About a year ago I quit. Cold turkey. Splenda, that is.
{I seriously wish I was kidding!}
I used Splenda like it was going out of style. I baked with it, cooked with it. I smeared it on my body (ok, maybe I didn’t do that). In short Splenda was my bitch.
Then I read this book…
And it changed my life.
In Jillian’s book, she talks about Leptin (a hormone that controls your appetite) and how it changed HER life. Chemicals like artificial sweeteners, MSG, and alcohols can impact your leptin. When you consume them — your leptin is blocked and you’re pretty much screwed (the scientific explanation, of course).
When I read this I was partially in shock and partially in agreement. When leptin is blocked by an artificial sweetener it tricks your body into creating artificial insulin spikes. When your body does not get the sugar it expects, it responds craving sugar and carbs. Over time, chemicals “numb” your leptin levels and while it doesn’t get any worse, it takes a while to get better. Even if you AREN’T consuming those nasty chemicals. And PS – weight gain, is inevitable.
And I can prove it! When I went to go see “The Help”, a few weekends ago, I decided to break the artificial sweetener fast (the last time I had artificial sweeteners was a Diet Rock Star I had at least 4 months ago) and I got a HUGE, GINORMOUS Coke Zero. I have no idea why I wanted this – but I did. When my body is craving something I usually give in – even if it’s not the best for me. So, I drank it (most of it). I was fine that night — but the next day? I COULD NOT STOP EATING. CARBS, CARBS, and MORE CARBS. Seriously. (I later emailed Paula about this – it was like a lightbulb went off!)
There’s more to is than just that– there’s also the whole artificial sweetener/cancer link that freaks me out (that has not been proven or denied, so I won’t go into it). Bottom line since I cut out artificial sweetener and added sugar (organic cane) I HAVE NOT GAINED WEIGHT. I have had a considerable drop in appetite between meals though – especially breakfast.
Now, not everyone can switch to sugar (hi diabetics, I recognize artificial sweeteners exist for a reason) and I have yet to try Stevia (I have mixed feelings), BUT if you can quit the fake stuff, you might feel better than you ever expected!I know I do.
Drinking that Coke Zero made me realize that I DON’T miss artificial sweetener. Sure, I’ve had a few relapses. There has also been Splenda in food/drinks I was consuming and I didn’t even realize it. I drank both Coke Zero and Sprite Zero throughout my pregnancies (assuming they were perfectly safe) and my kids turned out OK. But, I will do my best to keep them away from that junk now.
I really never thought that drinking one super large soda would make the lesson FINALLY sink in. Funny what happen when you’re not even paying attention.
Do you have an undying love for Splenda like I did? Can you give it up?
I TRIPLE DOG DARE you to go one month without artificial sugar — and report back to me how you feel. I think you might be surprised!
Yay! I love books like that that just change your world. Death By Supermarket did that for me! I never used splenda, but I acknowledge that sugar as a whole will make your body do weird things so I try super hard to not eat sweet things period. Sweets that use coconut milk or dates or fruit to sweeten are what I’m *trying* to get into. I’ll use coconut palm sugar to sweeten my oatmeal, but really I’m just trying to get away from sweet things period ala HEAB. Great post! <3
I have to check out that book!
I’m generally not a sweets person – I usually intake the majority of my refined sugar at breakfast {I”d rather drink wine than have dessert!}. I DO love coconut milk though — and I like that there’s more of a push to use fruits to sweeten foods (like in Larabars!). I think the revolution back to whole foods IS happening – it’s just really, really slow.
I don’t really drink a lot of soda, but when I did, it would be Diet Coke, and I was also using artificial sweetener in coffee. I decided to cut back on the soda consuption altogether, and now I drink my coffee without any sugar–just a splash of skim milk. Sometimes I do have that soda craving, which I try to only take a few sips from my boyfriend, but I think cutting down on those two, small things have helped.
I pretty much banned all soda from the house after reading her book and I surprisingly don’t miss it that often!
It’s good to just take sips from your boyfriends soda – definitely helps you get any kind of craving.
Man, I can agree COMPLETELY with you on this topic.
My brother is diabetic, so I was brought up in a household FILLED with Equal and Sweetnlow. I had a horrible obsession with the stuff too– I’m talking at least 10 of each a day. Bad stuff right there.
