In article ,
says...
Apologies in advance if this one has been done to death already -
sadly I don't have the time at the moment to look through past
postings so I'm being rather lazy...


Just starting out on a regime of reducing sugar intake in particular
and carbohydrates in general. However a couple of times I've lapsed.
Typically what happens is that I feel very well for 12-24 hours but
then my energy levels seem to fall away and I crave sugar, chocolate,
etc. - to the point where I dash to the shop to buy something to take
the craving away.

This has come as something of a shock because I don't particularly
have a sweet tooth and I didn't think my diet was particularly rich in
sugar. It IS (or has been) quite rich in refined carbohydrates
though.

Any thoughts anyone? Is this little more than withdrawal symptoms?
If it is, how long can I expect it to last before things settle down?

Yes, these ARE withdrawal symptoms. Cutting back is a great idea, but reading a
book about a particular plan such as Atkins or South Beach would be better so
that you have a better idea of what happens and how you should proceed and to
make sure you do not cut out the wrong kinds of things (it's never wrong to cut
out sugar, though). Knowledge is POWER :-)

Your body is used to using glucose for fuel. As you use up your reserves, your
body goes into an alarm mode to urge you to replenish the supplies. It is a very
POWERFUL urge and it really DOES take some willpower to get past it. The
cravings usually disappear after a couple of days and you will see a DRAMATIC
reduction of appetite as the body turns to burning FAT for fuel instead.

One thing that helped me get through the first couple of weeks was a desert made
from cream cheese, Splenda, vanilla and cocoa powder (Google this group for
ideas). I was able to scoop out a taste or two here and there when I had the
urge for something sweet and found it surprisingly satisfying.

--
Saffire
205/148/125 - 5'1.5"
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333