Hi, I am having a real hard time with wanting to eat and over eat all the wrong things, I am a little over 4 years post RNY, this past year seems to have been a real struggle, and worse this summer since I had my kids and Grand kids home  for 3 month, lots of poor choices since it was in the house, in the last year I had gained 5 lbs I was struggling to lose now added another 5lbs over the summer, all company has gone and I am trying really hard to get back on track, trying to keep things out of the house and that helps so much, but my head is the problem I WANT the sweets and carbs, but I don't want to want them. I am getting depressed on this fight with myself, I really need some positive feed back and tips. Thanks everyone for being there this sight has been a constant in my journey and I really appreciate all of you.   

My solution has always been to find sweets that were substitutes or the real thing and did not cause weight gain.  I make ice cream from protein shakes. 

I keep Quest bars in the house.  I also eat Atkins bars, they have one that tastes like Snickers and another that is like a coconut Mounds bar.

The Quest Nutrition Cheat Clean cookbook has recipes like Lemon Coconut Pound Cake and Garlic Mashed Potatoes that are completely made from things that we can eat and enjoy without jeopardizing our weight.

It is an adjustment to go from "real" high carb and high sugar things to the substitutes, but it is so rewarding to lose weight and feel good again.  You owe it to yourself to enjoy your food and still be at goal or below.

Make it a project to lose the weight.  Spend some time and money on special ingredients and recipes.  You will not be sorry.

I'm 4 years out also and just posted.  I love the SF jello and puddings.  If you can get through 2 weeks of intense withdrawal from sweets, you will probably lose most of that strong desire.  I hope.  Maybe you should try cutting the amount down to a small taste then change activity.  Leave the house, go for a walk, call a friend, something to get your mind off eating when you really aren't hungry.

thank you for that link to the quest cookbook!  I am going to try some of these recipes. 

I am 2 years post-op. I am not a MOm and I am not a Grandma.

What struck me by your post is that you essentially have "poor choices" around because of your kids and grandkids are around.

These are people that you love but you give them "poor" things?  Bad things?

I am not judging you. IN fact, I used to do the same with my friends/boyfriends. I wanted to hospitable so I would have alcohol, cookies, chocolate, junk foods, snacky things around.  I wanted to have food that they wanted/liked available to them.

Then I had the surgery, married a diabetic and had an ephiphany. I love me, I love this man, WHY would I put "junk" food into his or my body?

And since then..we have been going gangbusters.  Do we miss junk foods? Yes, we sometimes mention to each other that we miss chocolate chip cookies, chocolate, cotton candy, and etc. But we also want to be healthy. He has gotten off his metformin and doesnt miss taking it.

This post also struck a cord with me as well. I watch this terribly crass show called "GirlCode" ONe of the women on the show, in discussing Grandmothers, admitted that she would go to her Grandma's and beg for cake, stating that her mother didnt give her any cake.  The reality was, the girl's mom gave her cake, but she LIED to Grandma because she wanted MORE cake.  I imagine that household had some FOODFIGHTS.  Does your children have foodfights with your grandchildren?

Also, by not having junkfood/treats in the house...you can make a big deal out of getting the treat AND make it a way to spend time with the grandkids. My grandma did not keep ice cream in her home. But going out ONE TIME per visit (we would visit for a week over the summer) would be a huge event that we all looked forward to because the resort we drove to had homemade hand turned icecream in exotic flavors like RUM CHERRY. We would wonder about the flavors, it took time to drive there, it took time to eat it and it was fun to eat the ice cream with Gram at a picnic table overlooking the lake and watching ducks swim around. We had lots of good talks that way.

So...I dont know if I helped, hurt or was tangental..but maybe next time..no "poor choices" around.

Thanks for the feed back, I really appreciate it, lot of good advice and things to think about, again thank you.

My answer is Yasso! Amazing! http://www.yasso.com/ chocolate chip cookie dough forzen greek yogurt bars. 5 grams of protien 100 calories. If you need a treat and even we need treats every once in awhile this is what you should go to. I they have all different kinds of flavors too. Its ok to have a treat every once in awhile but not everyday. Once you get back into your normal eating schedule you get back on track. Hang in there! Good luck!

I feel like the needle that pops the balloon . I disagree with the 'treat' for so many years I would 'treat ' myself because I had dieted all we etc etc etc. Now at goal for 13 years part ofmy success is FOOD is not a treat. New shoes, new top, perfume .... That's a treat