Junk Food Challenge

I've noticed many members here say that after surgery they no longer have any cravings for the bad junk foods that made us fat in the first place... and even say that none of it tastes the same or even smells good anymore.  

I've hoped and wished this would be the case for me since the day of surgery over 6 months ago, but it hasn't.  I figured my addiction is and has always been so strong that I'll NEVER stop wanting or loving those forbidden foods.  

This weekend was a real test for me.  Without going into too much detail, I was in charge of bringing certain finger foods to a birthday party (I volunteered) and fully planned on using every ounce of will power I could muster to stay clear of them.

These were all my trigger foods - onion rings (biggie!), deep fried egg rolls, crispy chicken tenders, curly fries, etc.  (Jack in the Box - my fav).  I also got a chicken fajita pita and my plan was just to pick out the grilled chicken pieces from it and nibble on them.

On the way over, my car was FILLED with all those yummy fried, naughty smells and brought back memories of my JiB pig-out days.  I was a teeny bit worried I might slip, but planned to stay strong.  But oh go**** smelled sooooo good.

But I did great with my choices that day!  I brought my scale and weighed out the grilled chicken and stayed with my plan.  I did have ONE small onion ring, and ONE bite of an egg roll.  And guess what?  Wellll.... I can't say they didn't taste good or even taste the same as they always did.  (Bummer.)    BUT!!!  I didn't have that OH-MY-GOSH-I'M-IN-HEAVEN...ALL-MY-TROUBLES-JUST-MELTED-AWAY-I-WANT-TO-SIT-AND-EAT-THIS-ALL-DAY-LONG-UNTIL-I-FALL-INTO-A-FOOD-COMA feeling like I used to get.  I could honestly say that that food no longer held the power over me that it used to have.  Pre-surgery... there was no way I could eat just one onion ring.  Not possible.

And as we chatted and enjoyed the party, there was still a full table of trigger foods right in front of me.  The old me wouldn't have been able to stay very focused in conversation because my addicted brain would've been stuck with my one track mind of wanting more junk food and how can I sneak some more without anyone noticing the obese girl pigging out on the left-overs?  

Nope... I didn't want any more of it.  There was no craving eat it.  I was able to completely ignore it without even trying.  And I don't even feel the need to try it again.

I'm glad I did try it though, so I could learn this about myself, and even though it hurt to do so, I DID log both bites into myfittnesspal at the end of the day to keep me honest!  

So, in short... I can't honestly say junk food doesn't still taste and smell good to me, but it no longer has the power over me it once had.  My addiction was a powerful one back then, but thanks to my new tool, I'm the one in control of it now.  Will power was not needed.  My surgery tool is even more powerful than I thought it would be, and I'm ecstatic!  

Woot Woot!  

It's good to hear that someone else does crave those "naughty" foods post-surgery.  It is also good to hear how you handled it.  Good for you! I hope I can do as well in a challenging situation.

I've been wondering WHY these food that still taste and smell so good no longer have that power over me.  And does anyone else feel like this?

My theory is that my body has 'detoxed' from these greasy, unnecessary foods in the past six months and now it no longer has a physical need for them?

Or, maybe there's some metabolic reason due to how the surgery rearranged my stomach?  Does anyone know if there's any science behind this, or have a theory of their own they'd like to share?  

I think your theory may be correct.  I can still be around those kinds of food, I can take a bite or two and be perfectly happy.  I was at a family gathering last week, there was pizza, baked eggplant and salad for the meal and a few types of cookies for dessert, quick get-together while my niece was home visiting.  I ate a liitle bit of salad and some of the eggplant and was happy.  Everyone else was eating pizza and cookies and I didn't crave any at all.   However, when the homemade ice cream was brought out, I was craving it, I tried a spoonful and it was delicious.  I wanted more, but was able to stand everyone around me eating it.   So I do believe because we have gone so long not having those items, our bodies have "detoxed" themselves and we won't crave them unless we give in to them again. 

We have this cute little old movie theater nearby that plays classic movies every Monday night. We go almost every week, unless it's something awful :)

The theater has a concession stand right IN the theater, with nachos, onion rings, chicken tenders and other fried food (and beer). Honestly, I didn't eat it most of the time I went pre-surgery (probably because the lines are ridiculous), but post op, I find that I'm really really really bothered by the smell, which I never even noticed before! When I get home, I have to strip off my clothes and shower because the smell of fried food lingers on me in a very noticeable and yucky way. It's the same smell I had on me at the end of a shift when I worked at McDonalds when I was 16!

However, that is not to say that if I ate one of these foods I don't think I would enjoy them. A lot. I'm sure I would! But I think that after 5+ weeks of completely detoxing from sugar and fried foods, I am going to have a different relationship to them, now. It's one of the reasons I don't want to test the theories of moderation. I'm going to count on myself to stick with abstinence and hope the feeling of revulsion gets stronger with each sniff of fried food. 

I'm really impressed with your ability to take a few bites and be done. Great work! But next time, maybe you should offer to bring carrots and hummus, just in case! ;-) 

I'm still pre-surgery and trying like hell to resist my trigger foods. I have been about 95% successful and it's only getting better(BUT NOT EASIER!)

You did a great job! Proud of you!!

Good for you!!!!!!

That's great! My cravings for bread never came back (and it was my biggest trigger food), but I strangely developed cravings for candy post-op that I never had before surgery.

Good for you, but why in the world would you put yourself in that position to bring that stuff (you volunteered)?

Hey surgery Twin!!!  Yup, I have conquered most of my white carbs (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta) that i used to eat with every meal..., but those rare splurges I used to indulge in once in a while, they really still call to me.  Really good chocolate, really good cheesecake...  those I get away with a really really small portion, like maybe 2 bites.  I wish I could say I won't ever cross the line, but id be lying...  I do count them in my daily intake also and compensate, but how I wish I was a dumper and it wasn't an option...