When I was struggling with my weight, I decided to cut it out and IMMEDIATELY noticed a difference in my weight & ability to drop excess pounds. Not only that, but my taste buds have adapted back to normal sugar levels and artificial sweeteners are much to sweet for me to handle!
I agree about the artificial sweeteners being too much to handle!! If I do have them now – they taste EXTRA chemically and it’s SO gross!
Insteresting that you had the same experience! It wasn’t a mircle worker – and the changes weren’t immediate, but they are definitely there.
The only time that artificial sweeteners ever enter my diet is when A)I have sweet tea at a family gathering B) I eat some crappy junk food that I shouldn’t be having in the first place C) DR. PEPPER!!!
For the most part I never have to deal with it, but if my husband leaves a DP in the fridge I won’t be able to resist. I use Stevia on some things like oatmeal and sweeten my own sweet tea. I like it.
LOL on the Dr. Pepper addiction! I see this is a common theme. I feel lucky because I never got on board with Dr. P. I have a feeling I would be in the same boat otherwise!
I’ve never been very into artificial sweeteners, but if I had to pick one Splenda would definitely be my favorite. I tend to use the “brown” unrefined sugar (at least I think that’s what it’s called…) instead of the white crystal sugar & that helped me cut back on the amount I was using without getting that chemical taste. I never thought about how artificial sweeteners (or anything really) would affect my metabolism – I might need to check out that book!
The book starts off really good — and ends kinda “eh”, but I still got a lot out of it! It details Jillian’s personal experiences (she was experiencing a hyperthyroidism because of all of the CRAP she was eating and all of the fad diets she was trying).
This is really interesting and something I have considered doing for some time now. I have a serious (very serious) addiction to diet coke. I CRAVE it every day. And I hate that I feel such a need for that stuff. I know it’s not good for me, but I never had any idea that it could be causing other cravings, too. I first read about that possibility a few months ago and it was a huge eye-opener! I realized that maybe that diet coke that I was consuming in an effort to cut calories was actually backfiring on me and causing me to crave and eat more junk, in return.
I dunno, but I’m also going to try giving it up. Maybe just for a month to start with. The only problem I see is that when I drink I tend to do rum and diets, so I’ll have to come up with some other option for my adult bevs!
Let’s do it together! *I’m scared*Hold me* Do flavored vodka and club soda. Grape vodka works the best. I don’t even need to add anything to that. 🙂 Although, I don’t know if I could give up my Crystal Light in adult bevs!
Yes, we can do this!! However, I hadn’t thought about having to give up my Crystal Light too…tear! But hey, if I feel better because of it and stop craving sugar and carbs all the time it’s worth the sacrifice.
Everything in moderation guys 🙂
Honestly now that I’ve cut out the stuff when I DO consume it’s VERY chemically to me and I can’t drink/eat it!
I really want a club soda with Grape vodka right now. Yum!
Yeah – I always enjoyed diet sodas with my alcoholic drinks too! And really as along as you don’t slamming a 2 liter every time you drink a little in moderation isn’t going to be the end of the world. It’s just when you get in that rut of drinking/eating it every day your body becomes desensitized. If you do try it for a month – let me know how it goes!
Hee! Did I inspire this post with that question I emailed you a week or so ago? 🙂 I had about 90% less artificial sugar than normal on my cruise and I noticed I was more tired. Probably because that artificial stuff comes with caffeiene too. But otherwise, I was really happy I was avoiding it. I only drank water or unsweetened tea (one a day with one sweet n low). And I didn’t snack at ALL between meals. Not sure if it was because I wasn’t around a pantry or because I wasn’t actually hungry though. Probably a little of both!
I want to give it up completely. It’s hard. I love diet coke.
It was that, remembering it had been a year since I stopped inhaling Splenda, and Coke Zero at the movies. I am in still in shock at how hungry it made me!!
It probably was a little of both — out of sight, out of mind!!
Do it for a month — I bet you won’t miss it AS much.
Oh, and let me say I never understood how you used the granualated Splenda on your oatmeal. I could NEVER taste that stuff unless it was in something I cooked. I had to use the packets to taste anything.
