Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
As my surgery date creeps closer I am starting to think about how I am going to incorporate new eating habits. My main concern is the sweet (chocolate) cravings that I have that always seem to be my downfall, especially if I am hungry. I am usually ok as long as I don't pass the point of mild hunger.
What has everyones experience been with their "food monkeys" on their backs after surgery?
:confused:
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
Like most folks, I love chocolate. When I truly had to have some about a month after surgery I tried a hershey's kiss. And I swear to you it tasted just plain nasty, like sugary grease. Now, 5 months out, when I have a chocolate craving, I have some sweet n low chocolate syrup in a smoothie or some silk light chocolate soy milk. About 8 oz of this and I'm good for a week. Really.
Your tastes will change after surgery.
Re: hunger - I won't say you won't get hungry but it's more appropriate hunger... ie, you are actually empty and need food. So you eat 3 or 4 oz and you are full for hours.
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
I like the caramel cruncher made by healthwise. It taste like Nestle crunch. Satisfies my cravings for chocolate. Remember that you can buy all kinds of chocolate supplements that are fortified with protein and vitamins that take away the need for "Real chocolate" but do satisfy the craving for the cocoa flavor. You need to google bariatric food supplements. All kinds of companies sell all kinds of good for you goodies to eat.
Try some.
Good Luck
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
I totally agree with Grace :)
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
I was actually hoping that I would not have the craving after surgery...
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
well at 8 weeks out, not really having cravings, did have a dream about steak n shake, but no real cravings. I am a comfort food junkie vs sweet or salty. Luckily I haven't wanted anything much. I did have a taste for seafood, so I went and got some crab meat, but it was just ok, then the taste for it went away. I am more forcing myself to eat. Around that time of the month I also crave chocolate, but not since surgery. But I just wanted to see, so I let a hershey kiss melt in my mouth and was.... ok tasted good but no cravings, no wanting more. Hopefully it will stay this way.
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
I'm 4 days post-op and I can tell you I haven't had much of anything for cravings. I'm sure that I will but I have all I can do to make sure I get my fluids and proteins in right now.
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
My cravings have totally disappeared. It feels like being set free. I spent all day today in a training and they had bowls of candy bars sitting on the tables (one directly in front of me). Wasn't in the least bit tempting. It really is amazing!
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
I'm not sure it's so much a craving, as it used to be, but more of a habit/connection with hormones and serotonin. Chocolate has some stuff in it that is good for us at that time of the month. I wouldn't worry too much about having the kind of cravings you have now. They are just different. Removing the ghrelin really does something to our brains. I could never have repeatedly driven past McD's or walked down a V-Day candy aisle before and not gorged. Now I think - eh, don't need that....
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
I was never a big sweets eater, but I am sorry to say, all food tastes just as good (or the same) to me even after the surgery lol. I guess it's easier to avoid sweets since I don't like 'em to begin with, but I do have cravings for salty, crunchy things. Still working on that, because I know it could get me into all sorts of trouble if I'm not careful. It's the head stuff that I can't ever stop being vigilant about!
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
I have always craved chocolate. I could have eaten it 24/7, but since the surgery I haven't had that craving. I made some homemade chocolate chip cookies for my son recently and thought I'd have one of those warm, chewy goodies....well, it tasted like cardboard. Honestly, it was so weird not tasting the flavor that I had always loved. I have completely given up sugar and sweets of all kinds. I don't miss it.
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
I have to say mostly all of my old cravings are gone. My husband made gluten free brownies last night that I used to LOVE! Last night I actually spit out my bite. It was soooooooo nasty! I was actually ecstatic! The monkeys will begin to starve and fall off your back. It's probably hard to imagine now but it is such an amazing feeling now!
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
Some people do still have cravings and some don't. Russell Stover makes some decent sugar free chocolate. If you get a craving, it's ok to have a bite or two of chocolate. The idea here is everything in moderation. A Hershey kiss instead of a Hershey candy bar. A bite of cake instead of a slice of cake, etc. Nobody here is perfect and I have no intention of going the rest of my life eating 100% healthy. I figure if I eat healthy 90% of the time, I'm good. Maybe I'm not as disciplined as some here, and maybe that's why my loss is slower. But I'm ok with it. It's why I chose this surgery. Cause I knew I would still be able to have most foods I wanted. Just in much smaller quantities. I never eat more than a half of cup of food at a time, I'm exercising 4 days a week minimum, I have an active job. So I let myself have a bit of freedom when I want it. I lose every single week. Some weeks it's only 1 or 2 lbs. But it's consistent and I'm happy with it. I wasn't at first. I was complaining of it being so slow. But as the weeks have passed, and I see the consistency, I see the inches dropping off.... Well, I'm pretty happy.
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
I'm about 4.5 months out. Every once in a while I have a sweet tooth hankerin ... but things DO taste different. Things that I loved before (like Twix or Reese's) are much to sweet now. If I DO have some candy or sugar, it's in small amounts.
The key to long term success in life in general is moderation. The world won't stop spinning if you have a couple of oreos. Yesterday - was my carb hell day. I had 1/2 slice of thin crust pizza, I had a few oreos and a few pita chips with guacamole. Not the normal high protein low carb regimen I stick to ... but whatev. In moderation. I lost 2 lbs overnight.
Eating those things every day or in a vast abundance will definitely slow your weight loss and even make the scale move in the incorrect direction. Moderation is EVERYTHING. A chocolate here, a cookie there, maybe a chip over there won't kill you. Just don't make a habit of it.
I've also noticed I crave more sweet things when my wife is on her girl rag ... sympathy cravings? Probably. Am I freaking out about it or beating myself up over it? Hell no. If you notice you're eating something that's slowing your loss - isolate the culprit and give it a time out. :)
Best of luck to you!
Re: Sweet/Food cravings after VGS?
I totally agree with Kelly Jo. I have lost most of my cravings, but every once in awhile, I do have them. I did indulge in a thin mint the other day! I'm not going to deny myself anything, but if that thing doesn't fit into my calories for the day, then I don't eat it.