Post-surgical cravings are to be expected in the weeks after sleeve gastrectomy, as your appetite slowly adjusts to your body’s new lack of interest in overeating. There is a difference between appetite and cravings. Appetite or hunger is rooted in the survival instinct; it’s your body’s way of telling you that it needs nutrients and fuel to operate efficiently. Cravings are born of the mind’s imagination — things you believe you need to make you feel better. Before surgery, your body and mind almost always agreed on what you needed: more food. Now they often have conflicting opinions, and managing those old cravings will take time and practice.