Question:
What about sugar and carb cravings?

I'm in the stage of getting set to meet my surgeon and hopefully get a date set--but not until September. (I had plans that once I'd made up my mind, poof, I could just get this done!) Here are my questions. I crave sugar and carbs. Will I find replacements after the surgery? Have others had that problem? What steps did you take? How have you handled it? Secondly, how much exercise do most of you do daily? (I lost 100 pounds on Opti-Fast, but I had to exercise 3-4 hours a day to keep it off!) Thanks in advance!    — Mary Ann B. (posted on July 24, 2002)

July 24, 2002
Mary Ann, I still crave carbs especially around my period. I do give into it around my period and try to stay away the rest of the month. If I give in I don't beat my self up. I try to eat cheese, no crackers. I eat a lot of beef jerky and that helps a lot. I eat pickles. All snack stuff with either lots of protein or no calories. You will find stuff you enjoy to replace the carbs and sugar. I buy the fruit a freeze bars and they help with the sugar. Hersheys sweet sensations, only 7 grams of sugar. You will find stuff. It is a trial and error thing and it is different for everyone. Ok I have babbled enough. I do exercise about an 1/2 hour a day. Walking or something to get moving. Even if it is just house cleaning. Something every day...... Good luck to you...
   — Dawn L.

July 24, 2002
I too CRAVE sugar and carbs. It is STILL a battle. However most of the time it is'nt to bad. When I get hungery for something cruchy I try to snack on Special K with Red Berries. It's carbs, but a more healthy carb. And I will have some bad food like chips and candy bars once in awhile but I don't make it a habit. I find whenever I do have a candy bar, it often starts the cycle all over again. So it's best not to push luck with whatever our weakness' are. But WLS makes it ALOT MORE EASY to fight your weakness. But you do need to be viligant.
   — Danmark

July 24, 2002
Yep I still have my moments. What I do is eat some protein, and if I still crave whatever I go ahead and have it. This way at least I dont eat so much. Post op isnt perfect but its WAY EASIER than dieting/
   — bob-haller

July 24, 2002
Sugar is easily replaced with Splenda. As I write this I am having a snow-cone from a 20$ machine I got at Target. I put Splenda in with unsweetened kool aid and it is great. Carbs don't have a hold on me like they used to. However, I do like Light Laughing Cow cheese. It has 30 cal and 3 g of protein in an individually wrapped foil slice. I used to love ice cream. Now it does not taste as good. I used to crave popcorn...and still eat it but not like I used to. I can have a couple handfuls and be done. Before I would re-fill the large bag at the movies. So, you do have to eat protein first. But you can have some carbs and you are much more satisfied. Good luck
   — Thomas M.

July 24, 2002
As the last poster said, Splenda is good. However, KNOW THIS, that Splenda "can" send you on a eating and/or carb binge! It sent me way over the edge. I finally pretty much quit Splenda. If Splenda and/or sugar is going to do that then I may as well not pay a fortune for Splenda and just eat the real thing. So now I use sugar in my coffee. However instead of drinking eight or so cups a coffe a day with two heaping teaspoons of sugar each, I'll only have one a day with sugar. Perhaps I have 3-4 cups a week. Nothing like I use to. So I may as well have "some" sugar. I really love Splenda but it sends me on a binge. But it does'nt do it to everyone. We all need to find out what works for us. ;)
   — Danmark

July 24, 2002
There are sugar subs of all kinds. I use the "pink or blue" packets for a beverage, use SugarLike to cook. I use protein supps & stevia tabs to keep the sugar cravings down to minimal, and up the protein supps if they bounce up. I did no exercise during the wt loss period, or until I noticed that my muscle needed some work. NO exercise is not good, moderate exercise is ideal. I weigh about 110#, have for 7 yrs now (surgery 8 yrs ago)
   — vitalady

July 24, 2002
I used to go over to lowcarbfriends.com, I was on Atkins at the time. The sweet-n-low and equal actually have carbs in them, I know that splenda, each packet is 1 carb. I counted each packet, they suggested the Da Vinci syrups, they are carb free, I BELIEVE, and of course sugar free. You can use the syrup for coffee, desserts, etc. Atkins, is too high in fat, but there's another program Stillman's which is low-carb, high protein, low-fat. Anytime you take the fat out of a product they put sugar in which equals carbs. Also, those Russel Stover sugar free candies, you can try those at Wal-Mart, or at your drug store, grocery store, they are good but they use sugar alchols, that can cause cramps if you consume too much of them. HTH's-
   — Dina M.