Do you give in, as in having a couple of small bites or do you totally try to fight it off? Was wondering which would be the best way to handle it.

Thanks

I have crave chocolate i eat it , If i want some ice cream I eat it .

Why ? If not your depriving yourself , which IMHO is not different than a diet which lets face it obviously did not work for any of us . I feel if you deprive yourself then you are more opt to go over board.

So if you crave something then have a small portion of it .

HTH

MIndy

I haven't been banded yet.....but in the past when I have a craving I just gut through it.....my 'off' switch is defective....if I have one hershey kiss, I have ten....or fifteen.....if I have a handful of potato chips...I have half of a bag......so until I am able to repair the off switch, I just suck it up and try to think about something else.

I know, that's a tough one.

I thought maybe of having a donut once a week and look forward to that.

If you crave chocolate, I agree and have a little bit. Just get a candy bar.

I can't handle having any "bulk" food in the house and I have throw it away. Why torture myself.

I think it's different for everyone. I am the type of person that can't handle eating just a small portion of something sweet. Sweets have always been my downfall, so for me, it's best to try to avoid them. Once I partake in them, that's all I want. If you have the willpower to eat a small portion and stop, then go ahead and enjoy.

Also just wanted to add that I keep my frozen diet treats in the freezer in the basement. I have to make the extra effort to go down there and get on.

I also keep any sweets on my husband's bureau for him. That way he can tell if I have been into them.

I do think it works for some people to have a small portion of whatever they are craving, and the Band certainly makes it possible to do so.

That said, I never feel good about myself after giving in to temptation. Therefore 98% of the time, I start out by reminding myself of my goal and how I will feel about myself if I give into this craving, then I try to ignore the craving completely, if that doesn't work then I find a substitution. If I am craving something sweet, a nice ripe pear usually does the trick for me.

I will be more lenient and forgiving with myself when I reach goal, but right now I am very focused on reaching my goal weight by (or hopefully before) my one year Bandiversary. It also helps to remind myself that in a few more months I will be able to enjoy a small treat from time to time.

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I do think that some people might not be able to do this . However I do think you can for instance, Chocolate , Say you want some ,, you can find a "healthier" alternative to satisfy your craving, the band is not going to let you eat an entire bag of chips .

Even for chips, if you crave that salty crunch , get some healthier version of your favorite chips they are all over now. Also what I do , just so its not as hard, If i have a bag of chips, I will take it and get those snack size zip lock bags, (This goes for anything thats not individually packaged) and say 12 chips is one serving, I break the WHOLE BAG up into this snack bags so each bag has 1 serving, that way if i want chips i grab one LITTLE BAG and not the WHOLE bag, it helps to trick your eyes. You think " OH Ok bags done " It works, for me its less tempting to just keep eating. I do it for my kids too so they dont sit there and eat a whole bag of something.

Also you can get chocolates, Like the ghiradeli ( Spelling) Chocolates that are individually wrapped one serving!

HTH

Mindy

An open container of ice cream or chips ( or anything like it) is NOT safe around me. If I was able to handle single portions of those food while the rest sat in the freezer or cabinet, I would not have needed the band.

One bite and the whole thing is gone! Before I was banded, for halloween, I had my husband buy Skittles and Starburst only. The leftovers are still in the cabinet. Those are about the only two candies I could think of that I wouldn't eat.

I can also not be left alone in a house with Twizzlers and Tostitos!

I have not had a twizzler since surgery. Fear keeps me away. I just think it will sit like a lead bullet in the pouch.

Please don't tell me they won't....

Maybe with better restriction ( still waiting) I'll have more willpower, in the meantime those foods are not allowed in the house.

An open container of ice cream or chips ( or anything like it) is NOT safe around me. If I was able to handle single portions of those food while the rest sat in the freezer or cabinet, I would not have needed the band.

One bite and the whole thing is gone!

Maybe with better restriction ( still waiting) I'll have more willpower, in the meantime those foods are not allowed in the house.

Shortgal, you sound just like me! I totally agree with your opening statement. It's just best for me not to indulge!

I consider myself at very good restriction right now, unfortunately for me, those foods are still a no-no. The fact that they go down so easily (especially the sweets) makes me try to stay away from them. They pretty much go down like a slightly thick liquid and I could eat that kind of stuff all day long if I let myself. I'm still working on the willpower part, lol! :huh2:

LOL, yeah don't they just sit there and whisper to you, "come get me, you know you want me". Actually, I think they scream it to me.

I doubt I will ever be safe around those foods. I just keep them out of the house, as much as possible. The worst time is if you have company and there are leftovers of anything.

Let's face it we're addicts.

I try to find substitutes for cravings. Like I love Icecream but I eat frozen yogurt or reduced fat icecream when I want to indulge....but really the only thing I crave that I can't seem to find a sub for is freaking bread. And I think that is going to be a lifelong struggle. Bread has been my weakness since I was a little girl. I would rather eat nothing but a loaf a bread a day for a year then have any sweet anytime I want.

"Hi. My name is Make33 and I'm a chocoholic!!" (C/A Meeting talk: Chocoholics Anonymous)!!!

That's the old me--now I avoid chocolate any way I can (other than my Protein shake) by simply not buying it. Luckily in my office the candy is out front and I would have to walk out in front of everyone and get a piece--much too degrading!

BUT, I'm no angel for sure. I love potato chips and wheat thins, so my answer when I simply MUST have some is to look on the bag/box and find out what "one serving" comprises: usually 15 chips/crackers. I then count them out and close up the bag/box. And I do not allow myself to go back a second time!

Funny the games we have to play with ourselves in order to win this battle of the bulge...:drool:

Satisfy the craving.

I've tried both ways-avoiding/substituting or just giving into the craving. I have to say it depends on the day which one is most effective! For the most part, I just don't have those foods in the house and I avoid them. I was never a big ice cream eater anyway, but if I crave it, I go get nonfat frozen yogurt at Golden Spoon. Sometimes(like yesterday!) I gave into my craving for chocolate cake and I was totally disappointed. Not only in myself, but in the taste. I don't get the same satisfaction or "high" out of shoving food down my face anymore. I have a few bites and I'm full and it doesn't taste as good as it did in my dreams! I admit, it took me awhile to get to this point and I still have "bad" days where I slip up, but overall, I am so happy that the band reduces my cravings.

Now Im not saying you should have these in the house all the time , I dont . I dont by crap and keep in the house, because i have boys too.

Sodas are not allowed in my house EVER AGAIN. But I will admit I have not been a "Binge" eater per say . I guess I was a grazer if that makes sense ?

for instance if there is a CAKE in the house, I am good with one piece , and then a few hours later another piece , and then another , or another bit then another. THAT not good with the band, the band typically does not stop that . SO What i do is out of sight out of mind. food is put it AS SOON as plates are made in my house. Left overs are not kept . Ect.

But I dont "Binge" in the typical sense so in that way I can control it IF I want a candy bar I go get ONE ! The closest thing to chip i keep are toritalla chips .

everyone is different. Try to find what works. In general what works for me is not depriving , if i want a burger I eat a burger ( No bun) .

I DO MISS Bread on occasions though .

Mindy