Question for the vets

starlightlu, that was such a sweetheart thing to say!

that's what big sisters are for!

Well, every single person is different on this issue.  I eat plenty of candy.

Yes, my tastes changed after surgery, especially sugary stuff. It tasted so darn sweet that it almost grossed me out. Almost.

In my desk right now, I have gum, nuts, chocolate-covered almonds and Snickers bars. Yes, Snickers bars. I eat one of those babies almost every day. Sometimes, Reese's peanut butter cups. I'm about to eat a Snickers in about 30 minutes (I ate a little tub of chicken salad and two pieces of whole wheat bread for lunch, so I am full.)

You'll have to see how your body handles these things, but for me, they handle them just fine. No gas, weird poops, or upset belly. I enjoy them.

Now that said, please do everything in your power to get the weight completely off FIRST before you re-introduce candy and stuff back into your diet. There is plenty of time to experiment after you are at goal weight. You don't want to never make it to goal and wonder what happened!

Best of luck to you.

Nicolle

It helps you focus - it's a trait for kinesthetic learners.  Crunching nuts or seeds can be a good alternative.  I made a trail mix of many nuts, seeds, semi-sweet chips and jut a pinch of dried fruit.  I've also taken up chewing ice when I couldn't get nuts or trail mix handy and I was trying to cut back on diet coke (by filling cup with ice first).  Now I'm wondering if my iron is low or I've developed an awful habit.

I was and am a grazer. I always kept lots of choice to snack on at my desk. Trail mix full of nuts, with raisins, helped for the sweet cravings. I also would have a tupperware of cut up cucumber, and one of cut up tomato - both of these are refreshing snacks.  Also pickles and cheese were great for snacking.  Salty and vinegary often override my taste for sweets.  And sugar-free mints,

Three fairly painless ways to curb your sweet cravings:

1) High dosages of Vitamin B complex - it has successfully cut the cravings of alcoholics.

2) Flax seed oil capsules replenishes the leptins in your stomatch that tell you that you are full or satiated.

3) Lots of water!