Ok…not had. Have. 🙁
I’ve never been much into the artifical sweetner stuff. I’m hard core and keep up with the real stuff. I’m trying to cut back on that though. I’ve recently ended my relationship with Dr. Pepper. (I cry every night.) And after the first day or so I don’t really crave it at all. Now if we go out to eat I either get water or iced tea (which I will sweeten a little, otherwise it tastes like dirty water). I think I feel better without the extra nonsense but it could be all in my head.
So impressed that you were able to say goodbye to Dr. P!!! I didn’t start drinking soda until high school – and it was ALWAYS Diet Coke. I still miss that flavor (every now and then) but it’s definitely worthwhile to NOT consume artificial sweetener. I can’t believe I was taking in so much crap!
I finally gave it up too (for the most part). I have splenda every now and then, and do have Stevia almost every day. Did the book talk about Stevia? I havnt noticed as many cravings with it. I def. had sweet craving when I consumed a bunch of the fake stuff!
I think she mentioned Stevia – but the book came out before it hit big in the US Market. I tried Truvia and didn’t like it – and haven’t tried anything else. That said – I am really not a sweets person – the only thing I use sugar in is coffee and oatmeal. Although I went through a kick were I got sugar free EVERYTHING. Sugar free ice cream, sugar free cookies, etc just because I *thought* I was being healthy. Little did I know! Occassionally I miss my sodas and Crystal Light, but not enough to drink them again!
I’ve really never been an artificial sweetener kind of gal! But that’s interesting to know that that’s the affect it has on your body, thanks for sharing 🙂
Don’t start now 🙂 🙂
I have never knowingly used them. Although I made a big switch in 2009 away from processed foods. They still slip into my diet from time to time but it’s pretty rare these days.
I just decided I wanted to greatly reduce any fake food in my diet.
They have Splenda offered at church w/coffee and no one ever takes it! I think the anti-Splenda has caught on.
Yes on reducing fake food!! The book stresses that as well.
Yay for anti-Splenda – but damn that marketed that product SO WELL.
I have 4 packets of Sweet n Low in my coffee every morning, and I’m trying to cut it back to 3 and then to 2 and so on. I used to have a big addiction to Turkey Hill Diet Green Tea, which is obviously loaded with the fake sugar. I can’t find it, though, in Florida, so that’s a good thing.
I’m going to try and cut back starting with tomorrow morning’s coffee. Maybe I’ll replace it altogether with one of Paula’s grape vodka drinks.
LMAO! Grape vodka 24/7 sounds like a plan to me!
Not being able to find stuff is really the perfect way to quit something — isn’t it weird how you can’t find certain things down here?
I used to eat a ton of splenda until I put two and two together and realized that it was wreaking havoc on my stomach. I have since stopped eating it as well as aspartame. I do use stevia, mostly in coffee.
I haven’t made the shift to Stevia yet – I’m not 100% believing that it’s as natural as they say it is! I guess I was ruined by Splenda. Glad you realized what was bothering your stomach!! That is definitely NEVER a good thing!
I gave up artificial sweeteners (well, unless I don’t realize they are there) several years ago and now I cannot stand the taste of it. Well, usually, i can’t….but when I’m pregnant, i crave diet sodas. So, now I’m drinking a diet soda a few times a week but besides being pregnant, I’ve felt so much better without the artificial stuff!! I try to keep as much artificial stuff out of our house as possible–and the only one who has a hard time with it is the hubby 🙂
I wonder what it is about pregnancy that makes you (and I!) crave diet soda???
I think Dan has a hard time not having artificial sugar too (he sneaks it – even though I keep telling him WHY he shouldn’t eat/drink it). *Sigh*
Oh wow – I love Jillian Michaels and should really check out that book! I used to drink Diet Coke as a rare treat, but a chapter in Skinny Bitch cured me of that – another great read, and quick and easy too.
Funny – I actually wrote Health magazine a letter this week because they had Splenda advertised in their September issue – that’s not what I call ‘health’!
Hey Michelle! Funny you wrote this now, I’m currently detoxing (yes I chose that word wisely) from processed sugar and artificial sweetner. I wanted to ask your opinion on agave. I generally avoid it too, but it’s I’m my coconut creamer (for my coffee) and my grocery stores don’t carry the unsweetened brand. So do you know if agave can impact insulin levels too?
I’m SO glad you wrote this post. I think most people believe those who give up artificial sweeteners are extremists. But you are level headed and getting the word out!