I have always been a sweets person, but since my surgery, and especially in the last 2 months, I crave sweets ALL the time! Sometimes I can quench it with a peppermint or some gum, but sometimes I am craving straight up junk. Any advice?

If you drastically reduce your carbs for 2 weeks, I bet the cravings greatly diminish.

I used to have to have something sweet every night. Then I did a very strict low carb diet for two weeks. For the first three days, I swear I was a raving lunatic. But then it was magic! I suddenly lost all cravings for sweets, starches like potatoes and corn, bread, Pasta, etc.

It's worth a shot, and since its such a high Protein diet (with vegetables, but not fruit if you really want to wean yourself for two weeks), it fits wells with the band. Eventually I added fruit back in but left out all sugar and white flour. Actually, I'm thinking of doing another crash course after my holiday carb relapse

I too have a few sweet cravings now and again. Something that works for me is just a bite of extremely dark chocolate, at least 72%. Its very strong and after a nibble melts away, I really don't want anymore. SF Jello pudding cups help, as does a cup of sf applesauce that I stir in about 1tsp cinnamon. And sometimes when I can't get food off my mind, I brush my teeth with Tom's WIcked Fresh and that works! Makes my mouth so minty and fresh that I dont want to eat anything and ruin it! Oh, also a cup of hot peppermint tea also helps sometimes.

ETA that I also keep a few Werthers SF hard candies in my purse and at work. Taste good and only about 5cals each.

Sweets have always been my biggest downfall! I do know that one sweet for me often leads to more and I am better if I resist them altogether. I also keep mints handy and for some reason cinnamon hard candies are helpful in satisfying my craving. Another trick I have is to keep a jar of Polaner all fruit preserves in the fridge and I will take a spoonful after dinner which is often when I feel I need something sweet. Over the holidays I baked and did allow myself to have a cookie or piece of candy here and there and it was not good for me. I gained 3-4 pounds (which thankfully I lost pretty quickly) and I was so mad at myself. There have been a couple occasions where I was satisfied with just a bite of something, but I also know for me that one bite can lead to another and another, etc. I think it depends on one's level of sweet addiction!

I think I heard that either magnesium or manganese helps with sugar cravings. Maybe try a google search on it?

I found the best thing ever!

Hershey's makes sugar free Chocolates, I got the Special Dark ones (those are least sugary to begin with) and one little fun size bar is 30 calories. Tastes good!! I can't tell it's sugar free, and cures my chocolate fix if I need it . I take really small bites and savour it. I wouldn't eat a ton because it has lots of fake sugar, but once in a while I'm sure it's ok.

Also I got some cocoa dusted almonds, they are little 100 calorie packs, it's a little sweet, and almonds are very filling, and the new Jello mousse ones are great too, and sf fudgicals

oops double

The only thing that worked for me was to get rid of all sweets including artificial because just the taste of sweetness set of cravings. I also eliminated all carbs except those in vegies. No Pasta, no bread...no wheat products of any kind.

I can't have just 'one' because I can't control the cravings that follow.

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I think I may have to try the No Carb crash thing... I have tried Calcium and chromium supplements (they are supposed to calm sweets cravings) but they did nothing for me.

Thanks for all the advice!

Lot's of great tips! I would also add, don't keep the stuff in your house. If people you live with wants them, have a serious talk to elicit their support. Maybe they can eat sweets outside the house, buy something they like but you don't or at least keep them in a cabinent that you don't go into. Good luck!