...and to add my 2 cents, you don't need artificial sweeteners on a regular basis to make progress with this way of eating. Every once and a while is nice, but a steady habit is, well a habit!

I find with most sweet goods that a little sub goes a long way. 2-4 Tbsp. as opposed to a cup of regular sugar.

Same goes for low-carb substitutes for high-carb foods. Making breads and all that kind of stuff is really expensive.

There are protein bargains to be had. Wonderous things can be made from chicken legs, ground beef, pork shoulder, stewing beef and hard-cooked eggs. It takes a little bit of research but that is part of the "learning curve" with this WOE. It's a pretty exciting curve.

Karen