cravings

Hello wonderful people.  I was wondering for the post op people, how are cravings?  Especially after the honeymoon phase?  I haven't started the ball rolling with this yet, but I go to see Dr. Levy next Thursday and I'm going to ask him to refer me.  But I get like a "high" when I eat food that I've been craving.  How does it work afterwards with the cravings.
Thanks for helping.
Brenda

Post op I have had very few cravings per say, but for when I was pregnant. I know that if I do crave something I will have it BUT now all I need is a bite or two, nothing like before. It's mostly mind over matter these days, but it also helps to curb your cravings when you do eat something you shouldn't, most people will dump, NOT fun, so we learn from it.  Wishing you the best of luck !!!

 i am pre op but i would like to offer an answer...

I started cutting out the pop and chips and ice cream slowly .. once i would cut a food and when i forgot i had cut it out i would do another.. and so on.. ice cream was the first to go.. and other then a wee slip off the wagon last week  i really have not missed any of it... i bought the chapmans no sugar added "drumsticks" and that was a big no no... if its not in the house i dont crave it..

I was at the EX last week.. walked right by all those food venders didnt bother me.. not one nibble of fudge and I LOVE fudge... I was in rockey mountain chocolate when we were back to school shopping... the sweet smell turned my stomach and normaly i would be drooling.. so your body really does get used to it and the cravings stop... but you still have to be mindful of your surroundings and whats available the good and the bad

 My cravings aren't as strong as they use to be, but they are still there.  Luckily, I am satisfied with very little of what I am craving.  By the way, I had a VSG and am at almost 2 years out fyi.

Pretty much not an issue for me the first year. I was truly eating to live. I could take it or leave it.



Every year, cravings increased a little every year.



My cravings now are pretty powerful. It can certainly be a challenge.



Dawn

Hey Brenda
The weirdest thing, is that immediately post op, i had no cravings. I could watch people eat my most favourite foods (chocolate, peanut butter) and it didnt bother me a bit.

Now, a couple of bites satisfies a craving (tho i still havent had a piece of chocolate). I've had chocolate brownies that my daughter made (with splenda and agave syrup, so they're less sugar, and higher protein coconut flour).

Thank you all very much for your input, really really appreciate it.
Brenda

Definitely talk to Dr. Levy about dealing with cravings NOW, prior to surgery and get that under control.

I never had cravings for anything for about a year and a half. Then they slowly crept back in. I rarely have cravings for foods I shouldn't really be eating (i.e. chips), but I occassionally do. Since I always crave salty/crunchy things, eating a pickle often helps, believe it or not. lol If I give in, having one bite cures the craving 98% of the time. What I've also found is that I crave healthy foods (weird, I know). For instance, 2 weeks ago I would have killed for an avacado. Today I'm craving spinach salad, so that's what we're having for dinner. I often crave protein, which I figure is my body telling me to get it in.

Things really do change, and stay the same. It's all in how you deal with it. I would think Dr. Levy would have some good suggestions for you as well. Oh! And please tell him I said hello! :)

Edited to add: I never crave sweet foods. My tastes totally changed after surgery and sweet foods absolutely turn me off. Also, I made a lifestyle decision when I had my surgery and completely gave up refined sugar - haven't had it in 5.5. years and don't miss it one bit.

I'm 4 1/2 months out and do experience cravings.  They are definitely far worse during PMS.  I crave both salt and sugar.  When I'm craving salt, I'll have a few salt and vinegar mini rice cakes (crispy minis, 45 calories for 6 of them).  I find sugar much more difficult.  Sometimes SF jello will take care of the craving, or a few bites of a protein bar (sweetened with splenda, not sugar). But at other times I just can`t stop thinking about chocolate.  Fortunately (or not) I don`t dump so I can still have it, so I`ve switched over to dark chocolate (lower sugar content) and will have one square to satisfy a particularly strong craving.

I find that, other than PMS, my cravings are triggered by the same things as before surgery: access (if it`s not around, I don`t think about it as much), stress, conflict, grief, and fun social situations.