Hi, I've only been at this for a few days, but am already feeling quite encouraged about my progress. I have been a carb junkie for years. Though I usually go for higher nutritional value carbs such as fruit and bread, pastas and cereals rather than true junk food, the end point has always been the same: daily ups and downs and sugar cravings, leading to gradual weight gain. So far, I have not been hungry, but still miss the nibbling habit.
I do have a few questions.

1) I am in the market for an inexpensive ketone test strip. Is there a good reason to get one brand over another? The prices ranges are huge and I don't know what I am paying for.

2) Does anyone have any hard evidence that aspartame acts really any differently than sucralose in this low carb mechanism? Sucralose is really hard to find in products and I enjoy the aspartame sweetened diet drinks and gelatin. I miss the sweetness when I can't have fruit.

3) Why aren't there any commercial weight loss groups, like Weight Watchers for low-carb dieters? Or are there? I am a WW drop-out after many weeks of trying to cut back on carbs and trim the fat, I found myself unable to follow the plan. Cutting WAY back on carbs and satisfying the appetite with fats is easier, but I miss the weekly weigh in and support group.

4) I am trying to be as creative as possible about hosting Thanksgiving this year (TG for Turkey!!). Any ideas?

Thanks for all of the helpful posts and good luck to all of you!

Hello and welcome to the forum!

I can help with your ketosis strips question. The cheapest place by far to get these is off of eBay. You can get 100 for $4-$5. Another way to make them last longer and save money is to cut them in half, that way you can get 2 uses out of one strip.

Best of luck to you!

Welcome!

Have you checked out the recipe thread? Lots of good ideas there. I'll try to post a few of my faves.

A good appetizer idea would be to chop green olives, stir into cream cheese. Spread onto celery sticks.

Consider making "mashed potatoes" with cauliflower and cream versus potatoes and milk.

Green beans are good, a green salad, spaghetti squash with alfredo sauce.

Pumpkin bake

8oz cream cheese, softened (Philly Light)
4 eggs
1/2 c. splenda
1 1/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 Tb. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients. Pour batter into a glass baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake in a 350 oven until center is done - it will look 'puffed', but will shrink down as it cools. Makes 4 large servings w/ approx. 6 carbs per serving. Note that I used 4 extremely large eggs - one of my hens lays elliptical tennis balls (practically), so if your eggs are small or medium, you could probably even use 5.