I was banded in March, and have lost 65 pounds, gone from a tight 28/30 to a 18/20, and from a 48DDD to a 44DDD, I am doing good.....BUT....for the last 2 months I have been craving sweets like there is no tomorrow! I can't get over how bad it is. I have tried fresh fruit, but that does not help. I excerise, and I am getting enuough protien, but my problem has been quality NOT quanity.

Any one else go through this??? If so what did you do?

I was banded just 4 days after you and I completely understand what you're talking about. I have been going through the same thing lately. I have given in way too much though. With the holidays, having company and all the sweets in the house have definately not helped. My advice would be give in just once to your craving and then get rid of whatever it is so you won't be tempted to have it more than once.

It's great to eat only good for you foods all the time, but that's not life. The band is our tool to not overeat, not so we won't eat sweets at all. Eat one scoop of ice cream, just not the whole container (or whatever food you are craving).

Great job on your weight loss so far!

Karyn

If I am craving something sweet, I buy a bag of chocolate chips and eat one at a time until the craving is gone. I know it sounds stupid but when I eat a handful and put my hands to my mouth 15 different times(I eat one chip at a time) I really feel like I am REALLY treating myself and its usually about a 120 calories....craving gone:)

The first and most common reason for sweet cravings is sugar spiking. If you eat carbs (starches included, such as white bread, rice, Pasta, etc), your sugar spikes -- then falls. When it falls, your body thinks, "Crap! A sudden and unexpected famine! Must stuff sugar into mouth!!" And so we do, and we spike again ... and we crash again. And again, etc.

The other reason for sugar cravings is a tricky little guy called Serotonin. I hate him. Passionately. Here's a decent article about how sugar and serotonin work together to sabotage your weight control efforts, but there is a lot out there on the Internet on the subject. It's worth investigating if this is an ongoing issue for you

I've even seen some advertising for supplements that are alleged to block the process -- but I'm not at all sure they actually work. Could be a bunch of hooey designed to get you to buy a bunch of worthless pills. I know -- who would do such a thing? Insert gasp here, lol.

In any event, the article:

Sugar Cravings

Good luck!

Since I had to be on a diet for 6 month before my insurance would approve, I've been dealing with that for a while. After working so hard, I am determined not to cave in to my addictions, so I have substitutes that don't do so much damage. I found a tea that helps - Almond Cookie Green Tea that I get from teatreasures.com. If you put some Splenda or Truvia in it, it tastes like a cookie. I also use Dessert Protein powder in Cinnamon Roll flavor. It's delicious and I buy it from

Amazon. I also buy Greek yogurt in Pomegranate and Blueberry - it has twice the protein as regular yogurt, then I sprinkle some Truvia on it for a real treat.

sugar free hot chocolate works for me. It's so sweet that one cup kills the craving.

.

I too have dealt with this for a long time (banding 1/20/09). I have a mini hersheys or 3-4 m&ms if it's late in the day. But most of the time, my 2 chocolate Viactiv calcium chews are savored like a great treat every day.

If you are really craving something, I say have it, get it over with and move on. You have done really well so far and giving in to a craving is still a part of life. The deal is, once you have it, don't keep eating. In other words, don't keep it in the house. If you have to go out to get something, it is less desirable than having it in the house and right at arms length. Consider it a treat like all the other posters said.

But most of the time, my 2 chocolate Viactiv calcium chews are savored like a great treat every day.

Bless the Viactiv people! They satisfy my "a little something sweet in my mouth" craving--and one is enough--plus I'm getting my calcium. It's win-win!