Why am I obsessed with watching these shows after surgery? I'm not hungry or even tempted. Anyone else do this???

OMG! I am in my first week post op and my family was laughing at me yesterday when they caught me watching the Food Network. I was watching the best/cheap foods to eat in New Orleans. It was really interesting so I didn't change the channel. I live in Louisiana about 3 hours away from NOLA so we travel there often. It was so weird. Usually watching commercials or shows about food make me wanna grab a snack while sitting in front of the tv but I had no desire to eat or a single craving for any of my Cajun or Creole favorites they were showing. So I watched the entire show waiting to see if it would change the way I felt. Don't get me wrong- the food looked soooo delicious but not a single close-up of the food made me salivate or feel a need to eat.

It felt really empowering to no longer have the desire to eat just for the heck of it.

I did the same thing in the first couple months after surgery. I call it watching food porn.

Here's the bad news, down the road it did in fact make cravings worse and I even caught myself snacking when it was not necessary. (Very bad habit to start back up).

Now, the only time I watch it is when I am eating a scheduled meal because once I am filling up the grouch pouch she does not care what food I look at.

And yes, I have taken a lot of salad , fish and chicken recipes and adapted them for my eating which was nice.

It can catch up to you down the road so be very careful.......

Just for myself, I put away some habits after WLS.... Perusing cookbooks, watching food porn ( thanks djmohr) shopping often , cooking elaborate meals OFTEN!

I just had to change up my personal habits to make my life different. At 60 years old i feel like my next and last chapter of my life has been wonderful and healthy. 8 1/2 years ago... I could NOT say that.

Thanks lap band docs.⭐️

@@Julie norton did u keep the weight off?

I agree with what Djmohr posted. During the first three months (especially first month) post op, you don't have much desire for food at all. I went through the Christmas holiday without one craving for sugar, starch, or carbs. Around six months post op, it changes drastically. Your appetite increases and so does your craving for savory foods. Shows like "Chopped" or "Iron Chef" can be triggers. The worst for me was "Good Eats". He makes every dish so appetizing and easy to make. Before surgery, I would have made many of the dishes on the show. Now, I have to be very careful. There is an entire episode of "Good Eats" that teaches you how to make your own Protein bars. I'm pretty sure its on Netflix, so check it out.

The best and worst shows to watch if you want to steer clear from cravings are both on the Travel Channel. "Man vs. Food" is the ABSOLUTE WORST if you are trying to NOT induce food cravings. I love the show's host, but every episode has him completing food challenges by pigging out on mouth watering dishes. He also has a way of making foods more appetizing through language and just the look on his face.

The BEST food show to NOT INDUCE FOOD CRAVINGS is BIZARRE FOODS with Andrew Zimmem. It actually helped me drink my nasty Protein drinks and a few other foods that were not appetizing to me, but I ate/drink anyway for the protein or nourishment. Plus, the show covers a lot of creative way to get your protein. I am seriously thinking about crickets. Well, not eating them whole. I wouldn't be able to stand getting the legs stuck between my teeth. However, the blended up cricket powder is suppose to be LOADED with protein. I also heard that they taste good dry roasted. You can buy the powder or dry roasted version on the internet. I'm thinking about putting the cricket powder in my morning Protein Drink. As for other kinds of bugs, I'm not quite sure yet. The show encourages eating a variety.

My mom always use to say that you have to suffer to be beautiful. The same goes for weight loss, you have to be willing to go through discomfort and frustration in order to be skinny. It must be somewhat true since I've lost 140 pounds since surgery 9 months ago.

I'm with you, total food porn! lol I watch Diners Driveins and Dives like an old lady at Chip and Dales! lol If I ever meet Guy Fietti I may try to put a dollar in his pants! lol