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What Is Your Brilliant Substitute for a Craving?



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I can't seem to stomach olives, pickles, marinated mushrooms, did I used to LOVE before! Maybe it's the acid and I'm not far enough out yet. I need to find a way to get more calories in. I usually have an egg and a few tbsp of cottage cheese in the morning or just a muscle milk, which is 210 calories and 25 grams of Protein for Breakfast. Then lunch may be hummus and an organic red or yellow pepper. Then dinner is usually a chix breast with spinach (Pam spray). During the day I drink as much Water I can tolerate and an Isopure which is 40 grams of Protein. Tonight I'm trying, for the first time, a beef patty and some egg whites. Haven't had beef yet.

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I can't seem to stomach olives, pickles, marinated mushrooms, did I used to LOVE before! Maybe it's the acid and I'm not far enough out yet. I need to find a way to get more calories in. I usually have an egg and a few tbsp of cottage cheese in the morning or just a muscle milk, which is 210 calories and 25 grams of Protein for Breakfast. Then lunch may be hummus and an organic red or yellow pepper. Then dinner is usually a chix breast with spinach (Pam spray). During the day I drink as much Water I can tolerate and an Isopure which is 40 grams of Protein. Tonight I'm trying, for the first time, a beef patty and some egg whites. Haven't had beef yet.

Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App

Have you had scrambled eggs yet? Whole eggs, not just the white. I scramble mine until they just start to set and add a pat of butter along the way. I also add a bit of cheese. High fat, high protein, easy on my tummy. Solid eggs whites don't sit well with me at all.

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I haven't had butter yet. I've had olive oil. When I have the scrambled egg, it's whole and cooked the way you described, without cheese. I find that salt is much more salty now. I love cheese but it's so salty to me. It would add an extra 100 calories so I will try that tomorrow.

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Thanks, I will try that. And it will add some calories. I don't want to not be getting enough calories because it will have the opposite effect on the weight part even though the health part is my main concern.

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Oh yeah, my craving substitute...

I used to crave a nice long sleep in before waking up to a nice, hot, triple espresso...

I've replaced that with 4am wake up calls, cold trips to the gym and alternating between protein-induced diarrhea and constipation...

Yeah...

F*cking brilliant!!!

Guuurrlllll....

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I haven't had butter yet. I've had olive oil. When I have the scrambled egg, it's whole and cooked the way you described, without cheese. I find that salt is much more salty now. I love cheese but it's so salty to me. It would add an extra 100 calories so I will try that tomorrow.

Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App

Try a pat of butter instead. In the mix and then right before serving. YUM.

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I always love hearing from BariatricPal members about your great ideas for satisfying cravings with healthy substitutes. You might make them yourself with new recipes, or order a dish from a restaurant but with certain requirements, like bunless or without sauce.

I know a lot of substitutes, like portabello pizza for real pizza, and pureed cauliflower or turnip for mashed potatoes, and baked “fried” chicken with Fiber One or almond meal instead of breading and frying…but I know you all have a ton of excellent ideas that are WLS-friendly solutions for all those craveables!

Share them here, please, and we’ll all be able to satisfy our cravings a little more easily!

I shop when I have a craving. Empty fridge but amazing wardrobe! :D

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I shop when I have a craving. Empty fridge but amazing wardrobe! :D

I always love hearing from BariatricPal members about your great ideas for satisfying cravings with healthy substitutes. You might make them yourself with new recipes, or order a dish from a restaurant but with certain requirements, like bunless or without sauce.

I know a lot of substitutes, like portabello pizza for real pizza, and pureed cauliflower or turnip for mashed potatoes, and baked “fried” chicken with Fiber One or almond meal instead of breading and frying…but I know you all have a ton of excellent ideas that are WLS-friendly solutions for all those craveables!

Share them here, please, and we’ll all be able to satisfy our cravings a little more easily!

We should be besties. Really.

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I'm a lazy chef. Here's some of the things I eat when I REALLY want something bad.

Ice cream = sugar free fudgecicle. Works EVERY time

Cheesecake = couple tbsp low fat cream cheese, add some sweetener, little lemon juice, maybe a tbsp of sugar free strawberry jelly. You could add PB2 or some nuts for crunch.

pizza = take all the toppings I would put on a pizza and bake them in a ceramic bowl. If I just need a crust, I'll use a low carb mission tortilla

Pasta = zucchini can replace Pasta in pretty much any dish

Sushi = sliced cucumber, shrimp or salmon, avocado, ginger, soy sauce and a drizzle of sesame oil (in a bowl like a salad or individual pieces stacked on slices of cucumber)

When I need inspiration, I hit the low carb recipes. I find that they work well for me. I swap or eliminate items as necessary.

www.ibreatheimhungry.com

http://www.kalynskitchen.com/p/recipes-by-diet-type.html

I love tacos, so sometimes I'll buy one or 2 and just eat the insides. I think sometimes we overthink our food choices. I just try to stick with JERF (just eat real food).

Edited by her1981

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Spicespost-239352-14649241399768_thumb.jpg

And high quality meats. I only need 3-4 ounces so I can go high end. If worse comes to worse I'll read @@dubs food porn

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At work when I get hit with a craving.......I carry my happy arse over to the Starbuck's kiosk and grab a cup of Cafe Verona with splenda and a shot of French vanilla Creamer. I follow it with a 30 oz bottle of Water and I'm good to go for a while.

I don't really get hit with cravings around the house.

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I bought an ice cream maker and just starting making Protein strawberry ice cream. Almond milk (unsweetened) a couple of scoops of unijury unflavored a package of stevia and fresh strawberries. It is deicious, even my family eats it and I feel like I am being so sinful! I also made it with fresh cherries. I am not a big chocolate person but am thinking of trying to make some with pistachios.

I also make a meat sauce with ground beef, chopped up tomatoes, basil, oregano, a little red wine, onions, garlic..just a basic meat sauce, let it cook nice and thick. My family eats it on spaghetti and if I am really dying for spaghetti, I have the barilla Protein spaghetti but I LOVE this on squash. I will even just make zuchini and put it on top of it. I also use it for "fakepizza" where I just melt cheese on it. I also tried the miracle noodles, but didnt care for the texture, but they are great in casseroles.

Another favorite of mine is I take a avocado and just mash it up with a tablespoon of salsa. It is sooo good! I will eat it alone or have with quinoa chips.

I agree, I also make the cheese chips (just melt your favorite shredded cheese in the oven in little piles, they melt and once they are cool are great little chips!

Almonds is also my favorite snack. I sprinkle them with old bay. God its good.

What I like most about these items are they are VERY filling. Just like a 1/4 cup of sauce and I am FULL. And it stays with me. Skinny Pop is also so good and I can never eat the 3 cups you are allowed to have. 1/2 cup and I am done!

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eggs! I always have some hard boiled eggs in the fridge at all times. They are great when you need a quickie meal.

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I have been making sugar free pudding with Fairlife skim milk. It helps with the sweet cravings. My grocery store had the usual kinds of SF pudding, but this time I also found cheesecake and white chocolate! YUM!

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    • LeighaTR

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    • Doughgurl

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      · 3 replies
      1. Phil Penn

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      2. Selina333

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    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

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