New Sugar Substitutes — Are they any good?

Well. I decided to try them myself. I have been researching Aspartame and Splenda and there is a lot of talk on the web about how bad they may be for me. I decided to try a few different substitutes. I like Agave nectar but I still liked Aspartame better. I don’t like Stevia.

The two new ones I tried are Xylitol and Yacon Syrup. I got some organic Xylitol from my local organic food store and ordered some Yacon Syrup from Amazon.com

The Xylitol, I used to sweeten Oatmeal. It was good but did not have a sweet aftertaste. The box does say to get used to Xylitol. Well, it ran through my system so fast, it was not even funny. But over the last few days, I got used to it and I kinda like it. I still add a smidgen of Aspartame to round out the taste.

The Yacon Syrup, which was quite expensive, was a great disappointment. I did not like it so far. It isn’t sweet enough. I will try to use it in different recipes and see if I can somehow incorporate it into my lifestyle.

I have yet to try LoHan. That’s next up. Stay tuned for more.

Low Sugar Low Calorie Diet Two week Results

Well, I am off on my vacation and I am down a total of 5.2 lbs weighing in at 150 lbs.   The numbers don’t quite tell the whole story.  My blood pressure is down to 110/70 and my clothes are all so loose.  When I come back, I am going to take a good hard look at my diet and exercise and come up with a better solution.   So long for now, dear reader, I will be back in 3 weeks.

Low Sugar Diet with Phentermine Day 9

I was exhausted and felt very dull yesterday. Despite taking Phentermine, my energy levels were down. So I ditched my diet and ate sponge cake (with very little fat) and ate a bunch of sauteed green beans and carrots.

This morning I weighed in at 150.6 lbs and I do feel better.  My pattern in the past has been that every time I get to 150 lbs, I experience some sort of bounce back. So I will try to stay resolute.

Breakfast:

• 1 Morningstar hot Soy Sausage Breakfast Patty 70
  1 slice toast with 1/2 tsp butter 100
  1 cup coffee with 2 tsp coffee mate 20
  1/2 cup blueberries 40

Total 230

I  went shopping and now have low fat cottage cheese, low fat yogurt, and vegetables to give me variety.  Check out my new recipe for Spicy Sauteed Green Beans

Snack:

100 calorie popcorn  100

Lunch:

• Smart Ones Pasta Primavera 280 click here to learn more
• 1tbsp Parmesan cheese 20
• 4 baby carrots ( I am not counting these)

Total 300

Dinner

• 1 and 1/2 cups of Indian Stir fry vegetables  60
• 3/4  cup cottage cheese 150
• 1/2 cup  of plain low fat yogurt 90

Total 300

The vegetables did not turn out so great.  I miscalculated and ended up with too much hot pepper powder and asparagus does not seem to go well with garam masala.  But it was so good to eat hot hot food after so long.

I plan to have a Fiber One yogurt and a tomato tonight.   That should get me to a 100o calories for the day.

Low sugar diet with Phentermine–down 4.8 lbs Yeah!

8 days after I started this Low Sugar, Low cal diet with Phentermine and B-12 and Lipo shots, I am down 4.8 lbs. That is pretty good according to my doctor. Since I am around 150 lbs, he thought I would lose about 6 lbs in two weeks. I was at 150.4 lbs today. I am excited.

So I had a 2 egg white omelet with Pam Spray, 1 slice of toast with 1/2 tsp butter and a whole plum tomato for breakfast. I am trying to eat less sugar, so I substituted a tomato for apple.

One observation is that my sugar cravings are completely gone. My son baked a cake and I did not have the slightest interest. I know without the Phentermine, I would be hovering around that cake but I have no desire to try it.

Low Sugar Diet Day 5 –down 2.5 lbs toal in 5 days!!!

I am down to 152.5 lbs! I started at 155.0 lbs on Friday.  So this is a total of 2.5 lbs.

Yesterday, I went to DC to get a visa to travel outside the US.  T=It was a hectic and long day with lots of walking but also unplanned eating.  I started out well with a boiled egg and toast for breakfast.  FYI, this is what I ate as a child in India, everyday for 15 years!

I ended up at Starbucks for a snack of a Madeline (not low sugar) and a tea with no sugar.

Lunch was an easy affair with a tomato sandwich with 2 slices of light bread.

Dinner was a killer.  We went to a Indian restaurant on M street– decent food, terrible service.   I has 2 quarters of a Naan and some creamy Mutter Paneer.

