Low Carb Banders Unite

[BlooEyez 13]

I drank a caramel latte Atkins shake instead (yes I have a few of the old ones left).

Lucky you! I can find the chocolate & vanilla in the old style cans but no caramel ... I soooo miss that caramel!

Well I went out to get some Ketostix ... first stop RiteAid, the people in the pharmacy didn't even know what they were and then told me I had to special order them :cool: ... found a CVS and got them there. Came home, looked at the box and they had expired back in January so back to the store I went ... anyhow, I ended up getting the CVS brand instead of Bayer and to my surprise I have a small amount of ketones I didn't have an iced coffee today ... hopefully I can hold off the rest of the night without making one and tomorrow move on up to moderate :thumbup:

[renewedhope 4]

I didn't realize, but I had 3 packs of 4 each of the old shakes. I will definately be drinking those.

I buy the cvs brand of ketone sticks. Beware, they are soooo addictive. I use one almost every time I pee. So not necessary. I had moderate ketones tonight before bed..

[mamato3 1]

Well I survived my double shift! Ughhh! It was crazy busy today. I hardly had time to eat. Why oh why does my body linger with only a small amount of ketones? Today I ate...

hot tea with 2 splenda and cream on the way to work

low carb slim fast for mid morning snack

1/2 chicken caesar salad for lunch

Atkins yummy yummy caramel nut chew for snack

other 1/2 chicken caesar salad for dinner

I can't figure out why my sticks wont keep me at moderate ketones? Is what I ate today seriously too many carbs?

I had to read like 3 pages to catch up to you guys tonight. No more double shifts for me... I get behind! hahah!

[BonnieMcC 0]

WHY? Oh WHY did I do that?

My son had a friend spend the night and we order pizza. We had a buy on get one free coupon and we soooo did not need 2 pizzas. My husband is out of town so no one for me to hide from and I ate FOUR slices of the pizza! I was so sick but not sick enough to stop me from my old habits of "Well I already cheated so I may as well have a big bowl of ice cream with chocolate syrup!" Now this morning I am sick, I gained 1.5 pounds and I dont even have a TRACE of ketosis!

I really thought I had that old way of thinking conquered, but this was a hard lesson. I really feel like crap today. I don't EVER want to do that again. It didn't taste or feel near as good as it used to.

I hope to have even a trace of ketosis by monday!

:cool::frown::crying::mad::smile::thumbup::frown::smile2:

[renewedhope 4]

mamato, I'm glad you survivied your double. Some people just don't produce large amounts of ketones. What you ate looks very reasonable to me. As long as you are in ketosis, you are burning fat You are doing AWESOME, BTW...

Bonnie, You know, this is a life long process. One evening of eating what you "shouldn't" won't really do much dmamge in the bi picture. Just jump back on today and get back in ketosis before the cravings take over. (Speaking from experience). You are doing GREAT. Don't let this set you back!!! Today is a new day!!

[mamato3 1]

Bonnie - pizza is evil! (and my favorite food in the world). It's just one night... try not to let it get you down. Jump right back at it. You'll be ok:) You are doing so good... one night off isn't going to hurt once in awhile. I intend to have one soon. hahah

My ketone stick was back to moderate, possibly even large this morning. YAY! I know morning is the best time to check, but I'm addicted to the dumb sticks too! The scale wasn't as friendly as the stick though. I'm up 1/2 pound. Auntie Flo has arrived for her monthly visit, so I'm trying not to be bummed.

[renewedhope 4]

Mamato, 1/2 pound is not bad for TOM, but I know it is yuck to see those scales go in the wrong direction. You may also be retaining some Fluid after your double last night. Working doubles used to always make my ankles swell and made me jsut generally puffy. Especially really hard ones. Way to go on moderate ketosis!!!!!!! You really are doing great!!

[BonnieMcC 0]

Thanks for all the support guys!

I drank my shake this morning and I am already feeling like I want to get back on track. I am not going to beat myself up over it, but it was good reminder on why I really want the band. If I had the band there would be NO WAY I could eat all that pizza...and binging is my only problem. I am either on a diet or binging big time.

You guys are the best. I am so glad I have you for support!

[MSnika3 0]

Bonnie -- way to get back on track! I fell off the other day and experienced the same feeling! I've been back on for a few days and only have trace ketones showing up. I don't know what the deal is. Is there a chance that the amount of Water i drink is flushing the ketones away faster that enough can collect for a good sample?

