New - can I do this w/o artif. sweetener
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| Thu, 06-14-2007 - 10:07am |
Hello! I'm new to this board and the SBD, but not to ivillage.
I just checked the book out of the library and I'm really excited to get started. I'm going grocery shopping this AM and plan to start Monday after a graduation party (weekend away from home). My only concern is all the artificial sweeteners that are used in the recepies. I can't stand them. I don't even want to have them around and let my kids eat them. I still see them as somewhat "unprooven" as far as long term health effects. And I'm still nursing my 2 year old a few times a day. Nevermind the fact that I can't stand the taste of any of them.
I was hoping I could do phase 1 & 2 with just minimal amounts of sugar or honey and just get by with less sweeteners all together. Can this be done? I also found a product called Agave nectar that is supposed to be pretty low on the gylcemic index, but I don't know where to buy it locally.
My other question, is what has BD done to your food budget? I'm worried that the foods on the plan seem to be the more expensive things in the grocery store. Not really the veggies, but the meats, nuts, eggs & cheeses are expensive.
So those are my questions. As for me, I am 35 and SAHM to two girls (4 1/2 & 2). Weight was never really a problem for me. In college I walked miles a day just to get to class and I was poor so I just didn't eat much. I probably weighed about 125 lbs. at 5'5" tall. Once I got married I just ate what I wanted and didn't really have a problem. Then it crept up to me when I turned 30 and I hit 145 or so, so I started an exercise plan and started to fit into my clothes again. Then I got pg, but my dd was a super nurser and I lost 15 lbs. in addition to all my pg weight very quickly without even trying. But of course it crept back up after 2 years and just when I was ready to do something about it, I was pg with #2. I figured nursing would allow me to loose weight again, but I only lost the pg weight this time. She's now nearly two and I'm 159 lbs. - the highest I've ever been (aside from pg). And for the first time ever, I have a belly. I was always a "pear" shape and have a long torso so I never really had to worry about belly fat.
Reading the book, I'm realizing why I'm so tired all day long. It's just one sugar high/crash after another for me. I'm going to have to throw away so much food in my pantry!
PS-I haven't even officially started yet, but I had 2 eggs for breakfast instead of my usual cereal or waffles with the kids, and it's now 10 am and I'm not feeling the urge to snack yet! Yeah!
Kathy

Welcome!
I would also suggest a product called Whey Low.
http://www.wheylow.com/
While it still has some calories, it is better than regular sugar. If you use it, you just may need to watch your calorie intake a bit more - you may want to count the calories toward your sweet treats.
Best of luck!
Lisa.
Hi and welcome. I am doing this with very little artificial sweetener. I haven't tried the agave but have heard good things - but I don't think it is officially SBD approved (you can get it at Whole foods or the like I think). The whey low has some benefits and I've heard no side effects. I sometimes use stevia but others say it has a strong taste.
What I've done is learn to like things less sweet - which to mee seems appropriate to this way of eating. When I learn to like things less sweet, I have one more tool to avoid eating sweets. I eat my oatmeal with no sweetener. I eat waffles either plain or with frozen unsweetened berries that I've nuked till extra hot and steamy. I appreciate natural sweetness more. I drink fewer diet sodas. This is something I can live with. The richness of other flavors comes out more to me.
I think after you've done phase 1, and then a full phase 2 and moved on to phase 3 and learned what refined carbs do to your hunger machine causing premature cravings and hunger, you'll learn what your limits are with sugars. But I'm not sure I would use the agave till you are well entrenched in Phase 2 and closer to goal. But it is a personal decision.
There are lots of posts on here about money matters with this diet. Just do a search for budget, cost of south beach diet and terms like that. I think you'll find lots of input!
good luck!
k
I don't use many artificial sweeteners either. Or strange butter substitutes! I put a little splenda in my yogurt but that is about it and everything else I just have unsweetened. It's really a matter of taste. I don't need sweetener in my oatmeal or in my coffee but some people prefer the sweetness. I can have yogurt unsweetened but the plain is rather tart so I prefer to add a little to that. I don't see why you couldn't do SBD without artificial sweeteners, you would just need to pick foods without them.
Just popping in to say welcome. You've gotten some great ideas here. Please let us know what you decide to do and keep us posted on your progress!
Splenda,i find that splenda is good as close to sugar as you can get and you do not need much! at first you will notice the diffrence but few time you will get used to it and love it. i do not like sugar any more, lol. kathy you can do this and with out going nuts.
as far as long term it would be easy to cut the splenda out.
$$$$ yes sbd stuff is expencive no doubt, i try to get thinks that are on sale. as for meats i eat the same as the family just smaller portions, plus jut cutting out the bread and pasta and sweet snacks alone helped me drop the weight. give yourself a chanse and you will figure it out!
keep visiting this board everyone has great ideas,and it will be easy for you!
take care, good luck let me know how you are doing!
dee
Hi Kathy,
Welcome!
If you're still nursing you should start in phase 2.
Good Luck