Gum, Pop & Ketosis - 3 questions!

[Rimini]

Hi All!

Nearing the end of Week 1 & I've got 2 proper questions & a puzzle....

Firstly - Chewing Gum! As a recently stopped smoker :clap: (& still on patches) will gum do much damage? I'm still chewing 2 or 3 pieces of gum a day (the little bits, if that makes a difference) when I'm driving - tried without & all I wanted to do was light up so that's a no-no for the time being. Help appreciated.

Secondly - which fizzy pop arty0036: was it that was OK with Exante? I read it on here a couple of weeks back & know it was either Pepsi Max or Coke Zero, but now I can't find it again. Grrrrr

Thirdly - although I'm on Day 6 now, I had a bit of a blip on Sunday & ate almost a full meal. :nono: I've been 'perfect' before & since, and here we are at 8pm & I've still to have my 3rd space food pack today - not hungry! Is it possible I've gone into ketosis even tho' I blipped?

Fank youuuuuuuuuu.

A
xx

 

[annaphylactic]

Hey...

Right - I am afraid I'm the voice of doom and gloom.

Chewing gum isn't allowed because it contains things that take you out of ketosis... can't remember if it's the citric acid or the flavours or what, but I remember that from my LL days. For freshening breath you can use breath sprays (sugar free, citric acid free).

The only drinks you can have alongside a VLCD are water (still or sparkling), black tea (all leaf teas, no fruit teas) and black coffee.

I too saw something a while ago about pop, but it's not recommended at all. Not sure if it was anything to do with ketosis, but rather because scientific trials have been shown that fizzy diet drinks actually increase your appetite and make it harder to keep abstaining from food. Also, they just aren't good for your body! The water element is boring, but you'll get used to it and feel so much better.

Oh - and you could be in ketosis, without buying and checking your wee, there is no way to know for sure, but you could have been in ketosis before your blip and it set you back a bit... so a couple of days is all it took for you to get back in the zone. Dunno for sure, but if you're not hungry that's a great sign!

So - basically...

Three packs
Water
Tea & coffee black, but no fruit teas
Sweeteners (tablet but not powder)
Sugar free breath freshener spray

That's it!

Boring, but OH so worth it. Good luck!

A x x

 

[annaphylactic]

Oh last thing to mention, and I know this is contraversial to say... but are you sure giving up smoking right now is the best idea?

I wanted to do it all at once, give up smoking and do LL (my last stint on a VLCD where I lost five stone). I just couldn't cope and something had to give... and that thing was food. I spoke to my then counsellor an she said that in her experience it is too much to undertake, trying to stop both things at once, and maybe waiting until I'd reached my goal before I gave up smoking was a good idea. I am very glad she advised me of that - I know I wouldn't have been able to lose all the weight and stick on the programme that long without one vice.

Again - please don't think I am advocating smoking, but it sounds like you giving up is a very recent thing - just think one or other should wait until the other is done, otherwise you will be on a rickety road and could end up having a horrible time, cheating, feeling deprived etc.

A x

 

[Starlight]

You can drink fizzy drinks with no citric acid - Coke Zero is one and Asdas own brand diet coke has none either.

I know like anna some folk dont agree with taking it but Ive found that some now and again really helps me

 

[babystar31]

I could tell u what the guidelines say but we already know that. What i will say is that some people get away with things that others wont get away with.....so dont take anything as confirmation that you "can" have these things and get away with stay in ketosis. Its all trial and error.

Like Star said avoid anything with citric acid...it will bring you out of ketosis most likely.

The things i occasionally have are:

Coke zero (no citric acid)
Strawberry and kiwi flavoured water

I wouldnt recommend chewing gum because i tried that and ended up starving all day long. So not worth it!

You could still be in ketosis, but even if not, if your sticking to it and your not hungry..fab

Good luck xxx

 

[babystar31]

Lol anna i totally agree, i couldnt give up food and smoking all at once....must take some level of determination and willpower to manage that! xx

 

[Rimini]

Thank you all so much for the info (haven't got a Thanks button yet!).

 

[Dietkitty]

Chewing gum makes your stomach think it's got food coming which is why you feel hungry. My LL counsellor said the same about giving up smoking. I'm waiting till the weight has gone before I even attempt it but it does make the keto-breath even worse!

 

[owup here we go]

I agree with Starlight & Babystar- if having a little bit of gum or the very occasional drink of coke zero helps prevent you from coming rught off plan then its worth it - but try to keep it for last resort moments only. It is a really strict plan, but it really does feel worth it when you look at the scales - and the mirror!
Good luck with your first weigh in. :fingerscrossed:

 

[Lisaberry]

I too need the odd drink of coke... It's that bit of normality that keeps me from falling down sometimes!
I bought some tesco diet premium cola yesterday as it definitely didn't mention citric acid. It did have 2 other types of acid though...is that fine? Citric acid doesn't disguise itself as anything else does it?

 

[short and dumpy]

One thing to remember though.. is you will still lose weight without ketosis, but ketosis makes it more bearable To lose 1lb of fat we need to cut 3500 calories, this diet works on reducing the calorie intake rather than relying on ketosis alone. That is just a helpful by product(from what I understand)

Drink wise..
Just to be careful with anything in a bottle.. like the coke, as if it contains citric acid, it can kick some people out of ketosis.. Coke Zero is fine. As are those that use maltric acid? i think.

Fizzy water should be fine just my own tummy doesnt like the bubbles and fizz with nothing inside it hehe

xx

To quote the wise and very helpful Miss Demeanour

Quote:
black tea, black coffee, green tea, water, spring water, herbal (not fruity) teas, no squash, and definitely no orange juice! (it will have a fructose content).

Some of the other VLCD suppliers do compatible flavourings for water - I'm looking into investing in some.

IF you're desperate, the following are just about compatible with ketosis, anecdotally:- Coke Zero (although not diet coke), Perfectly Clear (only the strawberry and kiwi flavour) and Dr Pepper Zero, allegedly. Basically, diet fizzy pop without citric acid in. (Coke zero has phosphoric acid).

Although fizzy pop on a practically permanently empty stomach is not entirely recommended...
Also. hope this helps in regards to any other slightly naughtier type drinkies...this thread is always worth a read..

http://www.minimins.com/cambridge-di...n-ketosis.html (Dangers Of Alcohol When In Ketosis)

Also to remember it is your decision and may slow the losses, as each space food pack on exante is calculated specially to give you all you need that day, adding and changing may provide more carbs etc etc.

Personally I am sticking soley to the exante, but then I have found it gets easier as the days pass. But I think some think it's also nice to have a bit of variety, here and there for a change.

I would advise maybe giving the people at exante themselves a ring or a little email, and pick their brains, I believe a lot of people find them really helpful.


chewing gum stimulates the release of saliva and gastric juices which in turn will make you feel hungry.

Also I think even in some of the sugarless gum you have hidden calories per stick, so just to check each pack.
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xxx