I have come to see this is common, but...

The good news is that you won't have to do this the rest of your life.  JubJub posted an article not too long ago about how some products are made to be addicting.  Nacho cheese Doritos was names, and I'm sure Cheetos was on the list.  It's like crack for me - a couple of months after surgery I was at a party and had one dorito.  Oh my God, I could hardly restrain myself from eating the whole bag right then and there!  And I stopped at a convenience store on my way home to buy more.  It took weeks to kick that habit again, and I know that if I have one chip now I'll go right back to craving more and more and more.

So this torture you're going through is temporary - after surgery you'll feel like you just had a Thanksgiving meal after very little food.  But remember this feeling about the junk - and don't be tempted later on to "just have one" after you've worked so hard to change your eating habits.  

It's all worth it - I promise!

The weirdest thing is, I don't even care that much for them. I saw them on a TV program, and for some reason that's all it takes for me to think - not even that I want some, but that I will not have them anymore. Then I start doubting my resolve because I think that way about food that's no big deal to me. 

Thank you for this message!  It's a good reminder that just because the sleeve is small doesn't mean that we still have to make good choices about what goes in it!

Pre-op diet is as many have already said the most difficult part to go through. For me it totally got easier as every day passed, though. Just keep thinking about the "prize" at the end of the road.

Good luck!

I think you're right. This sounds exactly like what happens to me when I have to carb detox. The good news is that after about 72 hours, that nagging feeling DOES go away. 

I am on day 10 of my pre-op and the first few days or week was the hardest...but now its like my body is accustom and its been a breeze...in fact I look forward to drinking my water and shakes...then I have a clear broth for lunch and dinner and top it off with a sugar free popsicle or sugar free jello and all is right with the world...hang in there you can do it!!!!

I went to a herbalife smoothie shop and let her make my lunchtime smoothie.  I then went and bought every sugar free flavor syrup i could find.  It made it better to have a milkshake treat in my mind.

I  had RNY on Monday so now i have a two week clear liquid diet. Believe it or not, I miss the shakes.  I am learning to like crystal light but i used to want jus****er.  It is very hard because I am thinking about food all the time.  I have to think about spacing out vitamins too.

I never liked nacho chips but last night I thought about them for an hour.  Weird.  

I think this tool is very hard work and anyone who calls it the easy way out is ignorant.

Part of the problem isn't just the lack of food but that we fixate on food.  TV can be the worst for reminding us that we "want" food.  I find right now facebook and pinterest are doing the same thing to me.  Take this time to start or rekindle a hobby, read a good book that keeps you "in it".  Shut down the things that are giving you the "food message".  Drink lots of water because it will help the sugar get out of your system faster.  My cousin once told me it takes 3 days for your body to change a habit.  I think you have to help your mind catch up, but your body will adjust in three days (I think this is untrue for chemical addictions but true for most anything else).  She told me this when I was trying to get my son to give up his soother and reminded myself of it every time I have tried to change anything for him (or me).  It does seem to be true.  

You can do this.  There are many people that went before us and they had similar or worse addictions then we do.  All those skinny minny's out there who have reached goal were once our size.  If they can do it we can too!  Don't give up!!!

Thank you! I am finding today to be easier than yesterday already. And after today is over, I only have 12 more to endure of this brand of torture (that is getting easier).

I agree it totally feels like torture!  I had to lose 10% of my weight to qualify for the program and then maintain it until the surgery which is a long weight time.   I reached my 10% goal in July and my surgery isn't until the end of December.  I have been fighting my addiction since April (first intake session) trying to not gain weight and disqualifying myself.  Living off of a 1000 calories off and on with periods of binge eating in between. I'm back on track (day 3 for me too!).  I guess the one good thing about my clinics' "process" is that I have had to deal with the reason I eat.  If I don't I'll be gaining back my 35 lbs and then some.

Keep going...you really can do anything for 2 weeks ;)