I am 6 wks post op tomorrow and have had a pretty smooth transition and I feel great but I am wondering how you deal with food cravings when they come up? I have stuck strictly to my surgeons program but I figure food cravings are inevitable at some point and I'm looking for the tips/tricks for dealing with them. I would really love to hear from new post ops but also the veterans who have worked thir program long term with success.

My surgeon said that you should work your cravings into your meals, as your stomach will only hold a small amount. Just try to avoid eating outside of your meals and definitely avoid any calories from liquid as they don't do much to fill you up.

If my craving has been for something that I cannot have, I usually searched pinterest and the blog sites for substitute recipes. For instance, I have tried a fake mac and cheese using cauliflower. I tried a grilled cheese sandwich using cauliflower bread. I have made cupcakes with Protein powder and almond flour. I made a pizza with a portabella mushroom for the "crust." If it is for something that I shouldn't have, I have found that 1 bite of something that I am craving often satisfies the craving. For instance, I am not released for fried foods or potatoes. However, we were at a restaurant and they served my husband some fat steak fries that smelled wonderful. I ate a bite of one dipped in a little ketchup. It satisfied that craving:)

How I respond to the craving depends upon the cause and the specifics of what I crave. If I am dying to hit the drive-thru on the way home from work, I know that I'm just hungry and I try to pivot to thinking up foods I can make for dinner quickly once I get home. If I'm craving sweets, I'll try to find a suitable bariatric-friendly alternative or have a tiny little taste of whatever it is I want.

I agree with @@Rebecca Jo Ragon. Sometimes, you just need to grab a steak fry, dip it in ketchup, and enjoy it. In the 6(ish) months since my surgery, I can count on one hand the times I've indulged in sweets or other things that were off-book, and I don't have a problem with that rate of deviance.

And on that front I also think @@aelovelady is right: build any cravings into your meals, as the biggest risk factor to sabotaging your own weight loss is grazing. Especially if you work in your craving at the end of your meal, there's only so much damage you can do from going off your plan.