Losing weight after WLS is a lot easier when you don’t have any off-limits foods around. Ideally, you clean your kitchen before surgery, and restock it with healthy foods to make weight loss a no-brainer.

Unfortunately, we don’t all live in a healthy-food-bubble. We may have children who demand normal kid foods like mac and cheese, packaged chips and Cookies, and other high-calorie, low-nutrient fare that’s not really on your WLS diet. Or you may be in charge of cooking for family members who won’t touch the lean Proteins and plain veggies you eat.

So, that means you can’t clear your kitchen of all forbidden foods, and you may even need to have close contact with those foods when you make your children’s lunches or serve your family dinner. How do you cope?

One of my strategies is to always make sure I have a healthy alternative around for me. So, if the kids want ice cream, I can have yogurt or a frozen banana. If they want burgers, I can have a turkey burger on lettuce.

The other thing I do is try to keep healthy foods way more visible and accessible than the junk. I try to keep Snacks like nuts and canned fruit in front of snacks like chips and cookies in the pantry. I also make sure fruits and veggies are super easy to eat – I keep some washed and cut in the fridge so if I opt for mindless munching, I’ll grab them instead of whatever unhealthy alternatives there are, like crackers with jam.

How do you deal with the tempting and off-limits foods that you can’t get out of your life?

I'm lucky that my kids are grown and gone so it's just me and my husband. Although he didn't have WLS he is super easy and eats whatever I do because he wants to loose some weight too. He just eats more than me. Once in a while he'll want some sort of chips or crackers, but that's not a problem for me.....he's a salty snacker and I was always more of a Cookies or ice cream type snacker.

I've always felt like I had pretty powerful will power....Once I start a diet.....I don't normally have any problem sticking to it.....my problems start once I reach goal and start tying to transition to maintenance.........I'm really afraid of that part of this journey as well.....but I have a while to get it figured out.

I've mentioned this before, but I have a cabinet just for "crap" food my kids want. It is 15 steps away from where I do kitchen prep. I put a table in the way to keep me from grazing. I can't make people like what I like, but I can make it difficult or at least not easy for me to access.

most of my kids are grown - but with raising 7 kids, assorted friends and my husband - the idea of not having things I shouldn't eat around is not realistic.

additionally NONE of them are overweight. at all. never have been. if anything my three youngest lean towards being too thin.

SO. I have to be able to have good choices for me amongst the other food available.

often if I bake them Cookies I choose a kind of cookie that is not my favorite for one example. or starches with dinner that are not my favorite things. cuts down on the temptation for me. I simply don't like fish, and yet I often cook fish, especially salmon and then salmon patties for my family. it's just not a big deal.

I never make my grandsons "finish their plates".

I never give them the "starving children around the world" stories.

We have "baked" chips in the house.

We keep "lite" ice cream in freezer along side of the S.F. pops.

There's always fresh fruit available.

We make S.F Jello and pudding.

They get their mac N cheese and I get my Miracle Noodles.

I forbid myself my "demon's food"--AKA chips, Cheetos (the worst), crackers, nuts.

It's all about negotiation around here. If we are successful with planning ahead then no one feels deprived.

--just wish those damned crispy Cheetos were never invented!!!! (food of irresistible Sirens---that's what they are!) Be strong, Valentina. Be strong!!!!

I keep lots of fruit, cheese and nuts around and in the front of the fridge or pantry.

I love the idea of frozen bananas or frozen yogurt so I need to get some of those in my freezer. YUM!

In fact I am watching a show on how to make frozen bananas right now.

My kids are really into eating healthy, we watch many food documentaries with them. We make kid friendly healthy food. We will make veggie wraps, or really cool Soups, Pasta out of zucchini, sloppy joes out of shredded carrots. If it's your kids you're worried about, you don't have to keep processed junk around. I literally can't have that food in my house or I would eventually eat it

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I'm lucky it's just me...after surgery g-sons will have to take any treats home w them.

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@@OKCPirate, that’s a really good idea. It’s so much easier to avoid these foods when we put up a few barriers, even if they’re as simple as separating the foods out from your regular ones, keeping them a few feet away, and putting up the table as a physical barrier.

@@Christinamo7, sounds like you’ve got it under control – that’s great! It’s a smart idea to cook the unhealthy foods that aren’t your favorites, too.

@@Valentina, I have never understood why forcing food down one’s throat to clean the plate could help starving children across the world, and I am glad you don’t make your grandsons clean their plates. Those substitutes for junk food are a good idea – that way, you can eat similar foods but without doing damage or alienating your eating mates!

@@Djmohr, let us know what you learn about frozen bananas. Any fun tips would be great!