Everyone has a craving sometime. It might be for pizza, ice cream, tacos, Pasta, or any of the other foods that you used to eat – or overeat – before weight loss surgery. What do you do when a craving hits?

• Wait until it passes, even if it’s a few days.
• Wait a day, and then give in if the craving is still there.
• Make a healthy substitute, such as sugar-free hot chocolate instead of brownies or light popcorn as a salty, crunchy substitute for potato chips.
• Have a bit or two of the real thing, since that is the only thing that will satisfy you.
• Give in. Enjoy your treat, and worry about the consequences tomorrow.

Choose your answer, and explain it in the conversation below. Share your tips for dealing with cravings, and include any recipe swaps that you use to deal with your cravings in a healthy way!

Grrr. I tried to respond and lost my text. Long story short when I can I will substitute for craving. I have learned on this journey that cravings for me usually stem from a mental or emotional state that is less then desirable.

In the past indulging in the craving would sooth me enough to work through the issues, or I would eat my frustration at having no control over the issue to resolve it.

Today I try to work through these things directly and when they are out of my control and frustration is the result I will turn to non food things that bring me pleasure or happiness.

I might take a walk on the beach, take a nap, read a good book, listen to music, or indulge in lounging on the couch and watching movie.

When there are things that you just have to have..like that once a year "treat" that you only can get at a summer carnival or on Thanksgiving some special family recipe or something I enjoy it, and eat what my band will allow and I don't feel bad or guilty about it at all.

I crave chocolate now and then so I have pure protein chocolate deluxe bars I have for a meal!! Hahah yummmmm I am currently awaiting some frollicks to come!! They will be my chip substitute! They don't sell them here in NY so I had to have a friend in Colorado get them for me and send them!! I found them online.. Frollicks.com

I don't crave as much because I keep myself full with proteins. When I crave something sweet, I will have some blueberries or cherries and just recently I discovered quinoa blueberry coconut milk pudding or chia seeds with coconut milk and banana pudding. Both are low in sugar and high in proteins. I also have yogurt, skinny cow or weight watchers ice cream bars. But as far as pizza, cookies, cakes, rice, pasta, bread...I haven't craved then much. When I am out with my friends they will get dessert and I might have a bite but generally I just don't want it. I also have protein shakes with pb2 to fill my sweet tooth. This is a lifestyle and not a diet. So we can splurge and enjoy things all in moderation.

I drink something then wait 30 minutes, and if I find I still want the item I will have a bite or two of the real thing. Before I would have had all of the Cookies or the whole pizza. But if I have the room left in my calorie/carb count I will have it, otherwise it will be on my mind all night. I find I generally don't get craving except for during my special *snort* womanly time (sorry I tried to type that with a straight face and totes couldn't).

Out of control cravings as I knew them in my "past life" don't exist for me any more. I had to do A LOT of headwork to get to this point though. Those processed, unhealthy simple carbs just don't have that POWER over me and my eating decisions any more.

Ice cream was one of my hugest triggers (wasn't uncommon to wolf down a gallon or more a week). I made the painful decision pre-surgery that I could not allow ice cream to live in my house ever again. I learned to make healthy substitutes for ice cream into recipes that I control the contents, and that took away the feeling of being deprived or being "different" from everyone else. My favs are frozen banana rounds covered with a light coating of crunchy Peanut Butter and a dab of Smuckers SF Hot Fudge Topping. I also make Fage 0% plain Greek yogurt & Protein (powder) drops that I freeze. I flavor them with all different kinds of things--peanut butter, pumpkin, pistachio SF pudding mix, mashed banana, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, Torani SF syrup, the new Milksplash liquid milk enhancer (like MIO liquid drops--check 'em out at Target or WalMart in Hot Cocoa section) etc, etc.

At about 2-1/2 years out from surgery, I started allowing myself to have ice cream (if I wanted it) but no more than twice a month, and only OUT SOMEWHERE. Most months, I don't even get any. NEVER did I think I would EVER make a statement like that!!!

The CRAZIEST thing that works for me when I see something that LOOKS really good (like all that stuff in the fresh bakery dept) and triggers those old habits in my brain that says EAT THAT UNHEALTHY THING---I simply pause a second and visualize a big red stop sign and then say to myself "I don't eat that any more." I don't know WHY it works--I only know that I have been doing it for over 2-1/2 years and the more I say it to myself, the stronger I am feeling when faced with temptation. Go figure--the mind works in mysterious ways. . .

When I get a carb craving, I eat a big hunk of Protein first. Then, if I still have the craving (usually it's for some birthday cake at work), I'll let myself have whatever I can stuff in 1/2 of a (small) Styrofoam coffee cup. It's worked well for me for the past 18 months.

