I did IF in the late summer, with weight loss as the primary goal. It worked - I lost 11 lbs. in six weeks. The biggest challenge was trying to stop using artificial sweeteners and I caved after a week of using monkfruit. Aspartame is my drug of choice. I use it in my coffee, add it to salad dressing, and use it in fresh lemonade.
For those of you who successfully kicked the aspartame habit, how did you do it? TIA!
I used Splenda in my coffee for years. Slowly I started to cut back and would use less and less. One day I forgot to put it in my coffee and didn’t even realize it until I had finished. That was that day I realized I didn’t need it and completely stopped using it.
it’s really hard to quit things cold turkey the very first time!
this is just a bit of general advice: just keep trying! if you stumble, pick yourself back up and remind yourself what you’re trying to accomplish. try to be compassionate with yourself because this is a very difficult habit to break! it may take some time but YOU WILL get there as long as you keep trying.
when i quit smoking years ago, i found it really helpful to count the “days without” by writing it down, or using a count-up app on my phone. once you accumulate so many days without it, it’s easier to look at and say “wow, i’ve gone THIS long, it’d be a shame if i broke that”. it’s a bit of a mind trick, but it’s not toxic and still motivating. good luck OP! you’ve got this!
I cut sugar and artificial sweeteners in one decision, and so far, I’m sticking with it (12 weeks). You replaced aspartame with monkfruit, and you still crave sweet taste.
Either you completely cut all the sweeteners and food with added sweeteners, or you learn to live with small amounts.
For me, the second option was difficult, and I couldn’t lose weight. I was gaining, actually (not on IF).
The first surprisingly works with IF! But no candy for this girl!
Two ways. Pick the way that works for you:
1- reduce gradually until there’s nothing
2- cold Turkey and after about a week your taste buds will adjust and you’ll realize that things you didn’t used to think were that sweet actually are (eg an apple, 70% chocolate etc)
Even though it sounds tough, I think cold Turkey ends up being easier. Ripping the bandaid off so to speak. You adjust very fast.
I quit all artificial sweeteners about 9 years ago. I was a major Diet Coke drinker and I used Splenda in coffee. I was having joint pain and my doctor suggested I try to quit. After two weeks, I tried a Diet Coke and it tasted like chemicals. After that, it was easy. But I had to quit all of them. No sugarless gum. Nothing. And as a bonus, my joint pain did go away. Every now and then I try a sip to make sure it still tastes bad. It does. Sometimes I miss how I remember it tasting but I’m glad I quit.