HELP CARB ATTACK!!!

Help! I have fallen. 

Pre op and post op for 2 months I was so strong without any carbs, bread, chocolate, chips nothing. But recently after coming back from a vacation 2 weeks ago I have been craving carbs now more than ever. Not so much pasta or bread or things like that but junk food. Chips and chocolate and I have been indulged get myself and I hate this. I am so disgusted with myself. I have been though this surgery to help fix my life. And I was so strong and I have lost it all. I can't believe I have been doing this. And for what? A pack of chips? I just can't believe I have let myself do this multiple times since my return. I feel as though I am already reverting back to old habits after old 3 months.

 Any tips on how to get back and kick the crab lust? Or is it simply cold turkey like I had to for my pre op diet? 

Please help me. I can't people I have let myself do this. 

You haven't "fallen." You just got off track. The best people to give you advice are who I call the "pros," those who have reached maintenance, and must balance a fine line of what kind of food to eat and how much should be eaten.

The only thing I can recommend is to go cold turkey. Go through the fridge, the cupboards, the pantry and anywhere else you store food and pitch all the junk. Start eating good protein again, along with a little fresh veg and fruits. It may be rough the first few days, but I think you and your sleeve will settle into a routine that suits you.

The problem with junk carbs is that they set you up physically and mentally to crave even more, as you have found. There's no way that I know of to successfully wean yourself off them gradually.

Edited to add: It sounds like your vacation was the trigger than set you off on your junk-carb sidetrack. Learn from this. Ponder what was different about the vacation compared to how you normally eat. Devise strategies to prevent it from happening again. I had to do this whenever I visited my son and his family. My grandson's junk food called to me, and several times I answered the call - cupcakes, Goldfish, ice cream. It happens to us all. I now have plans in place when I visit. I immediately go to the store and pick up quick, easy, and healthy snacks that I can have when the sugar "debbil" tries to lure me away. It's been working well, so far.

psychoticparrot

Thank you so much, I totally agree with what you are saying. It is incredibly hard, I just can't believe I have let myself fall into this mess of carbs again. I have lost 53 pounds and I am so pleased with myself so far and how I have been eating and then it is almost like I wanted to self distrust and fall into old habits of sneaking food and skipping meals. 

I have to continue setting my timer, ignore the cravings that will come for he first couple of days and be strong. I have done it before and I can do it again! 

It is hard, even with the sleeve, but it's not nearly as hard as not having the sleeve. Eat the right foods -- protein first! -- and I think you'll soon see a huge reduction in the carb cravings you now have.

psychoticparrot

I will echo what was written before. You fell, got off track, whatever you want to call it. Now it's time to get up, get back on the right track, etc...

The only way I know how to break the cycle is with a detox. You are very early out still, so it shouldn't be all that hard (on the physical side). However, you will have to power through some of the mental crap. If you want a strong reset, the method I recommend is this:

 3 days of all the protein and vegetables (if you are even eating them yet) and healthy fats you want for three days. Yes, you may go over your recommended calorie level, but that's okay for three days. So, when you get hungry (whether you really are physically or not) eat something protein. You'll also want to pound the water down. If you can get 80-100 oz in a day for those three days, you'll be helping yourself immensely.

By day 4 you should be craving free and reset. Sometimes it takes an extra day, but in my experience 3 days works for most people. Anyhow, on Day 4 get back to your calorie restriction and the correct macros.

I find going back to liquids punitive and counter productive. Don't think of a reset as a bad thing. Consider it a gift to yourself after a wonderful vacation during which you allowed yourself some indulgences. Doing a reset is a common thing - even for the most successful VSGers.

Another post that will go into my permanent files. Thanks, kairk!

psychoticparrot

I did everything with substitutes.  I spent money on products that would keep me on track and low carb with giving up the textures and flavors I craved.

I recommend you try it my way.  Go to the Quest Nutrition site and look at the recipes in the CheatClean cookbook

Order Quest protein bars and Quest Protein chips.  I would suggest a case of at least two flavors.  They will let you mix and match flavors and give you the discount price.  That is not on the website but you can chat online with a representative and get information on how to save with their company.

Try a batch of their zucchini bread and some garlic mashed potatoes. Make soft pretzels or their version of a cream filled chocolate cupcake.  Whenever I am craving something I get on the internet and find an acceptable substitute.  I never went cold turkey on carbs, but I do not eat rice, potatoes, bread, flour or sugar. I always find healthy substitutes.

This is a lifelong journey.  If you don't find substitutes for the foods that are tempting you, you will have to keep fighting for life.  You will invest your time and money but can be rewarded with easy weight loss and long term success.

I find that I have to make interesting foods to help me resist the stuff I shouldn't eat.  I just got back from a 3 week vacation where I threw caution to the wind and gained 6 pounds.  So when I got back I made some of my favorite low-carb foods, even if they were a bit high in calories, like a buffalo chicken dish made with cream cheese, and an enchilada casserole which has a lot of cheese and sour cream, but is low carb.  This helped me break the carb monster's grip while not feeling overly deprived.  Then I shifted back to my lower calorie alternatives once the cravings passed, and I'm finally losing some of the weight. 

Its a work in progress.  I am 2 1/2 years post op and still working at strategies to keep my obesity in control.  I think the lesson in your experience is that it is so easy to revert to bad eating habits, and it can totally defeat us.  We've got to be diligent.  The obesity isn't cured by the surgery.  The Sleeve is only a tool that we can use to manage the obesity.

best of luck.  You can do this!

Carol

Ok, you got off track, it happens, learn from it, pick yourself up & keep going. You might have to white knuckle the carb withdrawal, but frankly temptations will always be there & you'll have to find ways to deal with it. Some people ease up on themselves a little bit while on vacation, but get right back to business once its over & that's what you'll have to do.

For me, the all or nothing plan never really worked. I also have a sweet tooth & there hasn't been a piece of chocolate that I haven't liked. Fake it till you make it is what I tell myself. Finding substitutes or eating a protein bar with chocolate tides me over whenever I just have to have a chocolate fix. Quest bars are very tasty, but some can't take the fake stuff, it reaves too much havoc on their systems, so far I haven't had this problem.

Eating more protein & cheese helps too so that eventually I wind myself down from carb overload.

Finally ease up on yourself, learn from this. You can do it! You haven't come this far to stop now.  

One way I've found to get in a chocolate fix that doesn't derail me is the Kind bars.  They are nut based, and have between 7-10gm of protein.  Some have a chocolate "bottom."  Since my fav choc fix was a snickers bar, it works!