Starting the process

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MsALMill
MsALMill Posts: 75 Member
Evening everyone. I'm in the midst of the process for getting the gastric sleeve. I've met with the surgeon and that is what he suggested for me. My surgeon said I need to lose 25-30 pounds before he will operate sometime in June. This past week I began the diet set by the nutritionist to get me ready for the surgery. I will admit during the week I've done well with it but noticed today (my first weekend) that I still have cravings that are difficult to control (especially when seeing pics on the pc or commercials for all the stuff I've always liked).

How are some ways you defeat the cravings?

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  • pattycakes726
    pattycakes726 Posts: 348 Member
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    Congratulations on your decision! For me, the pre-op diet was the toughest thing. After the sleeve, you have much less hunger and get full really fast, so cravings are not as difficult to manage. For now, I would suggest having a 'go-to' snack ready for when cravings hit - sugar free popsicles, Greek yogurt, nuts or whatever you like that won't wreck your diet that day. Hang in there! The pre-op phase seems like forever, but it will pass and you'll be on the loser's bench with us. Keep us posted!
  • bikrchk
    bikrchk Posts: 516 Member
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    My bariatric nurse recommends a Chromium supplement for carby cravings.
  • Mangopickle
    Mangopickle Posts: 1,509 Member
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    Congratulations on your decision! For me, the pre-op diet was the toughest thing. After the sleeve, you have much less hunger and get full really fast, so cravings are not as difficult to manage. For now, I would suggest having a 'go-to' snack ready for when cravings hit - sugar free popsicles, Greek yogurt, nuts or whatever you like that won't wreck your diet that day. Hang in there! The pre-op phase seems like forever, but it will pass and you'll be on the loser's bench with us. Keep us posted!

    This.
    I defeat the cravings by not eating the foods that cause them, which for me was rich processed carbs. If I touch them I have 2 days of cravings. If I stay away from them I don't think about food. When I would get cravings I would ask myself if I was hungry and if the answer was yes I would eat a healthy snack. If I was still thinking about food I would ask myself why are you thinking about food? You just ate almonds, yogurt etc. this helped me to break the habit of mindlessly eating certain foods at certain times in certain situations regardless if I was hungry.
  • homerismyhero
    homerismyhero Posts: 204 Member
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    Turn off the TV. When you are fasting or really restricted but still have hunger and can eat- like the pre op diet - it seems like every ad on TV is for a giant cheeseburger. Over and over again. It doesn't help anything. I had a tough two week pre op diet- and turning off the TV, drinking a lot of water, and going to bed early really helped. Also- this sounds silly- but learn something new. If I got stuck in the habit of thinking about, craving or obsessing about food- I would try to practice something new that required a lot of my attention.
  • Lynn1382
    Lynn1382 Posts: 2 Member
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    I'm in the process now just waiting for a date lost 20lb so far with diet and exercise need the sleeve to keep it off as I am a yoyoer I just nervous now but I know it has to be done x