Oh and Bonnie, just as a side note. I don't want to dampen your spirits, but I have a band and I have to eat low carb as an appetite suppresant so that I won't overeat. Right now, I surely can get my binge on. As a matter of fact I ate an entire pizza about two weeks ago. I just couldn't stop and my band never said a mumbling word!

Perhaps when you are banded you will be one of the lucky ones that will get some good restriction with a fill. Right now, I'm just hosting an expensive piece of plastic!

[BonnieMcC 0]

it will be a long while before I get banded. I have to wait for insurance approval and if its approved my doc still has a 3-4 month wait for surgeries and then I have to wait for restriction....sheesh...hopefully I won't have too many more slip ups. I am not mad that I ate pizza. It would have been different if I was starving and I ate 4 slices. I ate it out of spite and selfishness. Thats what makes me mad about it.

but its over now...doing my best to stay on track but the extra carbs blew my energy level. Its 2:30 and I just woke up from an hour and half nap! Its probably best that I napped anyway because my bff and I are going to a new casino tonight and will be up gambling all night long..or until the well runs dry!

[MSnika3 0]

Well, good luck! I hope the money fairy sends a jingle your way! I have the worst luck. I live right 2 miles from casinos and the only thing I ever leave with is a few pounds of extra food in my belly from the buffet!

[MSnika3 0]

So far so good!

I had to take my comprehensive exams this morning for my master's. So Breakfast was on the go:

B: Low Carb Slim Fast

S: Atkins Caramel chocolate Peanut Nougat Protein Bar

(Oh so delicious...just as good as the caramel nut chews.)

L: A large glass of flavored Water with two servings of Miralax

(it ain't been working for me yet!)

S: Half of a chicken Ceasar salad from wendy's.

D: Probably the other half...will update!

[hollyberries 2]

Hi Guys!

I know that there was some discussion on the effect that sugar alcohols have on eating low carb. This was an interesting find:

Sugar Alcohols

by Doreen

ALL ABOUT SUGAR ALCOHOLS (MALTITOL, SORBITOL, ISOMALT , etc..) These sweeteners are neither sugars, nor alcohols, but they are carbohydrates nonetheless. They are sometimes called POLYOLS, to avoid confusion. At the present time, they have not been legally classified for product labelling purposes, as are sugars, starch and Fiber. So, some manufacturers are choosing to omit them from the total carb count in the nutrient data panel of the label (they MUST however declare the amount of sugar alcohol in the ingredient list). Because they aren't actually SUGAR, products that contain them may use the term "sugar free" on the label. Some manufacturers and distributors (esp. in Canada and Europe) are choosing to declare the full carbs in the nutrient data panel, and some diabetes associations and consumer groups are pressuring for gov't legislation to make this a legal requirement.

There are some claims that sugar alcohols don't have carbs, and therefore don't count; that they can be completely subtracted if listed on the label. This statement is not entirely "false" but it is misleading. Sugar alcohols do have carbs, and approx. 1/2 to 3/4 the calories of regular sugar. They are more slowly and incompletely absorbed from the small intestine than sugar, thus producing a much smaller and slower rise in blood sugar ... and consequently insulin. But this is a YMMV thing. Some Type 1 diabetics have reported that they sense an immediate "sugar rush" from eating even a small amount. Others notice no change, and absolutely no effect on ketosis.

Sugar alcohols do have carb calories, and the body will use these as fuel, or store as fat, whether or not insulin is involved. You need to look at the total CALORIES for one serving of the product. Subtract from this total the number of calories from any Protein in the product (prot = 4 cal. per gm), then subtract the calories from any FAT in the product (fat = 9 cal. per gm). What's left is the calories from carbohydrate ... divide this remainder by 4 (carbs = 4 cal. per gm). If the number you get is bigger than the number of carbs declared on the label, the product has hidden carbs, and it's most likely the polyol. Calories do not just disappear into thin air!

