So, my surgery is this coming Thursday, and I'm on my pre-op diet. I'm sticking to it, but I'm feeling really deprived. I'm craving a pizza, BBQ, etc. Do those cravings and feelings of deprivation go away? I know this is a big head trip, but when I am allowed only 2 oz of food, am I still going to want the junk? I know all the reasoning behind that's what gotten me here, but can a leopard change her spots? Help!

Yes you will not feel hungry especially after the surgery! Remember all of the reasons you are doing this and bring it in perspective! Focus on your shakes and all you have to do day by day!

Im about 6 weeks out, the first couple weeks my head wanted my old comfort foods out of habit like at tv time, long stressful day etc but when I really thought about eating them it almost turned my stomach because I was not hungry at all....at this point I have stuck to the letter of my diet and I dont crave anything, the "joys"of eating is going away...which I guess is a good thing...my total focus is on protein not mmmm that sounds good....follow your plan and you will do great! Good luck to you on your big day

Thanks to both of you. I guess I'm not concerned about being hungry; I'm concerned about cravings and wanting those old foods. How many times have we eaten 4 slices of pizza when we were full after one or two? It's the difference between "want" (mental) and "need" (physical). How has your mental state changed? I hope I too get to where junk food turns my stomach. My nurse said that cravings do go away and tastes change, so I'm hoping that's true!

They do go away pretty quick, those cravings are in our heads and thru the process your thinking is going to change, not sayin you will never crave anything again but like I said after the first couple weeks they were gone and I think mainly because my thinking changed also.....because of my job/lifestyle I cant avoid eating out, when we do eat out I have no real desire or craving for those warm squishy foods I use to cram down way beyond the point of stop lol now only being 6 weeks out that may change but as long as I follow my I dont really see that being an issue....and believe me when I was at your stage I didnt think it could be true either lol

Hi,

Come on Thursday!!! You must be feeling pretty excited! I applaud you for staying on track with your pre-op diet. I struggled with that. I still get the occasional cravings for a whole pizza, a couple 2 liters of pop, and some chinese buffet action. Mentally I still feel about the same but here's the difference for me now: I look at those foods and think to myself, if i eat or drink any bit of them, there are repercussions, i.e. dumping syndrome, dysphagia, etc. Worse yet, the fact that I may very well do harm to my new inner workings. That is enough for me to pass and continue on eating my stage 2 and stage 3 foods. I recommend talking to your psychologist post-op and have him/her recommend some books to read that deal with handling your emotions, cravings, etc. I am only about 3 months post-op but it is my opinion that being and staying sharp mentally is the biggest key to success with having WLS. Best of luck on your new adventure!!!

I don't feel deprived at all. I love my new tummy. ???? I am afraid to try any sweets at all but thank goodness I never really craved them. I get to eat what I like and finally in limited amounts. I lived 5 1/2 years with a slipped band and never got to eat anything without getting sick. I am truly in heaven now.

I don't think I feel deprived really. After surgery and the adapting to the liquids and learning to eat I was in my own zone about week 4 when I was starting to eat again I had a bit of prob with others eating..such as family meals etc or going out to eat but it truly was something I had to learn to handle. They didn't go through the surgery and I did. I remembered why I had the surgery and the very foods I was kinda upset over not being able to eat...well that was kinda what helped get me to where I needed surgery. Being almost 8 months out now I am pretty content. I eat my own food according to my diet and if I've ever wanted to try anything I may take a tiny bite. Just usually that tiny bite is enough to make me feel content. That's something that came with time tho. I do dump and I know I'm a very weak girl. I can't go there. Hopefully there will come the time soon enough it's the same for you and not the feeling of deprivation. This truly is a blessing for me.

Hi,

Come on Thursday!!! You must be feeling pretty excited! I applaud you for staying on track with your pre-op diet. I struggled with that. I still get the occasional cravings for a whole pizza, a couple 2 liters of pop, and some chinese buffet action. Mentally I still feel about the same but here's the difference for me now: I look at those foods and think to myself, if i eat or drink any bit of them, there are repercussions, i.e. dumping syndrome, dysphagia, etc. Worse yet, the fact that I may very well do harm to my new inner workings. That is enough for me to pass and continue on eating my stage 2 and stage 3 foods. I recommend talking to your psychologist post-op and have him/her recommend some books to read that deal with handling your emotions, cravings, etc. I am only about 3 months post-op but it is my opinion that being and staying sharp mentally is the biggest key to success with having WLS. Best of luck on your new adventure!!!

Thanks! I think the mental journey is the hardest. Let's face it, we all know what foods re and aren't healthy. It's that balance of want vs need, and retraining the old ways. If you have any suggested reading, let me know! I do intend to do post-op therapy...one thing at a time though,right? Thursday can't come soon enough!

I don't think I feel deprived really. After surgery and the adapting to the liquids and learning to eat I was in my own zone about week 4 when I was starting to eat again I had a bit of prob with others eating..such as family meals etc or going out to eat but it truly was something I had to learn to handle. They didn't go through the surgery and I did. I remembered why I had the surgery and the very foods I was kinda upset over not being able to eat...well that was kinda what helped get me to where I needed surgery. Being almost 8 months out now I am pretty content. I eat my own food according to my diet and if I've ever wanted to try anything I may take a tiny bite. Just usually that tiny bite is enough to make me feel content. That's something that came with time tho. I do dump and I know I'm a very weak girl. I can't go there. Hopefully there will come the time soon enough it's the same for you and not the feeling of deprivation. This truly is a blessing for me.

