I'm feeling frustrated. I am 4 months out of surgery and while I don't eat much, I find myself still wanting the things that are so unhealthy. I almost feel like in reverting back to my old me because that's what I am used to... At meal times I do very well, but between meals I'm always wanting unhealthy stuff.... Please tell me I'm not the only one and ways to STOP THINKING ABOUT UNHEALTHY FOOD especially when I'm bored at work...

You're not alone. I think about good things to eat when I'm bored - especially in the evenings. I don't have any solutions for it yet. At work, I can get up an harass my coworkers when I'm bored. :-)

Unfortunately this wasn't surgery on our brain, it was on our stomachs. It is a lot of work to change the triggers to the thoughts of our old eating behaviors. It is the hard part of this journey. i'm determined to work on it.....It is so hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I'm craving a few Cheetohs I tell myself "after you eat something approved by the doctor first". I never get to the Cheetohs. A few swigs of the Protien shake & I'm stuffed.

I admit at two months out, I cheat. Chocolate covered almonds are yummy...the difference is I eat about 4 of them and I'm done. Pre-sleeve I would have eaten 40!

That's how I justify myself.. I think that's what makes me feel so guilty is I'm justifying it lol... I eat healthy but if I want Oreos I eat them. I eat 2 instead of the whole bag.. It's not often either, but I'm at a stall with worthy loss and keep thinking if I didn't eat the crap I'd lose more. Then I over analyze the fact I've lost 50 pounds in 4 months and think well that's good so these 2 Oreos will be ok.....

Cami - I agree. I love that this tool helps to guide my decisions and limit my intake. If I am at a birthday party, I love that I can satisfy my craving with two bites of cake without icing instead of my previous huge slice of cake with icing and ice cream. My focus is protein, but if I've hit my protein and calorie goals for the week and want one Hershey kiss - I'm going to have one Hershey kiss. :-)

I haven't had surgery yet, but I use to drink diet soda all the time. It was all I drank. So a friend taught me this trick. Anytime I think of diet soda I imagine drinking the most horrible thing I can think of (something like baby's spit-up as an example). I did this for a week straight and totally grossed myself out each time I thought of drinking a soda. But I don't want to drink soda at all. It's all a mind trick. I have also picked an imagine of me accomplishing a fitness goal and think of that anytime I want to drink soda. I work around a bunch of Army guys, and they have this saying. "It's mind over matter. If you don't mind, it's doesn't matter." Granted a bunch of battle hardened Army guys are an extreme, but their mental toughness is something I strive for.

That's a great idea!! I have weaned myself off of diet cokes this week.. I haven't had one since Saturday and my biggest payoff yet. I just bought a new pair of jeans for a conference and they are a size 12... I cried in the dressing room... My scales are at a stall but I don't care I bought a size 12 jeans..... In February I was a 20/22.... Feeling blissfully happy today!!!!

You are not alone! I am also 4 months out & I was kinda bummed out at first when my taste for sweeter things started to return.

A couple of things that have worked for me. First, I continue to train myself that there are no "bad" foods. food is fuel and it should be enjoyed. If I really, really want something i don't deny myself because that just triggers my old habits.

Second, I remind myself that I only have a little space in this new stomach. So, my new question is, "Do I truly want this? Or would I rather hold off and enjoy something really well made with natural ingredients?" 9 out of 10 times I decide against the old over-processed sweets I used to binge on. They just don't taste as good to me anymore. I'd rather have a delicious homemade cookie instead.

Lastly, when I do choose to enjoy a sweet treat, I try not to beat myself up over it because that starts a vicious cycle for me as well.

I have reconciled with idea that for me (and most of us who turned to surgery as a tool) this is something I will constantly have to manage & balance in my life. But I also Celebrate how much easier it is to manage food now that Ive had the surgery.

I absolutely agree.. It's getting better. I haven't gotten on the scale on a few days.. I'm ok with that and I am stopping eating when I want one more bite cause it tastes so good. Like someone said they didn't do brain surgery so I'm going to have to live with this forever. It's all good