Ok, I'm glad I found this thread. I was at a party today, I had a glass of wine half a hamburger, yes some of the bun too. And a half a piece of birthday cake. I have excuses as to why. I was with people who don't know about my surgery, and truthfully I wanted to celebrate a special birthday with family and friends. I feel guilty , but I also feel entitled. I haven't eaten anything that bad, yet, it's been about 7 weeks since my surgery. I just hope my sleeve won't be effected. :/

Personally, I don't really 'crave' much. I love what I eat, I always have. And that pretty much consists of yogurt or Protein shakes for Breakfast, salads with some chicken for lunch, and salmon/veggies for dinner. It's easy, simple to make and I can switch veggies up within my dinner & lunch with whatever I have on hand.

I don't exclude any foods either, I feel like if I tell myself I absolutely can not have it, that I will want it even more. I allow myself the free will of eating 'badly' if I really want to, and 99% of the time I usually sticking with my healthy meals because of that.

The only strict rule I stick by is that I make all my meals myself, so I know exactly what goes into it. No pre-packaged foods.

I do enjoy wine often with my best friend, however.

Edited July 26, 201412 yr by alicesandra

June 9th, I had the Gastric Bypass. I have had cravings, but mostly I have had Wishes. I live in a gated community. I really do not have big cravings. I have what I call Boredom attacks. When I am bored of whats going on, I want to eat. I have gotten up to exercise when a craving hits. Luckily for me. I get only a few cravings..

Make a healthy substitute. While it's rare for me to have a 'craving', sometimes I just want to have something similar to what others are having. At home I make a healthy alternative for myself. Example: when I make pizza for my husband, I will make pizza-stuffed zucchini for myself. Or when I make him lasagna I will make a little ricotta bake for myself. Sometimes my husband prefers my version of dinner to his... Lol

I agree with the posts about balance. This is a new lifestyle for me now. I eat healthy the majority of the time. On occasion, I will indulge in something special. Difference post surgery...no binge eating.

I had a hard time choosing just one answer. I do all of those things, depending on what's going on, what it is, and how I feel. I try to always make good choice, but I don't always succeed. If it's a craving for something like cake, my favorite thing that offers no nutritional value, then I put it off. Sometimes I put it off for a day, sometimes for weeks. But if it stays on my mind, then I will usually give in, have it, count the calories, and move on. Other things that are not as "bad", I might try to work in to my usual diet if possible, like nuts. They are high in calories, but offer good nutritional value, so as long as I count weigh and count the calories, I "give in".

In this poll, I chose wait a day and give in if the craving is still there. I think most of the time if I really want something that is high calorie with no nutritional value, that's what I do. I give myself a chance to see if it's something I really want, and have the opportunity to see if the thought passes, and if it doesn't, I just go ahead and have it. I try NOT to do that too often, but my goal is to live a normal, non-food obsessed life. Too bad I never crave broccoli.

Why would we choose to eat the crap that got us to where we had to get the surgery. ? Yes are Timmy's are smaller but it's the stuff that makes us fat . Yes this surgery helps us lose the weight but if we chose to go back to eating the stuff that got is to the weight we are destiny to gain it all back

Why would we choose to eat the crap that got us to where we had to get the surgery. ? Yes are Timmy's are smaller but it's the stuff that makes us fat . Yes this surgery helps us lose the weight but if we chose to go back to eating the stuff that got is to the weight we are destiny to gain it all back

I choose to eat off plan sometimes because I'm realistic. And human. I did not have this surgery to live a restricted life....I did it to be free. And I am. I'm free to live a normal, healthier, thinner life and still eat the things I enjoy. The difference is I have one slice or a couple bites instead of the whole pizza or 1/2 the cake. I've been doing this since I started feeling "normal" at about 3 months out and I've blown past my surgeon's and personal goals. At 7 months I'm at a normal BMI, my bloodwork is great and I'm still losing. But like I said before, this is not the only way, it's just my way, and everyone needs to find what works for them and what they can live with for the next several decades.

Edited July 26, 201412 yr by Kindle

To make weight loss surgery a long time success story, we have to learn to eat right. The surgery helps with quantity, but we have to help ourselves with QUALITY. That being said, if you're eating healthy, quality foods for each of your meals, I don't see anything wrong with indulging every once in a while (I do it once a week) in foods that are not of quality, but just taste darn good. I eat right, I do cardio 5 days out of the week, I lift weights 4 days out if the week, and I do not feel guilty about my once a week indulgences (or outings where there are no healthy options) because I do everything right 99% of the time. And when I do give in it's in small, controlled quantities.