Look for hidden sugars/carbs in everything you are consuming, coffee creamer, sauces, condiments, you might find some that you didn’t realize were there, and they might be spiking your glucose/insulin, leading to a 48-72 hour roller coaster of cravings.
I’ve found that gum and fake sweetners in coffee etc only served to make me want “real sugar” more AND, they didn’t help me to change my diet in the way I wanted. I like eating a meal and not wanting a desert after the meal. Gum was a way to “cheat” and have that palate cleanser after the meal, but it was only a stand-in when I was trying to get to the point of changing my palate/eating habits.
For me, a five day fast knocked out my desire for the gum/diet sodas/other fake sweeteners that I was using (as a crutch) to “finish a meal” and in place of “real sugar”. I found that I respond to ACE-K/some other fake sugars in such a manner that I could never lose weight consuming them, getting rid of all of that led me to a healthier diet (in my own mind) so for me, consumption (or lack of) was based on how my body reacted.
Good luck in achieving your goals!
