CoconuttyMummy wrote: »

Im not sure how to work it out. Would you go up to maintenance on the higher calorie days, or do you think that's too high?

I say yes, it should clear up the brain fog.

Well, the math works out to 937.5 calories on IF day if you do 3 days a week at 1550.

Because 1200 x 7 = 8400 (your weekly calorie goal)
3 days x 1550 = 4650
4 days x 937.5 = 3750
4650 + 3750 = 8400

Personally, I would see what happens with cutting the sweeteners at 1200 calories per day. Give that a few weeks and then if you still don't see progress, give the IF a try. Because you were having such a hard time adjusting for so long, I would hate it if 900 calorie days made you feel worse again, it hasn't been very long since you started feeling better.

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

KnitOrMiss wrote: »

CoconuttyMummy wrote: »

KnitOrMiss wrote: »

CoconuttyMummy wrote: »

Thankyou guys *hugs*, really appreciate your inputs.

So the gum is out, period. Gone. See ya!

The drinks will be harder. Im going to consciously reduce my intake and see if this helps. I want to cut them out completely (well, i dont want to, but need to it seems), but i honestly dont know what id drink instead. I know this sounds so lame but i genuinely hate the taste of water. If i have to drink water only i become very dehydrated b/c i just cant bring myself to drink more than a diddy sip at a time. Ive always hated water. What could i switch the sweetened coffees and diet soda's for?

What do you guys drink on a day-to-day basis? And please dont all say WATER!!!!

Water taste can be altered. I'm making at go at salting my water (which I've always hated before), but it is getting easier. Some people us a slice of lemon or lime in their water, or even cucumber. I personally don't like that, but after years of forcing myself to switch to water (and hating it too, at first), I find that now, I love the taste of water. The have dye and barely sweetened MIO type flavor things now, but you still need plain water, too...biologically.

I tell people, if you wouldn't wash your clothes in coffee and expect them to be clean, why would you "wash" the insides of your body (removing toxins and cellular debris, etc.) in coffee and expect it to get "clean." Sometimes, it is worth chugging bottled water (the local stuff here is AWFUL) now and again, forcibly, just to get more water in...

I pretty much drink water and tea... That's it really.

What could possibly taste worse than water?... SALT WATER! My gawd, Knit, you're hardcore! I know we need to keep our sodium up but the only result id get from attempting to drink salted water would be projectile vomiting! Ugh! I feel nauseous just thinking about it. *shudders*.

What are MIO type things? Never heard of them.

What about those little tiny squeezy tubes of super concentrated fruit squash to flavor water? I wonder if they would work out less carby than regular fruit squash or just the same?

Yeah, Mio is the brand here in the US. I forget what my fiance called the UK version... but yeah, liquid squeeze pod. squishing fruit into your water will have less carbs as long as you stay to the non-sweet fruits. You're looking for flavor, not sweetness.

I find that temperature matters, too, on water.

The salt water thing doesn't taste salty at all. It's hard to explain. I have pink himalayan salt I put in my grinder. I add like 4 of those "grains" into a 17 oz water bottle. It changes water from acid to alkaline (which can also help with heartburn/GERD/etc.), but it doesn't taste salty. Of course, with my thyroid being low, lots of salt makes me feel like superwoman on Ritalin anyway (the iodine, mainly, I think), so I can take salt plain. not too much or I get the tossing reaction, too... I'd much rather eat crystals between each bottle.

Isn't Mio sucralose?

I honestly have no idea, @Sabine_Stroehm . I have never used them personally (too costly compared to generic brands). I have found some of the generic brand that uses Stevia and one with Stevia and No Dyes, but the named branded MIO itself, I don't know...

deksgrl wrote: »

Well, the math works out to 937.5 calories on IF day if you do 3 days a week at 1550.

Because 1200 x 7 = 8400 (your weekly calorie goal)
3 days x 1550 = 4650
4 days x 937.5 = 3750
4650 + 3750 = 8400

Personally, I would see what happens with cutting the sweeteners at 1200 calories per day. Give that a few weeks and then if you still don't see progress, give the IF a try. Because you were having such a hard time adjusting for so long, I would hate it if 900 calorie days made you feel worse again, it hasn't been very long since you started feeling better.

Thankyou Deksgrl. I agree that i dont fancy feeling like cr@p again by going too low in calories. I think what im going to do is drop my cals just by 100, to 1100 cals a day. See what happens there.

And most importantly im weaning myself off the artifical sweeteners/sugar alcohols like you suggested. Im down to about 1/3rd of what i was consuming, and cutting down a little more each day. Now i can see how overly sweet i was making my drinks. My pallet is getting used to 3 drops sucrose per huge mug coffee/tea instead of 10+ and i am hoping i will get to a point where i dont need any at all. I suppose a 66% improvement in 3 or so days isnt too bad! Thanks for the advice and impetus to do this.

Ive given up the sugar-free chewing gum completely. I actually feel a LOT less hungry not consuming it. The fruity flavors really triggered hunger pangs and cravings for sweet stuff and i didnt even realise it until i stopped chain chewing the stuff.

I bought a load of different fruit teas as suggested and so far ive found 2 i like - not just tolerate, but actually like - that's a nice surprise. My favorites from what ive sampled so far are both Twinings brand - Grapefruit & Pineapple Green Tea, and Lemon & Ginger. I couldnt find any Hibiscus yet. I tried 2 Tetley ones - Mango & Passionfruit Green Tea, and Red Berry Green Tea with Vitamin B - but they were really weak and wishy-washy in flavor and a bit hay-like, so think i'll avoid Tetley & try some more from Twinings. Thanks so much for introducing me to them. Great way to keep your fluids up if you dont fancy plain water.

Im getting really ticked-off with this blooming stall, so im hoping these changes will help.

Thanks again for your inputs, x

Mmm, yummy cream in your coffee definitely helps make up for lack of sweetness. Unsweetened black coffee is harder to get used to, i think, but im getting there. Its like everyone says, your sweet tooth does reduce if you limit your intake of sweet foods. I didnt believe it was possible to dampen my sweet tooth but it seems to be working.

I hate herbal tea too, and i used to hate fruit teas, but its amazing what you can get used to under the right conditions, especially if you find it might help you reach your goals. Yay to fruit teas, i say

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

I see time and again where LCHF folks say the weight loss stalled when they added snacks and foods with sugar alcohols. In particular people say they don't lose weight when eating atkins bars, quest bars etc. All other things the same...

Help me understand how this happens. And, help me understand it in the context of CICO. (and carbs in!) I'm dense sometimes.

I can't really help you out at the moment, but I can offer to be a guinea pig. LOL I just restructured my CICO, which has included some Atkins shakes and Nature Valley protein bars. I have no clue if it will help me or make things worse than what they were, but time will tell.......