The "laxative effect" happens for two reasons. First, because the sugar alcohols are not completely absorbed, they hold on to a lot of Water in the bowel. This causes diarrhea. Another consequence is that when undigested carbs reach the colon, the normal bacteria present there go WILD --- resulting in unpleasant gas, and bloating. Sorbitol and mannitol are the worst offenders in this department, maltitol less so. The effect is dose-related -- you would be wise to pay attention to the serving size listed on the product label. This amount would be considered "safe" for the average adult -- make note of this before giving to a smaller child! Nothing like watching your kid doubled over with cramps and diarrhea because they ate too many "sugar free" sweets. To the best of my knowledge, sugar alcohols ARE safe for children, and pregnant/nursing mothers ... just keep an eye on the dose.

There are some newer sugar alcohols slowly making their way on the market, which have less laxative effect, and even less blood sugar and insulin consequence. Erythritol, isomalt and inulin are a few to watch for. There's another called HSH (hydrolyzed starch hydrolysate) also called maltitol Syrup. The thing is, the different sugar alcohols have different properties, and can't be used for all things. Sorbitol is used in hard candies ... it produces a nice, clear candy that doesn't crystalize, and stays hard and dry in a humid environment. Because it doesn't crystalize, sorbitol is used in ice cream to help it stay creamy. Mannitol also can absorb a lot of moisture before it gets damp and sticky, therefore it's used to "dust" sticks of gum, to keep them dry. Maltitol and erythritol provide smooth bulk, and are ideal for chocolates and soft candies to give a creamy "melt in the mouth" quality.

Sugar alcohols are not acted upon by bacteria in the mouth, and therefore do NOT cause tooth decay. In fact, xylitol actually INHIBITS oral bacteria, and is often used in sugarless mints and chewing gum for this reason.

BOTTOM LINE

We are all individuals, and our bodies will react differently to these products. Depending on other factors, such as what else we've consumed along with it or on an empty stomach, we may even find ourselves having totally different reactions each time we eat it. So proceed with caution.

Be aware that there is potential to cause a rise in blood sugar and insulin ... although slower. Also the possibility to knock you out of ketosis, if you're following a ketogenic program such as Atkins. Pay attention to the serving SIZE. A 45-gram (1-1/2 oz) chocolate bar may state on the label that one serving is 15 grams (1/2 oz). That's only 1/3 of the bar, so keep that in mind when you're about to chow down.

If you are following Induction level low carb eating, it would be wise to avoid these products until at LEAST the 2 weeks are up, and your body's metabolism is settled well into ketosis and fat-burning mode. Same for other low carb programs, which may not be ketogenic, but do have strong effects on the metabolism (eg. Protein Power, Carb Addicts). Give your body the chance to adjust to the new WOE first, then cautiously add these products.

KEYWORD moderation. Most low carbers find they can indulge very occasionally in a polyol-sweetened treat without consequence to their weight loss effort, and perhaps a mild laxative effect or some gas. It's a trade-off, but helps to stave off cravings for high-sugar goodies. A problem could develop though, for someone with carb-addiction .... these candies just become a substitute addiction. Also, the sweet taste can trigger EMOTIONS (for an addict) that will result in a "rush" of hormones and enzymes in the body, ultimately leading to an insulin spike ... and fat STORAGE. And remember that candy is NOT a meal substitute. There's little or no protein, Vitamins or essential fatty acids.

RESOURCES

"Reduced Calorie Sweeteners: Polyols" from the Calorie Control Council

"Letter to Health Minister Allan Rock from CSPI Canada" Sept/00, urging accurate labelling of food products containing sugar alcohols, health warnings of the Gastrointestinal effects, and recommendations for control of dose per serving.

"All About Polyols" from SPI Polyols (manufacturer) Happy Low Carbing!

[MSnika3 0]

Great info Holly! May have something to do with my ketosis or lack thereof or maybe not, we shall see. Now, this laxative effect thing. Might be worth my inhaling the whole darn box of Atkins indulge if it'll get things moving, because this dang Miralax is for the birds! Well, not exactly. Birds don't seem to have a problem in that department. One pooped on my arm the other day at the Water park as I was floating along in the lazy river! :biggrin:

[hollyberries 2]

Great info Holly! May have something to do with my ketosis or lack thereof or maybe not, we shall see. Now, this laxative effect thing. Might be worth my inhaling the whole darn box of Atkins indulge if it'll get things moving, because this dang Miralax is for the birds! Well, not exactly. Birds don't seem to have a problem in that department. One pooped on my arm the other day at the Water park as I was floating along in the lazy river! :biggrin:

Too Funny!