Thanks, Judy (Judy, right?). I am practicing cooking and going out with friends and sticking to my pre-op. I think part of why I'm having the surgery is the mandatory restrictions...that if I do eat something unhealthy, there will be some undesirable results. I guess I have to remember too that I am making this choice to have surgery...it's a choice. At some point, enough is enough!

So, my surgery is this coming Thursday, and I'm on my pre-op diet. I'm sticking to it, but I'm feeling really deprived. I'm craving a pizza, BBQ, etc. Do those cravings and feelings of deprivation go away? I know this is a big head trip, but when I am allowed only 2 oz of food, am I still going to want the junk? I know all the reasoning behind that's what gotten me here, but can a leopard change her spots? Help!

Well I am 18 months post op and I can eat anything I want and I do for the most part. I will let you in on a little secret that I wished I had realized a lot sooner in my journey.

Think of your brain like a 2 year old child. Like a two year old it wants what it wants when it wants it. Now the trick is to learn when your brain is throwing a tantrum. Also learning the different tricks your brain throws at you to sabotage your journey. Let me tell you about a few of the tantrums and tricks my brain did.

1. You can eat that trick!

Once post op you notice how much food is on tv. Tv shows and commercials are every where. My brain started telling me that I should eat scrambled eggs. I remember thinking - I got this. I am feeling great and holding my liquids down. A little scrambled eggs can't hurt. My doctor gives those guidelines for other people, and if he knew how good I felt he would let me eat them. So about a week of my brain telling me this over and over I gave in. My stomach immediately expressed its displeasure and I threw up and felt awful.

2. You would think after throwing up eggs I would have learned - nope a week later my brain was at it again and I finally gave in and ate some lunch meat. Again my stomach explained its displeasure and I threw it up.

3. Your first stall. Your brain is really going to get upset and the tantrum will fly! You will hit your stall about a month in typically. Your body is still getting used to your new body and your brain is struggling to keep up. Finally it says ok stop everything until you give me some answers! It has tried everything to get you to eat things you should not eat. Cravings, head hunger and now a stall. Keep in mind when you would diet in the past you could deny yourself food and felt good when you would lose weight, but when you hit that first stall you give up on the diet. Thinking well if I am denying myself all this food and not losing weight. I might as well eat what I want. So your brain remembers that and it really wants the slice of pizza. So to get what it wants you stop losing weight. Thankfully your stomach dictates what you can eat.

You will have cravings and head hunger, but if you take a moment and figure out why do you want that particular food it will help you in your journey. Just remember sometimes your brain can be your own sorest enemy. As the months go on and after I began thinking of my brain like a two year old I was able to conquer the cravings to a more manageable level.

I hope this helps and makes sense. It has been a long day at work I am a little tired. And good luck!!!

You won't be hungry post op! Just try hard to get enough protein.. Keeps that hungry feeling away....good luck on Thursday! Take a heating pad to hospital.. Helps with the carbon dioxide discomfort ( not too bad and only for a few days ). Walk walk walk!

Thanks, Judy (Judy, right?). I am practicing cooking and going out with friends and sticking to my pre-op. I think part of why I'm having the surgery is the mandatory restrictions...that if I do eat something unhealthy, there will be some undesirable results. I guess I have to remember too that I am making this choice to have surgery...it's a choice. At some point, enough is enough!

It's Alaina

Yep the best part is when u really have it in your mind it's enough. It's the biggest push to go forward. I chose rny cause I knew is cheat. I'm a weak girl. Rny keeps me pretty in check which is what I needed. Good luck!!

You won't feel physically deprived after surgery...you might experience " head hunger" from time to time but if you stick to the plan you'll be fine.

One thing that helped me was cooking really good bariatric food...I use really good ingredients and glean recipes from all over the internet. My kids got me a bariatric cook book, and I use it all the time. When I experience head hunger, I find a new recipes. If you cook, it's a good chance to be really creative.

Thanks to both of you. I guess I'm not concerned about being hungry; I'm concerned about cravings and wanting those old foods. How many times have we eaten 4 slices of pizza when we were full after one or two? It's the difference between "want" (mental) and "need" (physical). How has your mental state changed? I hope I too get to where junk food turns my stomach. My nurse said that cravings do go away and tastes change, so I'm hoping that's true!

Being unable to eat ANYTHING in quantity, no matter what my head told, me helped me get over cravings. Cravings are a mental habit - with time, if you don't feed the habit, it goes away. Try not to look for similar foods to replace your favorites with. From there it's a short step back to old habits. Try to find new healthy favorites. Become a gourmet - eat small amounts of new, delicious, healthier foods and savor the flavors. I'm almost 7months out. I love 2-3 pan seared scallops w/a couple asparagus spears, or 4-5 shrimp cocktail. I savor my yogurt as a sweet desert or snack. A few legume crackers w/spicy hummus make a filling snack. I love full-fat cheese so I indulge in a little now an again. Experiment - not being hungry let's you sample new foods without overdoing it - you'll find your own new favorites. Make it a lifetime change, not a slow transition back to your old habits. :-)

I'm almost a week post op and my stomach growls all the time. I'm always hungry and it drives me crazy. I'm going to ask my surgeon Thursday when I get my staples out but it's terrible. I'm good at getting every vitamin and every ounce of protein in that I need to but am still hungry. I thought for a few days this was a mental thing but I've been waking up in the middle of the night because my stomach is growling so bad. Don't know why I'm an exception but it's so annoying. Luckily I know I can't eat anything other than the delicious pureed food I've been enjoying. :-/