Carb Cravings: any reset diet advice?

I've been craving carbs, bad ones, for the last two weeks.  I'm just having a really hard time these days, and I wonder if it's because I've added sweet and low to my coffee, and am allowing myself to have peanut butter and one banana a week.  Or possibly it's totally unrelated.

In any case, I'm looking for advice because I can see this totally derailing me at month four post op!  Someone suggested I avoid all sweet tasting foods - sugar free or not- for two weeks to do a reset.  I can try that, but I'm wondering if the opposite (sort of) is a better plan.  Perhaps I go on a protein shake diet for three days.  Those things are so sickeningly sweet to me that perhaps I'll be in sweetness overload so grilled chicken and broccoli sounds heavenly.

Any advice, anectdotal or personal?

Whatever you do, do not awaken the Carb Monster.  Around nine months post-op, I gave in -- started with low-carb pita bread sandwich.....it was a disaster from then on.  At first, I stayed within my numbers..then a little over..... I did not gain any weight - but I didn't lose another pound.  Just about ten days ago, I stopped carbs cold turkey.  No more bread/pasta/potatoes/cereal, etc. The scale is finally moving down again.

I don't know what caused the craving for me -- guess I just missed them, my favorite foods are carbs.

I warn you - be strong.  Hopefully, others will be able to give you some advice.  Maybe you should stop the items you mentioned you started.  Whatever, you don't want to go on the Carb Trip.

Mary

Thanks so much!

I'm very sensitive to carbs, and was careful all thru weight loss to keep my carbs very low.  I'd occasionally have a piece of birthday cake or pumpkin pie on holidays, but I kept it to one exception and then back to plan.  But in maintenance I started adding some humus and crackers - not too many calories but some carbs, and it was down hill from there. I was craving it every day... So humus and crackers are back to the forbidden foods list. 

I am able to tolerate the artificial sweeteners without carb cravings, but it may be different for you.  I think one banana per week would be ok, but again everyone is different.  Maybe the PB is doing it.  Or maybe its just head hunger. 

I wish you good luck in sorting it out.  Its a challenge for all of us.

Carol

PB is definitely a trigger food for me! I have to keep it in a high cabinet out of sight. 

And I echo what the others say,  don't go down the carb road. You will either put yourself into maintenance or regain. I use sweet n low every day in my coffee and it doesn't affect me,  but others do. When I'm craving, I opt for a hot tea,  or protein shake, or light n fit Greek yogurt.

Carbs are difficult.  I just cannot eat them in moderation without a lot of effort.  Potato chips and french fries are a killer for me.  I just can't have them anywhere near me.  There is a bag of unopened Lays in the cupboard now.....been there for a better part of two weeks.  When they get opened (not by me) it will take everything I have to resist them.  I hit my goal about a month ago.  The last 6 pounds took two months and I didn't get there until I completely go rid of processed carbs.  Once I did, those pounds were gone in two weeks.

Thanks everyone, for taking the time to offer your advice.  I really do appreciate it.  It never occurred to me that the banana or peanut butter was causing all of the cravings.  I plan to take them out of my diet and see how things go.  

If the sweet and low and banana are the only things that you've changed, it seems plausible that they're the culprits.  Try removing them and see what happens.  

Excerpt from kairk's post on OH, 9/8/2015:

"The only way I know how to break the cycle is with a detox. You are very early out still, so it shouldn't be all that hard (on the physical side). However, you will have to power through some of the mental crap. If you want a strong reset, the method I recommend is this:

3 days of all the protein and vegetables (if you are even eating them yet) and healthy fats you want for three days. Yes, you may go over your recommended calorie level, but that's okay for three days. So, when you get hungry (whether you really are physically or not) eat something protein. You'll also want to pound the water down. If you can get 80-100 oz in a day for those three days, you'll be helping yourself immensely.

By day 4 you should be craving free and reset. Sometimes it takes an extra day, but in my experience 3 days works for most people. Anyhow, on Day 4 get back to your calorie restriction and the correct macros.

I find going back to liquids punitive and counter productive. Don't think of a reset as a bad thing. Consider it a gift to yourself after a wonderful vacation during which you allowed yourself some indulgences. Doing a reset is a common thing - even for the most successful VSGers."

psychoticparrot