Wow, I was just pondering the same concept today as I fantasized (and it's been happening ALOT) about a gigantic plate full of pasta. I've been doing well, losing weight on a limited to sometimes nil carbohydrate diet, but that's led to me dreaming about carbs and making stupid food choices to get them.

My newest thought is, some complex carbs is better than total avoidance? I wonder if that would help you and the sugar probelm. My problem is eating TF complex carbs is, well complex and I have a hard time limiting myself with carbs, so I cut them out, but now a few months later I find myself seeking them and dreaming about eating them. I'm sure there's a balance somewhere. Maybe someone here can advise.

 

Commiserating. I'm aiming to keep my carbs under 50-ish a day, and yeah, recently found myself gulping down several cans of Hansen's Diet Green Tea soda each day to fill the carby snacking gaps (oh, and chewing sugar free gum

).
So, I've moved on to some drinks made with stevia. Lemonade and cocoa (with homemade almond milk), mostly, since I don't do tea or coffee anymore. Also, I'm hoping to make another batch of CO fudge with stevia to fill the moments when I just want something sweet.

 

Oh good, well I'm glad I'm not alone. I forgot to mention that I am PMSing and it is not helping at all!
I am the same way about filling the snack gap and dreaming about foods I wouldn't even probably care about if I wasn't banning carbs.

By complex carbs is that going to mean fruit and whole grains? I feel like I am intolerant of these things because of a possible candida issue so I feel like reintroducing them could sabotage the progress I have made which has been about 3lbs/week.

 

everyone has their own take on sweeteners, etc. I think obviously not doing sweet stuff is the best option, but for me, it would also make it hard to maintain this lifestyle in the long run.

We use some erythritol (I won't use malitol, sorbitol, and use xylitol in verrrrry small amounts or in my toothcare products, etc) and stevia. Erythritol has a 0 glycemic index. I know there is debate about whether any stimulation of "sweet" taste in the brain causes insulin to be released, but for me, this is the option I've made peace w/ for now.

I buy organic, non GMO, and not imported from China erythritol from Global Sweet.

 

what is erythritol?

 

I dunno on this. If I go off sugar and starch completely, I can generally maintain that for months... but then usually Solstice/Christmas/my birthday/whatever happens and that throws me off completely, because I think it is almost spiritually wrong not to partake of seasonal goodies. But last year I was doing SO well until Christmas then completely fell off the wagon, got sick, couldn't get my no starch/no sugar groove back, and hey! it's almost September and I've put that 15 lbs back on. Argh. It's like I can't lose weight unless I go off that stuff completely, but simply not eating it doesn't mean I don't still have a problem with it, y'know?

But I think it's partly mental, too - and I get to a certain point and things happen in my body and it's actually a relief, both physically and mentally, to stop eating those things. So I sort of trust my body not to let me get past a certain point... but unfortunately that point is about 40 lbs heavier than modern medical professionals would say I should be, and about 30 lbs heavier than I would actually like to be for TTC. Plus I get foot issues at this weight too, so I don't think it's *really* healthy, I think my system got screwed up for good with crap I ate between the ages of 15 and 20something and would be hovering in a 20-lb range, 30 lbs less than I am now, if I hadn't discovered instant noodles and perogies as afterschool snacks.

 

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol.

Some info here:
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herb...erythritol.htm

I buy from here:
http://www.globalsweet.com/p/GREO1.html

Like I said, this is totally a touchy thing for many people. My research makes me feel better about erythritol than Splenda/sucralose. Obviously the best thing IMO is to abstain from sweet stuff as much as possible (at least for me, having PCOS/insulin resistance) but I feel okay w/ erythritol (vs. falling off the wagon completely

).

Yeah, it is processed. But then again, unless i'm crushing my own stevia leaves (which I personally don't do...I buy NuNaturals or use the sweetleaf drops in yogurt), it is still refined/processed, kwim?

I know erythritol wouldn't be the right thing for everyone, but for me, it is what I am comfortable with.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by spughy I dunno on this. If I go off sugar and starch completely, I can generally maintain that for months... but then usually Solstice/Christmas/my birthday/whatever happens and that throws me off completely, because I think it is almost spiritually wrong not to partake of seasonal goodies. But last year I was doing SO well until Christmas then completely fell off the wagon, got sick, couldn't get my no starch/no sugar groove back, and hey! it's almost September and I've put that 15 lbs back on. Argh. It's like I can't lose weight unless I go off that stuff completely, but simply not eating it doesn't mean I don't still have a problem with it, y'know? But I think it's partly mental, too - and I get to a certain point and things happen in my body and it's actually a relief, both physically and mentally, to stop eating those things. So I sort of trust my body not to let me get past a certain point... but unfortunately that point is about 40 lbs heavier than modern medical professionals would say I should be, and about 30 lbs heavier than I would actually like to be for TTC. Plus I get foot issues at this weight too, so I don't think it's *really* healthy, I think my system got screwed up for good with crap I ate between the ages of 15 and 20something and would be hovering in a 20-lb range, 30 lbs less than I am now, if I hadn't discovered instant noodles and perogies as afterschool snacks.

Have you checked out Lauren's blog at healthyindulgences? I made the blackbean cupcakes and the canellini bean cupcakes (I don't do a ton of beans normally) and my kids loved them. She has lots of great recipes. She uses ingredients like coconut flour, almond flour, erythritol and stevia.

I don't like ovedoing the sweets, even if lower carb, etc. but I find her blog keeps me sane during times when I do need something. My Dh requested the black bean cake for his bday this year and it was great! (even compared to a typical chocolate cake IMO).

http://healthyindulgences.blogspot.com/

I totally think the lower carb desserts/sweets can be overdone and get you into trouble, but I also think for me, having them in moderation makes me feel not deprived and capable of handling this for the long haul.

 

I've been making a lot of goodies out of nut flour, and with raw honey, so they are higher in carbs (but nowhere close to the amount in traditional baked goods!), but so rich that i'm able to resist more. i also make half a batch of something at a time, and leave the rest in the fridge, to make the next day or so. I'm going to post a recipe on my blog later today for chocolate hazelnut brownie/cakes. oh my gosh.... so good.
oh, and the healthy indulgences blog is great!

 

another great grain free blog is elanaspantry.com. I made her blueberry muffins- w/ coconut flour oh my goodness those are sooooo good.

I am not much help on moderation it is not my strong suite. Fortunately/unfortunatley for me right now I am pregnant so I am not near as strict as usual.