How do you curb cravings?

[maintenanceman 286]

I'm currently in maintenance and trying to accustom myself to what that means in terms of diet.

Yesterday was wonky. I ate all good stuff but too much of it. Nothing ridiculous, maybe 300 calories over maintenance, but I know it can be a slippery slope. I think the culprit was too many slider foods... Soup, yogurt, Protein Shake, etc. I stayed hungry even when I kept eating.

I am concerned, however, that my cravings felt "out of control," like they did pre-op. How do you deal with cravings when you have them? Do you have any techniques?

[psalas 3]

I'm currently in maintenance and trying to accustom myself to what that means in terms of diet.

Yesterday was wonky. I ate all good stuff but too much of it. Nothing ridiculous, maybe 300 calories over maintenance, but I know it can be a slippery slope. I think the culprit was too many slider foods... Soup, yogurt, Protein Shake, etc. I stayed hungry even when I kept eating.

I am concerned, however, that my cravings felt "out of control," like they did pre-op. How do you deal with cravings when you have them? Do you have any techniques?

It going to be challenging I'm at my second wk post op and the only thing that seems to help is sugar-free Popsicles

Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

[smc124 118]

just discovered the fine art of heating up store bought chocolate Protein Shakes and pretending it’s hot chocolate.< /p>

[The Greater Fool 2,054]

I give in to cravings. Not much and not frequently.

For me, if I deny myself it becomes all I can think about. If I take a bite, it's good and it's over.

Good luck,

Tek

[Spinoza 1,452]

Not sure I would classify Soup and yoghurt and Protein Shakes as slider foods. I think of those as foods without much nutritional value (carbs like crisps/chips, or sugary things?) If you're not filling up maybe go back to basics - Protein first in every meal, veg next, and your soup/yog/shake after that if you need more so you feel fuller for longer?

[kbsleeved 67]

6 hours ago, losinglosinglosing said:

I'm currently in maintenance and trying to accustom myself to what that means in terms of diet.

Yesterday was wonky. I ate all good stuff but too much of it. Nothing ridiculous, maybe 300 calories over maintenance, but I know it can be a slippery slope. I think the culprit was too many slider foods... Soup, yogurt, Protein Shake, etc. I stayed hungry even when I kept eating.

I am concerned, however, that my cravings felt "out of control," like they did pre-op. How do you deal with cravings when you have them? Do you have any techniques?

Trying to stave off a craving by eating something else is probably just going to lead to you eating something else AND the thing you're craving. Could you try plating a small portion of what you're craving along with something else more nutritionally dense and something with Protein? So for instance, a piece of chocolate, some apple, and some Peanut Butter? That way you're getting the thing that sounds good, you're getting Fiber, and you're getting protein, so you're full after you finish what's on your plate. This could also work with slider foods, just substitute chocolate with pretzels, chips, etc.

[Arabesque 7,413]

You never beat cravings you just learn how to recognise & manage them. Look to why you are craving those foods too. Boredom, habit, emotional need, stress, are likely culprits. But hormones & certain medications can be causes too. Look for something to distract you. Go for a walk, ring a friend, clean a cupboard, read, craft, play a game, check social media or this forum. Have something to drink like a cup of tea or Water. Look for healthier alternatives. Like craving sweet, have a little fruit.

As @Spinoza said, Soup, yoghurt & shakes aren’t slider foods. While liquids do pass through your digestive system more quickly they do still fill you up. Sliders (highly processed carbs & sugars) don’t fill you up & you can easily eat more than you should.

If you can get those foods out of the house. If they’re not in the cupboard or fridge you can’t eat them. At the time of the year, it can be difficult not to have them in the house. I had some less desirable foods leftovers from Christmas drinks. I gave some to my guests & others to my nieces & nephews & my pantry is empty again. No temptation.

[pintsizedmallrat 473]

Drink something, wait 20-30 minutes, see if you still want the food you're craving. It's common to confuse thirst with hunger.

I keep a bar of Lily's extra dark chocolate in my refrigerator and when I get a sweets craving I eat a square of it. Cold chocolate takes longer to eat.

[Quesodip251 125]

What helps me best is trying not to snack-just eating full meals. That way I’m actually too full to want to eat my cravings.

I also leave aside enough calories at the end of the day to have a glass of wine or couple of pieces of my kid’s leftover fun-size chocolate candies. As another poster said, if you completely ignore what you crave, you’ll end up eating it anyway after what you ate instead and that leads to regret and bingeing.

[lindsxlurid 5]

On 12/15/2022 at 5:43 PM, smc124 said:

just discovered the fine art of heating up store bought chocolate Protein Shakes and pretending it’s hot chocolate.< /p>

I know I'm late to the party, but thank you for posting this. I've been CRAVING hot chocolate and I never thought about heating a Protein Shake up.

[maintenanceman 286]

18 minutes ago, lindsxlurid said:

I know I'm late to the party...

Since you pulled this back up, I can circle back and report that in retrospect my problem was that I wasn't eating enough so I was ravenously hungry by the end of the day. In my case, I was new to maintenance and underestimated how many calories I could eat and still maintain. I probably should cut down on a snacking a bit and replace with more "real" food, but so far so good!

[lindsxlurid 5]

7 minutes ago, losinglosinglosing said:

Since you pulled this back up, I can circle back and report that in retrospect my problem was that I wasn't eating enough so I was ravenously hungry by the end of the day. In my case, I was new to maintenance and underestimated how many calories I could eat and still maintain. I probably should cut down on a snacking a bit and replace with more "real" food, but so far so good!

I'm currently 6 months post-op RNY and I try to limit my calories because I'm obsessed over it. (Currently working with a counselor on this.) Maybe it's why I'm craving things lately. Head hunger is a major pain.

[maintenanceman 286]

4 minutes ago, lindsxlurid said:

I'm currently 6 months post-op RNY and I try to limit my calories because I'm obsessed over it. (Currently working with a counselor on this.)

What's your current daily calorie count? Around 6 months, I started to need more. It was hard to sustain a very low calorie diet at that point.

[lindsxlurid 5]

Just now, losinglosinglosing said:

What's your current daily calorie count? Around 6 months, I started to need more. It was hard to sustain a very low calorie diet at that point.

I wasn't given a calorie limit from my surgery team. I, myself, like to see less than 900. The rational part of my brain knows this isn't a long-term thing and isn't sustainable. The irrational part of me feels happier when it's lower. I'm currently fighting with myself.

[maintenanceman 286]

1 minute ago, lindsxlurid said:

I wasn't given a calorie limit from my surgery team. I, myself, like to see less than 900. The rational part of my brain knows this isn't a long-term thing and isn't sustainable. The irrational part of me feels happier when it's lower. I'm currently fighting with myself.

I wonder if you need to bump that up a bit, especially if you're physically active. My target was 1200 at that point. Not saying yours should be, but you might getting to the point that is too low to keep you satiated... which is a recipe for binging.

I also think your goal weight might be too low. You and I are the same height. I'm currently 148 and can't imagine being any smaller than this. I already look a bit gaunt. 145-150 seems like it might be a better goal for you?