"But how does something with no calories cause weight gain? Turns out that even if our taste buds can't tell the difference between real and fake sugar, our brains can. Another study, also presented at the American Diabetes Association meeting on Sunday, found that after three months of eating food laced with aspartame (which is also found in many diet soft drinks), mice had higher blood sugar levels than rodents who ate regular food. According to Fowler, who worked on all three studies and is now a researcher at UT Health Science Center at San Diego, the aspartame could trigger the appetite but do nothing to satisfy it. That could interfere with your body's ability to tell when you're full-and could lead you to eat more in general.

It happens in humans, too. A 2008 study found that women who drank water sweetened with sugar and water sweetened with Splenda couldn't taste a difference, but functional MRI scans showed that their brains' reward center responded to real sugar "more completely" than it did to the artificial sweetener.

"Your senses tell you there's something sweet that you're tasting, but your brain tells you, 'actually, it's not as much of a reward as I expected,'" Dr. Martin P. Paulus, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Diego and one of the authors of the study, told the Huffington Post. So you chase that no-calorie soda with something more caloric, like a salty snack. The sweet taste could also trigger your body to produce insulin, which blocks your ability to burn fat."

If I understand this correctly, hyperinsulinemia is the name of when a person’s body produces insulin throughout the day (which blocks the body’s ability to burn fat). The insulin can be produced by food triggers, environmental triggers, sounds, etc.

I believe I have some degree of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance because I was obese. But, I also believe that my body has been slowly healing during the last two years. I have heard they are reversible.

Thanks for the two studies because this is the kind of information I need to hear again.

Week 3 Day 4

I had a close one yesterday with my lunch at Tony Roma’s with 45 net carbs for the day. I kept track today and stayed in ketosis. While I had a few thoughts of eating something I shouldn’t, it was not like having a craving. The good news is today I had 14 net carbs, and I am still on track. But, now is when I need to be extra careful about not getting sucked down into carb creep.

It’s days like today that remind me that I have hyperinsulinemia. One of my trigger times is coming home from work and wanting to stop to buy junk food. Today was that day. I just kept telling myself “Stay on the path, to lose the fat” and “Just get home without stopping and you’ll be okay.” I got home without stopping, and yes I am okay.

I keep hearing that if I eat low carb, I won’t have cravings. But, that isn’t quite right for everyone.

What are some other sayings or motivation techniques being used while away from home?

Peggy,
Thank you for your positive imaging technique. I bet it helps a lot.

I have lost 7 pounds and am at 170!

I rewarded myself with poultry shears. I broke the handle on my last pair a few weeks ago. I also bought two small broiler racks. Now that I have started making homemade chicken wings, these tools will make it easier and hopefully the wings will be more crispy.

I've had no problems with cravings today.

First, let me say that there is a distinction between being intolerant and having an allergy. I have a dairy allergy because about 12 hours after eating dairy, I get congested and my nose starts running. I do not get horrible stomach cramps and diarrhea from dairy. For me, ice cream is my favorite food and summer is coming! If I eat more fat in my diet, I have a better chance of resisting ice cream.

I am not certain if I have an allergy or am intolerant from gluten but my belly bloats about 12 hours after I eat it. Once I understood that this is HARMFUL INFLAMMATION, it was easier for me to stop making meals with gluten. I am my own cook and am in control of what I eat.

And, you can see that both of my problems cause inflammation. Many people say they have lost “water weight” when they first start a diet, and then they dismiss it as being unimportant. (I was one of those people.) But, it is the first step in healing the body and a very important one for people who have inflammation problems.

So, I get back into induction by telling myself I am healing my inflamed and damaged body. Also, I had restless leg syndrom for about 20 years before I started Atkins in 2010. It cured my restess leg syndrom, and I’ll never take the chance of having that again.

I’m not doing quite as well as you might think. I mentioned at the beginning of the thread that I believe it takes at least 6 weeks to change habits. I am only in week 4, and everyday I have to give my full attention to what I am eating. It is my top priority. I know I should be exercising but I am letting that slide for now. I am a stress eater and must be careful.

I hope this gives you some ideas. And, you are welcome to start telling other people in this thread about your journey of how you are combating carb creep. And anyone else who is struggling with carb creep is welcome to tell their story.

Week 5 Day 1

I actually did not have as many cravings during week 4 as I did during week 3.

Now, I need to be extra careful about those “sneaky environmental triggers” that are a problem for me.

I almost ruined myself yesterday. Drinking wine sometimes doesn’t cause me problems and sometimes it makes me want to eat, eat, eat. Yesterday, I had some wine at lunch and wanted to eat, eat, eat. I needed to go to the health food store but I really wanted to go to a restaurant for supper so I could satisfy my cravings. I am proud of myself because I talked myself into driving the car to the store. I made a deal with myself that I could get a frozen dessert if I didn’t stop at a restaurant. While I may have eaten too much frozen coconut milk, the carbs were nothing compared to going to a restaurant.

Today, I am still in ketosis. Atkins says to get “deep into ketosis.” I think this is one example of why to do that.

Think of frozen coconut milk as being vegan ice cream. It tasted very good, and I bought it in a health food store.

It was a product called "So Delicious Dairy Free." I got the mini bars that come on a stick. The website for the products is called www.TurtleMountain.com.

Now that you mention this, I bet there must be frozen coconut milk recipes on the internet. I'll have to give this idea a web search one of these days.