Low Sugar diet Day 3

I have been following a diet that is around 1200 calories with Phentermine and B-12 and Lipo shots.  I missed recording this day so please bear with me.  All I remember is boiled egg and a slice of toast with 1/2 tsp butter for breakfast and  grilled cheese sandwich made with light bread, American cheese and Pam spray.  I also had a FiberOne Yogurt–Key Lime Pie and a tomato.  Dinner is a blank but I am sure it had veggies and protein.

Day 2–Low Sugar Diet

I went back to my doctor after trying the 400 Calorie Fix diet. He put me on a low dose appetite suppressant and a low cal and low sugar diet. His take is that sugar causes problems for women as they age and that eliminating sugar entirely might be extremely difficult but keeping it low is the way to go.

Again, I am not recommending that anyone try this diet or any other diet.  I am simply recording my experience.  As you can see, I have a hard time with some diets.  I figure that when I find the one that seems effortless, I have found the right one.  This diet worked for me last year and I lost 24 lbs.  However, sugar is my downfall and I have a hard time letting it go.   So I let it back in my life and promptly gained back 12 lbs.

I started yesterday and was not at all hungry.  I lost 1.2 lbs and weighed in at 153.8 lbs.  I am traveling to see my family in two weeks and would love to be under 150 lbs.

The appetite-suppressant made me very wired and full of energy.  I got a B-12 shot too.    I got 5 hours of sleep last night and I am still full of energy.

I did modify my doctor’s recommended menu for two reasons-  the first, I am a vegetarian (most of the time) and second, because I need to run around and do a lot of errands and work in the day.  If I eat too little I am a wreck.  I am allowed unlimited veggies all day — no added oils etc

Breakfast:

• 1 slice of toast 70
• 1/2 cup of whole strawberries 25
• 1 and 1/2 boiled egg 120
• 2 cup coffee with 4 tsps coffee mate and 3 packets of Equal 20

Total 265 cal

My lunch may seem totally weird to most of you but remember I am from the South of India and we eat a lot of yogurt and rice with vegetables.  So when I was on the Atkins diet (lasted one month on that!) I learned to substitute cottage cheese for rice and it gives me the same feeling of satiety but has more protein.

Lunch:

• 1/2 cup Chobani yogurt 100
• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese 90
• 1 cup Spinach and potato curry with Garlic 150
• (see recipe)
• 1tsp canola oil for the curry 40

Total            380 calories

Snack

Fiber Cookie (My doctor’s office sells these) 130 calories

Dinner

Eating right (Sa feway Brand) Santa Fe Beans and Rice 310

1/2 cup Mango 53

Total 363

Total Calories for the day 1138 calories

The appetite suppressant that keeps me from wanting to chew on stuff in the afternoon.

Giving up on my 400 Calorie Fix diet

Well dear Reader,

I have lost a total of 1.2 lbs in 11 days.  Granted, I did not do this program like they recommended but it does not fit my lifestyle at this time.   So I went to see a diet doctor, with B-12 shots and appetite- suppressants.  I did this last year and lost a total of 24 lbs only to gain it back 12 lbs around Christmas and New Year.  I will journal about this effort also but obviously it will not be a 400 calorie Fix diet.  Maybe the 400 calorie Fix diet will be a great maintenance diet.

Quick Slim Day 11– 4 more days to go

I think  the 400 Calorie fix diet is really good– my execution is far from perfect.  I have yet to master my afternoon cravings.

Here is my breakfast: 7:30 am (needed to run for a Dr.s appointment)

• 1 cup Kashi Go Lean Cereal  140
• 1 cup milk   90
• 1 slice bread with 1 tsp butter  120
• 1 cup coffee with 2 tsps coffee mate 20
• 1 tbsp raisins 33

Total 403

Kashi Go Lean Cereal with raisins

Quick Slim Day 10

I was too hungry and just realized that I forgot to take a pic.   I apologize dear reader.

Breakfast 8:45 am

Breakfast Quesadilla:

I did use a little Pam Spray)

• 1 small tortilla 100
• 1 egg 60
• 2 tbs onions 20
• 1/4 cup 2% milk cheddar cheese 80
• 1 medium mango 135
• 1 cup coffee with 2 tsp coffee mate 20

Total 405

Lunch was  :

• Smart Ones pizza bagels –one tray  270
• 1 Morning Star veggie patty 80
• 1 cup of salad with  lettuce 20

Total 370

Dinner

I was out at Fresh Express so I ended up with a piece of Baguette and a low fat cheddar cheese for dinner.

No too bad a day.  I should have had more vegetables.