The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[msarli]

Hi, all

Just started on the modified plan and have been noticing this weird gas problem that's never happened before medifast. Maybe it's the sugar substitutes I've been using but wanted to know if anyone else has had this problem?

Also, what's the take on sugar free foods as a treat every once in awhile? Bad news?

I'va also noticed that now I can drink a diet coke without feeling so irritated that I want to beat up my husband. I think it's due to my blood sugar problem (a little low) that has cleared up from the shakes. this is a wonderful thing!

One more thing: can we order anything from starbucks or is it all off limilts?
Thanks,
Marlene

[Jeanette]

HI Marlene:

Those sugar substitutes do a number on us! I don't have bad gas, but I still have a loose stool, although it has been improving.

I am on day 11 of the full fast, by the way.

Welcome to our little family!!

[Jeanette]

I just realized I didnt answer your other questions--I think it is because I don't know the answers! But I will be watching to see what our Health Advisors say!

[Ellen]

I'm not sure if the gas is from sugar substitues, or something else, could be the soy, could be the fiber... but if you can hang in there, it usually goes away in time (week or two) as your body adjusts.

My understanding is that we can have sugar free beverages as long as they contain less than five calories per serving. Sugar free mints and the like are OK as long as they have no (or almost no) calories. We can have coffee or tea with sugar substitues and a little milk (I believe the rule is two cups per day). I personally have jello a few times per week. I have found Walmart's brand (Great Value) of sugar free jello is five calories per serving. I make it in little jelly jars and have one a few times a week. Chicken bouillon is my best friend and I have that nearly every day.

Never having been to a Starbucks in my life, I can't say for sure what they even have, but you can have regular coffee. As for anything else, find out how many calories it has and make your decision based on that. I'd say if it has more than 15 calories, I'd skip it. Just because something is sugar free or fat free, or "light" or "skinny" it can still be filled with calories. Any extras with calories can throw off the balance of the plan.

Good Luck, I hope you have a lot of success with the plan!
Ellen

[Unca_Tim]

Hi msarli,
Ellen summed things up nicely. The only thing I can add is to watch out for Sorbitol. It's known to cause tummy problems for some people.

Personally i'm an au naturale guy and try to steer clear of anything artificial.

Unca

[Nancy]

Re: "We can have coffee or tea with sugar substitutes and a little milk"

What? 2 cups of WHAT? MILK? No way! you may have a small amount of milk or half and half in your coffee but not two cups of milky! You may have two - three caffeinated drinks per day. Be careful as some people on Medifast may be more sensitive to caffeine...

Yes, you MAY have Starbucks - again if you want one of those fancy lattes, stick with sugar free syrups, non fat milk and only a teensy bit of milk. I prefer the coffee of the day with room for half and half and then I have about 1 Tablespoon of 1/2 and 1/2 in my coffee. I save money and calories. With all the $ you save from not eating a biscotti and slurping a double mocha Grande gargantuan, you can buy some cool smaller clothing!


Yup, many of those so called sugar-free products or sugar substitutes are not necessarily gas-free. I remember when a well known candy company in Portland Or came out with a fabulous sugar free product they added to their chocolates. I was on one of my dieting programs and absolutely craved candy BIG TIME. I bought a pound of assorted sugar-free chocolates and hurried home with them. Now get this, they were sugar-free but they certainly were not calorie free. I was desperate for candy. I avoided reading the nutrition list – somehow I must have thought that if I didn’t read the caloric content list, calories were non-existent.

I sat on the sofa, turned on the tube and with pinky extended into the air, I daintily ate one of the sugar-free chocolates. Wowser! It was so good and rich. Absolutely tasted like it had sugar. I ate another. Then another. Drat! OK, I’ll come clean. I scarfed the entire box. Yup a pounder of sugar-free chocolates. The Van Duyn Company would have loved having me as their spokesperson. That is, until IT happened.

Gas not unlike that which blew off the top of Mt. St. Helens formed in my lower bowels. I almost flew around the living room like a party balloon that is nearly filled and then escapes from the hand of its blower! Gosh after HOURS of tooting and feeling AWFUL, my husband came home to find me whimpering in the corner of the bathroom. Like that empty party balloon. I felt like I was all shriveled up. Gosh, if someone had lit a match, the house would have blown off its foundation. That sugar-free stuff can be wicked!

[Ellen]

What? 2 cups of WHAT? MILK? No way! you may have a small amount of milk or half and half in your coffee but not two cups of milky!

I meant two cups of coffee. Yikes, two cups of milk would cream up about 40 cups of coffee. Talk about a ping pong ball!

[Nancy]

Whew! So glad that you clarified that for me, Kiddo!

Two cups of half and half or two cups of cream would be our allotment for a couple of months! Hee hee. BTW, I use the Fat Free Half and Half. It tastes great.

Speaking of Fat Free...Have you seen the FF Cool Whip? I don't happen to have a container of it here in the old hacienda but I do recall looking at it when I was at the super market recently. I recall that the nutrition contents looked like it would be all right to have a little dab on some sugar-free Jello.

Whenever I am feeling out of sorts and in NEED of a dessert, I prepare some sugar free Jello. When others are scarfing cheesecake and adding plaque to their arteries, I can be daintily dining on a parfait glass full of heart healthy Jello. Good health to you, too!

Starbucks has a lot of great tasting coffees but we must be very careful when we are on the weight loss program. Be sure to request sugar free syrups. I usually have The Coffee of the Day with a tad bit of Half n' Half. If ya must, have the Barista add a snort of SUGAR FREE Torani syrup to your coffee. Check them out when they are preparing a Grande Mocha or another of your favorite flavs - those fancy coffees are LOADED with carbs and calories.

For me, I just think to myself: when I take calories in, then I must expend a LOT of sweat to burn them off.

Hmmm mocha looks good, tastes good, smells good.

What doI want more? Thin thighs or a mocha?

Then I remember...Oh, yeah, Nothing tastes as good as thin feels!