I am 4 months post VSG and down 50 lbs but have had unreasonable sugar cravings in the past week that I have given in to - eating hard candy, drinking small amounts of alcohol, part of a bagel, and today I got a frozen yogurt with crushed up butterfinger in it and ate about 1/2 cup and got so sick - vomited multiple times. Why am I doing this to myself? It's almost like I am testing the limits to see what I can "get away with" which is ridiculous since I KNOW that this isn't good for me long term. I am so close to being under 200 lbs for the first time in over 10 yrs. am I intentionally sabotaging myself? WTF is wrong with me?

Hang in there, I feel very much the same. Sugar and snack cravings are my undoing! Ugh! So hard.

Don't give up though. One or two bad days or even a bad week here or there is s drop in the sea. No one is perfect.

Are you seeing a therapist or counselor? Attending a support group? If not, you need to. You sought the help of a medical professional to "fix" your stomach. If you can't overcome the mental/emotional/psychological part of WLS by yourself then you need to seek the help of a mental health professional to help "fix" your head, too. You need both the physical and mental tools to win the war against obesity. Unfortunately, as you are finding out, the surgery was the easy part.

There are so many options to eat items like that, that still go with your plan. If you have things around that satisfy your needs are still within plan, you are less likely to go off the wagon. Right now at 4 months, you cant tolerate much but at 6 months plus you will be fully healed and your sleeve won't control you like it does now. Work on solving this problem right now.

Protein Brownies..

http://www.eatmeguiltfree.com/

Ice Cream

http://www.halotop.com/

Cook real low carb deserts

http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/category/recipes/low-carb-dessert-recipes

Set aside certain Protein drinks as "treats"

You have to think of this as a lifestyle. That means having options around that fill needs but still match your plan. The good thing about the low carb versions is they cost a little more and require more effort, so you can't just pig out on them or access them easily. For me I find it takes so much time and effort to some times make something to satisfy a craving that by the time I am done cooking I don't even want it.

Also think seriously about what @@Kindle said above.

If substitutes work, I think that is great. For me, if I am on a bender, it all just needs to stop. Junk food has an amazing attribute. If you eat it, you crave more. If you really don't eat it, don't have it in your house, avoid drive throughs or other trigger spots ,-the cravings go away. This is why I eat even fruit sparingly, all that sugar makes me hungry ..especially for more sugar.

Thanks for The feedback. I have been thinking about making an appointment with the psych that I saw pre-op for a while now but haven't actually made the call. The company I work for is being acquired so there are all kinds of stress-inducing unknowns right now, and I am certain that is triggering this emo eating. This site and my post-op FB group are my support groups right now. Unfortunately the clinic where I had my surgery is a few hundred miles away so going to support group there is not reasonable. The bariatric support groups near here are very territorial and only support the people that went through their own programs.

Edited February 27, 201610 yr by 4LoveOfLife

Update: I went to a support group meeting and met with my psychologist and am back on track. Due to some hair loss and the weird intense cravings, she recommended I increase my protein intake from 65g to 80g per day (as well as get my water in). I did this and within a week the cravings subsided completely and I am now under 200 lbs for the first time in many, many years. Thank you all for your support.

Wow. Great string of posts Great hanging in there 4love. I got inspired by your post and the responses you got...thanx everyone for being so supportive of each other. You never know who you'll help