side effects. then again, i've never really had a sweet tooth, more of a refined-carb-tooth :P

I use Splenda and I would also have to admit that I probably use way too much (seriously, like 5 packets in a cup of coffee, LOL). I haven't had any problems w/ cravings, though.

I'm not a real sweet lover so I don't use them on a daily basis. I never drink diet soda (maybe once every three months) and I don't take sugar in my coffee to begin with. I do get a slice of the low carb cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory when we go. It's sweetened with splenda and tastes pretty good. I'm a little creeped out by artificial sweeteners because I've read a lot of stuff on the web (admittedly: could be false or exaggerated) about aspartame and I'm just waiting for them to come out with some kind of news about splenda. I just don't even experiment with things like agave and truvia.

Update: I just looked at my bottle of costco brand metamucil (which I take every day) and it is full of artificial sweeteners!! Malodextrin, sucralose, and aspartame (omg). I had noticed that this particular brand was not really "bulk forming" if you know what I mean and perhaps that's because of the malodextrin. I'm going to get some unflavored today.

I use stevia with my smoothies (3-4x/week) and maybe my oatmeal and that's about it. No cravings here!

Splenda in my coffee - small amount and in a soft drink about once a week. I avoid desserts completely and have never used it in baking. No bad effects as far as I can tell.

stevia liquid over here as well. a few drops in smoothies, tea, oatmeal, yogurt, etc.

i try to avoid art. sweeteners as much as I possibly can -- though the other day, i had the biggest craving for a diet coke (first time in who knows how long). they give my husband headaches, so i don't use them in baking and i've noticed that when i do have them, even though they are OP, they cause me to crave sweets all the time.

I don't avoid them but I don't use them all that often. Some SF syrup in my Greek yogurt, a few diet sodas a week and the SF syrup in my lattes. They don't seem to give me cravings or affect my weight loss.

Ace K & aspartame in my Coke Zero. Drink several cans daily. Probably Splenda in my SF Hazelnut latte. It has never caused cravings or weightloss problems.