Question:
Sugar attack!

I am 6 months post-op gastric By-pass. I have lost 70 lbs. I have been eating watermelon a lot. Now I am having sugar cravings I want something sweet everyday. Help me with this how do I lose the taste for sweets. I haven't had any junk food sweets, only watermelon. But my body is craving for other sweets. Help me get back on track. Joyce    — fayfay35 (posted on July 8, 2008)


July 8, 2008
You need to curb this sweet cravings thing now. In my first 7 months post op I lost 100 pounds, and I was not "picture perfect" in my daily diet. You need to mentally tell yourself you had the surgery for a good reason, and the "sweet stuff" may have been the root cause of your weight gain over time. I use dried peas to satisfy snack cravings. This may work for you too. The dried peas have 6 grams of protein per 1/4 cup, and you can easily take them in your purse, pocket, console of your car, etc. More data on my profile page. But Watermelon, per 1 cup, has: 10.15 g sugar, .94g protein, 10.91 g carbs, .76 g fiber and 48 calories. Most surgeon recommend a maximum of 5 grams of sugar per serving. And I'm sure it's difficult to only eat one cup of watermellon, as it tastes so good chilled, and the high water content means you can eat more than a few ounces of it. DAVE
   — Dave Chambers

July 8, 2008
You need to curb this sweet cravings thing now. In my first 7 months post op I lost 100 pounds, and I was not "picture perfect" in my daily diet. You need to mentally tell yourself you had the surgery for a good reason, and the "sweet stuff" may have been the root cause of your weight gain over time. I use dried peas to satisfy snack cravings. This may work for you too. The dried peas have 6 grams of protein per 1/4 cup, and you can easily take them in your purse, pocket, console of your car, etc. More data on my profile page. But Watermelon, per 1 cup, has: 10.15 g sugar, .94g protein, 10.91 g carbs, .76 g fiber and 48 calories. Most surgeon recommend a maximum of 5 grams of sugar per serving. And I'm sure it's difficult to only eat one cup of watermellon, as it tastes so good chilled, and the high water content means you can eat more than a few ounces of it. DAVE
   — Dave Chambers

July 8, 2008
Well sweetie...You picked the highest sugar raising fruit there is! Watermelon...VERY high gycemic food...meaning it raises your blood sugar very quickly and very high. This is absolutely the reason for you carb cravings...(Carb monster) You can try to satisfiy your craving with sugar free desserts, like SF jello or pudding (add protein to them so you aren't eating empty calories) This will fill you up and give you needed proteins...Try eating dense proteins at meals to stay fuller and drink water...(add a sf flavor for now to satisfy the sweet craving) But you must not eat anymore sugar or carbs or you're going to gain weight. Kick this now! It happens to many of us...and at 4 years out...Trust me I've had to grab ahold of that carb monster more than a few times myself! You can try the 5 DAY Pouch Test too (http://www.5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html)...This helped me SLAY a HUGE carb monster that helped me gain 10 extra pounds this past winter...I did the test, killed the carb monster...found restriction in my pouch...stopped drinnking with my meals and went on to lose my 10 pounds...SLOWLY, but I lost them! WHEW close call! Good luck!! Don't eat watermelon! Do a Glycemic Index search on google and learn what carbs are low or medium glycemic foods so you don't end up abck in this spot again! Hugs!
   — .Anita R.

July 8, 2008
Try the south beach living cereal bars. I cut a piece off and it satisfys my sweet tooth, it taste like an oatmeal cookie. A whole bar has 10g of protein. If you are like me I hate artificial sweetners, so I am avoiding sweets at all costs, but sometimes you just cant help it. You can have sweet just make good choices. Kim RNY 6/18/08
   — Kimberlin Katayama

July 8, 2008
Oh, those delicious carbs huh? I know it's hard but if you stop eating them, you will no longer crave them. The more you eat the more you crave. When I need to get back on track, I do a 3 day liquid detox from carbs as if I have had a fill in my band. It is hard going through carb withdrawal, but, by the end of the third day, I'm back in ketosis and not craving them at all. I also might suggest tracking your intake for a few days or so and see what the numbers show you. I use Sparkpeople.com. My surgeon recommends less than 30 gms/day of non-vegetable carbs. Breaking it down, I try to stay under 10 carbs/meal. Congrats on your loss and good luck, Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
   — DawnVic

July 8, 2008
Don't do it! Don't give in to sweets. Stick with sugar-free pudding, jello, and s/f pops! Good luck! Lesleigh in Ga.
   — lesleigh07

July 8, 2008
Try other fruits. It is possible your body is asking for more carbs. Try more fruits. Juice plus has helped me tremendously with my sugar and carb cravings.
   — bariatricdivalatina

July 8, 2008
Try fresh fruit, and then add splenda. I cured myself of it by oversweeting thing with splenda that I now drink my tea unsweetened. Not to bad for a guy that had to eat a candy bar with his 42 oz coke. Stick to the rules, and work them. You can do it.
   — William (Bill) wmil

July 9, 2008
Joyce, I don't lose my taste for sweets, but I do make choices. It is tough, and obesity is tough, it is more than food and exercise, it is a total head game, and when we agree to surgery, we agree to play the game to win. You have to teach your head that your will wins, then choose right, diet and exercise, eat sweets in very small moderation and you will be just fine. A craving for sweets is just another way to say a lust for the wrong food, it is a body response to greed for something, you have to fight back. You can and I hope you do. Take care. Patricia P.
   — Patricia P

July 9, 2008
Sugarless chocolate tastes awesome! Your local drugstore should carry Russel Stover chocolate. MANY choices! Every morning I have a small cup of coffee and 1 chocolate - thats it for the day - my sweet tooth is happy. Sugarless popcycles are great too. jen
   — wilkin




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