I am trying to read/learn as much as I can about the lap band before surgery - and I'm getting worried about my sweet tooth. Like a lot of obese people I reckon I'm an emotional eater - I don't drink, smoke, drink tea or coffee but I reach for sweet things or carbs when I'm stressed etc. I have been trying high protein diet for the past week or so and I am completely miserable - I'm not keen on meats or eggs!

Also some of the european lap band websites I am on, say if you eat a lot of sweet things you are not suitable for a band!!!!

I know I will have to eat less, and up the protein for health reasons - i love fish and tofu but does anyone else out there find they can indulge their sweet tooth (as in low fat chocolate mousse, no-sugar jello, popcorn etc?) and still lose weight with the band? I'm afraid i'm doomed even before i start....

For example could I stick to a weightwatchers diet (ooops the D word!) and "point" food and still lose weight? Does it have to be an Atkins road?

any advice greatly appreciated

to cure a seet tooth you can get no carb/no sugar candybars at walgreens, walmart, kroger, eckerds. i would say most rx's and most groceries in the dieters section

brands are... adtkins, carbolite, pure-d-lite, and russel stover. as long as you stay under 20 carbs a day you can eat these.

i like the atdkins brand best.

when i do the adtkins diet i eat 2 candybars a day. i am 2 weeks post op and not watching what i eat all as long as it meets my dr's criteria i am allowing myself to eat. as soon as i am cleared for reg foods i will do adtkins strictly. or try anyway!

michelle

325-303-170

Hi, Bright,

I had a sweet tooth before the surgery. But after all the Protein chocolate drinks, I don't crave sweets anymore. In fact, I prefer sour and tart things. I thought I couldn't wait to have a chocolate milk shake, one of my weekly favs, but I haven't had one since the surgery. Same with Coca-Cola, I don't miss it at all.

I think you'll do fine! And if you do crave the sweet stuff, you can't eat as much as you use to!

Hi Bright,

It's really hard to kick a sweets habit cold-turkey, so I'd suggest you not even try. My poison of choice in the sweets department is ice cream--which, thank goodness, is mushy so I didn't have to go without for long.

Too much of anything creates cravings for what one is avoiding, I find, so my goal is balance. Protein first doesn't mean I can't have a small dish of frozen yogurt for dessert, if I want it.

I'd imagine a WW-type "points" system would work just fine post-band if you assiduously take care to get in all your protein. Remembering that the quantity you can ingest will have been cut in half or so, you'll have to make choices based on nutritional priorities rather than just what your taste buds want at a given moment.

I guess you're right Alexandra, my grandmother always said "everything in moderation"! The secret must be protein first, and a little of what you fancy last!

Michelle, I live in Ireland and we don't have any atkins products at all here - I wonder what they're like? A protein made to taste like a carb?

I am definitely going to try the chocolate flavoured protein drinks - but i really hate the atkins plan - especially in the mornings - i love my bagel and low fat cream cheese or a bowl of cereal! I think i will have to say good bye to two of my fave things - diet coke and bagels!

hey bright... make that 1 thing!!! my doc says diet sodas are ok after 2 weeks of being banded! sip, sip, sip.... i have drank a diet 7 up and a few sips of diet cherry coke!

some say to let it sit for a while and thats good advice! i took a sip of fresh diet cherry coke and could feel the fiz fizzing. now it was such a tiny sip theres no way it could have expanded to more than 4 oz but cokes are one thing i used to chug!

i have been enjoying sugar free popsicles and puddings, jellos etc and i am sure they are fine to eat on your regular diet i dont want the extra carbs they give you. i am still healing so i am eating anything on my post op diet-carbs or not! and i have lost 18 lbs!!!

i thinks as long as your not eating desert as MEALS than a 'taste' isnt so bad!

you can order candy bars online at:

http://atkins.com/shop/atkins-food-brands/endulge.html

I like them. especially when not having any carbs!! they save the day!

Hey Michelle,

wow- your weight loss is brilliant! You must be thrilled!

I went online to the Atkins site.... and nearly cried!!! They charge $40 to send anything to europe! I'm so annoyed I didn't look this up before cos my husband just came back from a business trip (Delaware, NYC, New Jersey!) and I should have asked him to get me some! Oh well - my uncle, who is a catholic priest, lives in NYC - I'll make him go out shopping for me!!! He's making a trip to Ireland before christmas so he can come home laden with Atkins peanut butter cups and brownie mix!

thanks for the info about the diet coke - if I stay off the cans and stick with the big bottles (which always end up flat and non fizzy anyway!) I should be ok! You're so right - reason I'm overweight in the first place is brownies INSTEAD of dinner!

take care!

Bright, just a tip re: the sweet tooth - someone on another list said she mixed sugar-free instant pudding with plain nonfat yogurt and it was a yummy treat that took care of her sweet craving. She also suggested freezing it like a popsicle (although I think I'd prefer it not frozen, myself). Thought I'd pass that along in case you could use it!

hey bright-

i dont know how much shipping is but i wouldnt mind shipping you some if your uncle has a hard time finding them or has to pay a lot. i live outside of nashville tn and i at our local walmart they sell a box of 5 packages of Peanut Butter cups (3 per pack) for 4.25$!!!! if you get the candy bars at a pharmacy or grocery store but they are about 2$ a piece. the only ones walmart sells in bulk are the pb cups the other flavours are 1$ each. another benifit is if you eat to many it will work as a laxative. i have eaten 3 candy bars in a day and not had that effect though!

now as far as the brownie mix, pancake mix, Cookies, pizza crust and other foods they make have all gotten horrid reviews, and they are fairly expensive...15$ a box of baking mix.

if you eat more than 20 carbs a day though these candybars turn into fat! so that is important!

Oh Michelle, how good are you!

Thank you so much for your offer - when I have had my surgery (hopefully at the end of october!) I would be thrilled to get some of the atkins treats! But first, I would mail you the $$$$ including some for mailing etc - it would probably cost way less than on the atkins site!

Hope I'm not being pushy! I guess you're right about the bake mixes but it would be great to get the treats for a friday-night-in front -of -the- tv- watchin -Will & Grace- and- ER -reruns!!!!

Don't worry about it for now though - have a think!

Thanks so much again xx

hey bright!

it would be no problem for a fellow bandster! remember i offered! i am going to the post office this evening i'll see if they can tell me the price to mail 5 pounds to dublin and i'll let you know what they say! i have no idea as i have never shipped overseas!

October is right around the corner!!!!

Michelle, you're an angel, thanks! How kind!

I'm still waiting for the French Consultancy company to get back to me re the surgery but apparently there's no waiting list! So it's just the matter of seeing if i can get in with Dr Frerer who is apparently the best in the world! He has done over 3600 lap bands! Just a matter of getting the money together! We had planned to go to florida next easter but we may have to use the money for surgery instead!

thanks again hon xx