Question about sweets

OKay, So I decided to totally STOP eating sweets including fruit. And I have been craving sweets SO BAD!! I mean more than anything ever! So I got out a book called Why Weight by Geneen Roth. And it flat out said to eat whatever youre hungry for and ONLY eat WHEN you are HUNGRY. So does this mean I can eat sweets? Only when I am hungry?? What do yall think? Should I outlaw all sweets or eat what I want just when hungry?

What was your reasoning for "banning" sweets, especially fruit?

Many people find that one of the reasons that diets fail is because of the sense of deprivation.  They feel deprived of certain foods, and then when they break the diet, they go overboard on those foods that they felt deprived of.  That is why you are craving sweets so much since you stopped eating any.  Some people HAVE to completely eliminate certain foods from their diet in order to stay under control; others (like me) need to avoid feeling as if anything is completely off limits and then  have to find a way to exercise moderation with those foods.  Only you can decide which type of personality/behaviors you have.  If you cannot control how MUCH or how OFTEN you eat sweets, then you probably shouldn't eat them until you can.

Geneen Roth is writing for people with a normal anatomy and there is a problem with the "eat only when hungry" concept for RNYers: most of us would not eat nearly often enough to get enough nutrition if we only ate when hungry, especially during the first 6-9 months.  I also personally have a problem with the "eat whatever you are "hungry" for" concept, too... number one, you do not get "hungry" for a certain food -- you get physically hungry for ANY food, but you get mentally hungry (crave) specific foods (one of the best ways to tell the difference between true hunger or head hunger early out) -- and, number two, eating whatever we wanted at the time is how we got to be obese in the first place! 

I do understand the concept of not trying to force yourself to be satisfied with one thing when you really want something else (trying to satisfy yourself with a carrot when you want something with simple carbs)... and that doing so often leads to eventually eating BOTH items (so you probably would have been better off with a small amount of the desired item in the first place).  I do, however, think that the only way to win the war long-term is to learn how to deal with that situation, and only give in to the craving occasionally, rather than always giving in to your cravings.

I think Geneen Roth's diet advice may work for people who are only moderately overweight, but I don;t think it is practical (or wise) for people who are (or have been) morbidly obese.

Lora

 

You can try the 40 cal fudge pops they are great and sf pudding or sf popsicles. They all help me tame my sugar monster. Hope that helps..

Laurie

I eat small amount of sweets - because too much sugar is a problem for me after surgery.  You may be missing out on some nutrients if you give up food groups - like fruit for example. 

You may have yeast - like Candida issue.  

When I eat sweet s- I crave them. Give 3 days with no sugar - even fruits and artificial sweeteners and see if you feel better.  

I know that works for me. 
Sometimes - giving up is not good.  For me - the more carbs I eat - the more them I want - but if I stop and can abstain for a week - or 2 - I stop craving them. 

I do have yeast issue...  When my yeast gets out of control (candida) my first symptom is craving for carbs and sugars..  That before anything else will show.. (like more sensitivity to some items that I am allergic to) . I typically take 2 (3 days apart) of Rx diflucan, stay for at least 1-2 weeks on Candida free diet (google that) and after 1-2 weeks - I would start "craving" the non sweet - carby items.  i.e. when it is a meal - snack  time - I ask myself if i rather have a nice steak or bowl of fruits with whip cream... if the fruits "win" a lot, or I am looking and craving something sweet... I know I need to continue to decarb...

not sure if that makes sense- but I when "wants" for some foods get too strong - I try to define what is going on, is there deficiency (i.e. chocolate cravings - may indicate magnesium deficiency) or my body is off...

I like to have options what to eat ... but when I want to chose "carbs" and sweet things.. over a balance meal - I know my body is trying to tell me something. 

I do like to have a bowl of fruit with whip cream as a dessert.  But not every day... 

 

Please eat fruit.

i think geneen roth is wonderful and have read all of her books and seen her speak in person. that being said, the eating plan she advocates is not ideal for weight loss surgery patients (as Lora already laid out). i just love her take on the emotional side of eating. 

personally, i don't think banning all sweets is a good thing. fruit is not equivalent to junk. yes, there is sugar in it, but its natural, and in moderation (like anything else) is not horrible. deprivation of any kind is not normal, and i strive to be normal (not there yet but trying). 

there is a middle ground between deprivation and no structure. it just means laying out a natural, moderate food plan and trying to stick to it as best as possible. its completely unrealistic to think success lies on the other end of deprivation, or that anyone can sustain deprivation for any length of time. conversely, having no plan at all is also a recipe for disaster. it takes time and trial and error to figure out what works for you, but you'll get there.