New Grad and lots of grazing, how do I?

I am just over 1 year out from surgery.  How do I stop grazing?  I do not feel hungry but I constantly eat?  I drink Soda (diet) and I barely ge****er in.  I need help.  I would still like to lose about 60 pounds.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks alot.

I find that chewing sugar free gum helps with my urge to munch.

I feel your pain.  I'm dealing with lots of grazing and emotional stuff right now.  My advise is stay on the boards for support and don't give up.  I've heard others further post-op say when they started drinking diet soda their eating habits became worse.  Something about the sweetner making them crave carbs.  Maybe cutting the diet soda out of your day and drinking water, crystal light, sugar free koolaid will help. Just a suggestion, I'm pushing liquids today and protein only to get a handle on this before I'm out of control.

I've just ordered two books to address this issue myself.  I find I'm returning to my pre-surgery behaviors--not not as bad.  You might look into them. The Beck Diet Solution:  How to think like a thin person Winning after Losing. The first deals with behavior modification--changing your behavior by changing your thinking, and the second is by a woman who had wls and now is maintaining.  I haven't gotten them yet, so I can't tell you more. Good luck. Sally

I'd love to know what you think of Winning After Losing. I've seen the author on Oprah's show on two different occasions. One thing she shared that made complete sense is that the people who do best after any significant weight loss - no matter how they lost the weight - was that they never ate without abandon if they had "fallen off the wagon". If they snacked all morning they didn't have the attitude that the day was already lost so they might as well keep eating. They resumed their diets at the point at which they caught themselves and never looked back. I think a lot of us who have struggled with weight will just throw in the towel and keep eating just because we started the day off wrong.  Hope you find the books helpful. Wilma

Absolutely have to agree with the other posters - ditch the sodas!!  Even diet sodas can trigger carb cravings, so switch out the diet sodas with water, Chrystal Lite, etc.  and I'd be willing to bet you see a difference in your grazing, etc. Good luck!

According to the DS board, you get a revision to a DS, then you eat anything and stay thin!

I agree that diet soda is maybe a root of the problem, but  think ALL diet drinks are a problem whether soda, crystal lite etc - anything with artificial sweeteners.  Artificial sweeteners are appetite stimulants, whether in drinks or sugar free candy etc.  we get used to the sweet taste in our mouth and then crave more of it.  I really think a long term solution is to get away from artificially sweetend things. many of them taste even sweeter than the sugar foods and I strongly believe  cause us to eat more overall.  I CAN ONLY AVOID GRAZING BY KEEPING TOO BUSY TO GRAZE. and planning my meals and my whole days intake ahead of time. If I leave it to last minute I end up eating whatever is around and easy. If I skip meals I am so hungry I will graze or eat anything.  Only eat if you put a portion on a plate, sit down at the table. eat slowly and mindfully while really focusing on the flavor of the food an do NOTHING else at the same time. no multi-tasking while eating.  take time to enjoy it.  

Yep get rid of the soda.  Having a diet soda once in a while ok but not as a substitute for your water.  Clinical research has proven that successful WLS patients drink little to NO diet sodas. If you get your total protien in you may not feel hungry and that may stop the grazing.  ALSO Make up your mind that if you are going to graze it will be on fresh fruits and veggies.  Does not sound so good but it may help.  I always carry either the baby carrotts or cut up celery in a baggie.  At times I will cut up some fresh fruit.  IT will make a difference.   Look at what you eat in a day   then be sure and get on the scale.  This should divert your grazing.  If you start to see your weight going up instead of down then you will condition yourself to stop grazing on the wrong foods. Make the scale your monitor for your grazing.  YOu will hate to get on it every day becuase it tells you the truth.  However, If you avoid the scale you will only be  fooling yourself and you will pay for it. you can do it I know you can We are blessed with a tool that we got from WLS USE IT and keep to the rules of the pouch we have Lauretta