Please help... need suggestions of where, how, & how much?!

I want to start cooking and baking but some of the food we see includes some kind of sugar, honey etc. I don't want to use that so have been eating

"the basic" stuff which I am getting tired of . Any suggestions appreciated

Wow, that's some big font!!

Ummm.. lemme go read what you were asking again....

Ok, so you are about 9 months postop, but want to start cooking and baking, but don't want to use a bunch of sugar or caloric sweeteners..

Well, they do make splenda for baking (my mil has this big bag of it running around).

But, honestly, I'd rather see you put real sweetener in, then limit how much/often you eat it, then go with all this artificial stuff. Once you are creating baked goods.. carbs are just part of the deal. "Sugar Free" pies and ice cream STILL aren't good for ya

In fact, if you bake with real sugar, butter, the works.. then you kinda KNOW it's a caloric nightmare, and can choose to eat just a little bit. Once you put in the fake stuff, or replace sugar with applesauce, then suddenly it "seems" like it has fewer calories, and is healthier, so it's ok to eat more. At least this is how it works for me!

I do recommend having someone you can give the "extra" to when you bake something, so the whole cake isn't sitting around the house, staring at you.

Go to bariatriceating.com They have very good recipes for desserts. I've made the black bean brownies and pumpkin bread and the chocolate chip cookies.

During my group sessions one person said "Look at this surgery as a reset and be careful what foods you reintroduce back into your routine" The person stopped all breads, most carbs and limits sweets to a thin slice at birthdays. I thought this makes sense since we were all given a golden ticket that we should use wisely. My sister is a master baker and pre surgery she would make me sugar free pies and cakes. I asked her not to make me anything post surgery since I didn't want to reintroduce those types of food back into my routine. I'm taking the advice of my group partner and I will try my best to reset what foods I will eat continuing forward. Some people like my sister will bake elaborate pastries only to give them away since she bakes for the love of baking. Some will bake and consume most all that they create. At this stage I hope most of us aren't consumers but givers when it comes to baking goods.

It is a lifestyle change so I think it is important to find quality replacements so long term you never feel deprived. If you feel deprived then it feels like a diet and that makes you want to cheat.

If I want chocolate on my period I get Lily's which is sweetened with Stevia. If I want a quick something to grab I have protein bars or eatmeguiltfree brownies. Sometimes I have halo top ice cream.

The kind and type of substitute sweetener you use depends on what you are making and the desired results.

I always have good luck with recipes from here. https://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/

Good luck @PER

9 hours ago, Danny Paul said:

The person stopped all breads, most carbs and limits sweets to a thin slice at birthdays. I thought this makes sense since we were all given a golden ticket that we should use wisely.

That's the mindset that I am taking on to the future.

My bread, cake, biscuit/cookie consumption is a most serious aspect of my life of weight gain.

I will do my best to NOT reintroduce breads, cakes, biscuits and "cookies" ever again. I am building resolve.

At 61, this is truly my golden ticket that started sliding too far away 25+ years ago.

I personally hate the taste of all artificial sugar. I’m also 26 and not ready to give up all bread sugar and carbs. I think personally I’d rather limit what I take in, and treat myself occasionally then to try to find chemically altered alternatives. All those artificial sweeteners scare me.