Sugar Alcohols...they affect me...how 'bout you?
 

Hi, I'm into my third week of following the Atkins Nutritional Approach. Things are going well and during my 2nd week I started to have the Atkins/and/Carbolite bars as an evening treat. My 1st weeks weigh-in I had lost 7 (I have a lot to lose), the second week I lost under 2 lbs.

Now I fully understand I want to do this slow and I realize that a majority of the 1st weeks weight was water, but I felt different overall. I was still in ketosis by what the strips indicated, but I felt bloated along with dips and spikes in my energy and other things I don't care to mention.

I've just read the "Low Carb Tips" about sugar alcohols and in entering my third week have already decided to do without. I guess I'm just one of those bodies that doesn't do well with that stuff. (Since my husband who is also doing this with me has no reaction). The 'Tips' mentioned something about have Diabetes I? I'm 32, no children and never had any type of testing to determine this beforehand, can I assume that I was very close to reaching that point? I plan on making a doctors appointment to find out, but thought I'd see if I am alone here.

Thanks

Although it's certainly possible that the sugar alcohols are to blame, it's probably too soon to tell. I wouldn't rule out the possibility that it's just a natural fluctuation in your weight loss. Many people here experience "stalls and whooshes" as a matter of routine, and can't attribute them to anything in particular. Also, losses in the first week or two are more dramatic for many people, because we lose a lot of water.

I lost 8 pounds my first week on Atkins, and in the second week- nothing! I thought it might be lo carb bars, so I cut them out, along with Splenda and anything the least suspicious. I still lost nothing for the next three weeks! I thought it might be too many calories until I found out from fitday.com I was only eating about 1500 cals a day. So I tried INCREASING my calories for a week or two thinking I might be in "starvation mode". Still nothing. Then a few days into TOM I lost 5 pounds in two days!

I've since started having an lc bar again here and there just to see what would happen. I've continued to lose so I really don't think the bars have any effect, though there are plenty of other reasons to avoid them. I often feel weird if I eat a whole one, but it's not like a sugar rush, its something else, hard to explain.

You're probably right to cut them out for a while just to be on the safe side, but if you like them, after you lose a little more, and are completely adjusted to how you feel in ketosis, you might want to try again and just see. Not that's it's that big of a sacrifice; they're pricey and don't taste all that good. :)

Dorothy

Too much Splenda gives me GAS. I have a built-in way to limit sugar-free treats!!!

me too mariejoe! My limit is three small pieces. after that, i'm in alot of pain!

I can handle about 12-18 SF jelly bellies. I learned my limit the hard way. If I'm feelin' lucky, I can eat a whole CarbSoltions chocolate bar--and that is close to my limit.
:dazzle:

Low Carber's info on sugar alcohols:

http://www.lowcarb.ca/tips/tips010.html

i agree- sugar alcs definitely affect me. even though i ws still losing with them, when i cut it out i lost a whole lot more weight. i guess if you don't really care about the pace of the loss, as long as you're losing- then they are okay =)