Bad food cravings, any suggestions?

[swiftie87 1]

I love Mexican food, all of it! And i really like spaghetti and Mac and cheese (not at the same time) what do you do so you don't overindulge?

[Sophie74656 1,572]

use a small plate, stop when you're full

[WL WARRIOR 692]

Don't have it at all?

Not having any of that kind of food for the past year has reduced cravings. My sleeve is larger than the typical sleeve and there is no way I could be satisfied with a few tablespoons of mac and cheese.

So I just choose to have none at all.

It's probably a good time to ignite a love for vegetables. Try different seasonings or preparation in the hopes of changing your cravings into a healthy variety of food. It's best to keep noodles and carb rich food out of your kitchen so that you don't indulge when you have a craving.

[VDB 800]

I agree with ML Warrior. There are some things it is best to go cold turkey on. The only exception for me is something that I got fixated on, and it was best for me to have small amount of and move on. For example, I was in San Francisco, and got really fixated on SF sourdough bread. I just had a slice with butter, and saw that it was not that great, and not worth losing my momentum over... but normally I just used ML's tactic. I just love pie or more accurately pie crust. Just gave it up after I had a piece at 3 months out... none for 4 months now, don't miss it.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

Go for the flavors, not the calories.

• A salad with Mexican flavored lean Protein, bean, avocado and tomatoes? Tortilla Soup without the tortillas on top? YUM!
• I make spaghetti squash, or use black bean Pasta.
• A quarter cup of mac & cheese with a lean Protein is also a balanced meal once in a while.

However, if you are missing the processed carbs, then that's a different issue because processed carbs make you crave them the more you eat them and they can impede your weight loss. Breads, pastas, things in a box avoid like the plague.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

use a small plate, stop when you're full

Not a good idea to stop when "full" Chasing that full feeling is a good way to over eat.

[Sophie74656 1,572]

I have mac and cheese all the time. I just use my little bowl and eat my small portion. I think going cold turkey will lead to more cravings. I think that if you havve a craving for something then eat a little bit

[lifeofblair 308]

Check out bariatricfoodie.com. She has great recipes that are still in line with being healthy.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

Big difference between eating a little and eating until you are full. Each person need to be honest with themselves as to what's a binge food and what can be had in a reasonable amount as part of balanced meal.

[ShrinkingPeach 1,291]

Foods that put you at risk of overeating need to be reconsidered. Is it worth the calories and why do you want them? It may be that you are clinging to that comfort food that got you through something before. If we are eating to live and no longer living to eat then it should be easier to just say no to foods that are not good for us. There are alternative pastas out there made from veggies so at least they are a better choice but make no mistake, they are not low carb.

Not judging just an observation, in the end it is your life alone and your decision what you eat. Good luck!

[songsmith 334]

I love Mexican food. During my pre-diet phase I began to use a lot of black Beans instead of refried. I seasoned them with cumin, chilis and cilantro and top them with salsa. I'd have them alone, in a wrap, sometimes with an egg on top or a bit of avocado. Funny thing, I found I didn't miss the cheese, so I was able to cut out a significant amount of calories. You can find black soy Beans which are nearly as good and have far fewer carbs and more Protein.

Peanut Butter, now, I had to ostracize from the house. I could eat an entire jar and my brain says, "Oh, hey, it has Protein in it, so it's good to eat." Hah. Not the way I eat it! So, yes, you may need to give up some trigger foods or find ways to make the sort of meals you still enjoy but in a healthier and more sensible fashion.

Oh, and look at serving sizes. I still remember the day I looked at the back of a Kraft mac & cheese meal for nutritional information and realized one box was 4 servings! Ahahahahahaha. Right.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I love Mexican food, all of it! And i really like spaghetti and Mac and cheese (not at the same time) what do you do so you don't overindulge?

Have you had WLS? How long ago?

Neither of those categories of food are things you should be eating until you're in maintenance. They're not high Protein, they're not healthy / colored veggies or non-starchy fruits. And they are definitely not whole grains.

That's what you're supposed to eat during the weight loss phases.

If you haven't been sleeved yet, you probably can't imagine how your appetite and tastes will change post-op IF (I said IF) you adhere to your eating program.

But if you have had WLS recently and you're craving these foods and think it's appropriate to have them now, you're probably already eating these foods.

So go cold turkey, and your cravings will reduce greatly.

[BigViffer 3,544]

I married a hispanic woman, so we have a lot of Latin dishes. Even now. A lot of them are very high in Protein if you just skip the tortilla and anything with masa. In fact, if we go out to eat, mexican restaurants are top of the list because I can get huevos (eggs), Beans, or fajita's and be guilt free.

As for Pasta, man I thought giving up Pasta and potatoes post surgery would be the hardest thing to do. Turns out, it is the easiest thing I have had to deal with. I have taken a bite of pasta twice since surgery. Both time were awful. First time I puked because of the clumping and the second time was just uncomfortable for about an hour. I felt like something was stuck in my throat the entire time. Potatoes don't taste anywhere near as good as I remember them. I'd much rather have just about anything else really.

[kmjns 1]

Vanns organic taco seasoning on 90% ground beef or even ground turkey is awesome. Eat it in lettuce wraps with salsa. So yummy and healthy.