MONSTERS AWAKENING

I can't seem to quiet this nagging, incredibly restless urge to eat. It's at full-tilt these days and I'm very afraid. My weight is creeping upward. Any takers on this one? How are you all coping with this? Maureen

i have a similar monster that keeps saying go ahead one cookie won't hurt. its the same one who helped me get to being 277 pounds. slay that monster reenie someone who can jump rope can tighten it aroung that monsters neck and squeeze. you can do it. i believe in you.

Maureen, honey... PLEEAAASEEE!!! I just got back from a cruise. They should be illegal. The amount of food on these ships is just sick. NO ONE needs that much food. I'm terrified to get on the scale, and I won't get on for at least a week. When I left, I was on the upper end of the 5 pounds I play with (even though I want to lose more weight). All I can tell you is that I am petrified of gaining the weight back. I want to stick with protein shakes and bars all week and see what happens. I NEED to lose about 15 to 20 more pounds. All in all....you're not alone by any stretch of the imagination! Joanie

The more distraction I need from my problems, the greater my hunger. I am five pounds over my low, one pound under the upper end of my range. I have been eating carbs like they are the only food God gave us, sucking down coffee all day long and beer three nights a week. Hi, I'd like to introduce you to Jen, the OLD ME..... I *KNOW* why I'm eating and still choosing to do it.. I guess I am not scared enough yet. Jen

Well....for what it's worth......My wife always has to fight an urge to overeat and pack on a few pounds this time of year. As soon as the days start to get shorter and the nights get a bit cooler, this starts to become a problem. She feels that it's an urge to bulk up for the winter that dates back to the bad old days before central heat and other modern conveniences. I think that there's some logic to her theory, because it's the only time of year that she has this trouble. As for me, it was never a seasonal thing, although I do get even stronger urges this time of year. Most creatures in the wild tend to fatten up for the "Lean days" of winter. I don't know how this plays out for Connie and the other "Desert Dwellers"??!! Mike

It is stress, Dear. Your family is in turmoil, so you are turning to your other best friend. We all do it. Spend some time outside when the weather permits. Sun and exercise really help. Eat protein at frequent intervals and don't worry about quantities. Joy

Mike may be on to something with the seasonal eating. Pre-surgery, I always ate more when the weather started cooling off. Last year at this time, I thought I was eating more because my pouch was expanding and it was normal in the wls series of events. I'm really trying to stay busy. I don't know how successful I'm being. On Saturday, I worked out with a new trainer and was ready for traction by Sunday. On Sunday I cleaned the yard, trimming trees, mowing, planting flowers, cleaning the pond, hauling trash. Monday I woke up and every fiber of my body was screaming, but I found myself grazing so went and cleaned the garage. On Monday morning, I found that I had gained 4 pounds since Sunday. I knew it wasn't from eating so figured it had to be water weight. When you work your muscles, they hold more water. According to my fat measurer thingy, I had lost 2% body fat so that made me feel better. Staying busy does help, but I've found that I'm extra ravenous after I do a lot of physical work so I don't know that I'm getting anywhere because I end up eating everything that doesn't move out of the way. Hugs, Connie

For me, the hunger is constant and deep; it's as if I can sense the pouch, I can feel an emptiness and it's different than the hunger I've known in my "normal" (pre-surgery) stomache. It's something that can't be filled yet I'm aware of it constantly. Does this make any sense? Is anyone out there having success in maintaining their weight loss this far out??? If so, can you share with us what you're doing? Thanks all -- persevere! Maureen

OK Reenie, Your statement that the "hunger is constant and deep" begs the question: Are you sure it's physical hunger? I know what you're talking about when you say that you have a different kind of hunger. When I'm hungry, physically hungry, it's a hunger that won't be denied. It's immediate, demanding and I feel like I'm going to have some sort of melt down if I don't get something in my mouth. I don't feel it constantly though, just when I'm really physically hungry. Reenie, are you really physically hungry or are you trying to fill a need? I'm fishing here, but is it possible that your emotional needs are manifesting themselves as physical needs? I don't know, and I certainly don't have any answers, I'm just fishing. Here's another thought... The hormone Grehlin is supposed to be what makes us obese type people overeat. Supposedly, we don't feel satiated because our stomachs produce too much Grehlin which sends a signal to the brain to eat. OK, so far, so good. So after bypass surgery, the Grehlin is supposed to be greatly reduced and the signal to the brain severed. At first you're not hungry and then as the pouch starts to expand a little, the hunger returns somewhat. In theory, anyway. OK, then consider that our bodies are amazing things that adapt to adverse cir****tances. It's possible that the stomach (pouch) starts producing more and more Grehlin, but could it produce enough for us to be hungry constantly? I don't know. Then there's another possibility. Are you drinking with your meals? I know that when I drink a bunch with my meals, I flush my pouch and I'm hungry sooner. Mind you, this doesn't stop me from drinking with meals, I just know how I happen to be sabotaging myself. How enlightened of me. So I'm not sure what maintaining weight loss this far out means, but if it means weighing the same for the last 6 months, I guess I'm maintaining. Up until this moment, I've thought of it as "stuck", but maintaining sounds much nicer. I guess staying active has been what's worked the best for me. The other habit that I've acquired is lying to myself and others around me. I tell the guy at the sub shop to cut my 6" sub in half because I certainly cannot eat a whole 6" sub at one time. I sure could eat that puppy, but it's my lie and I'm happy with it. At birthday parties I say I just want a forkful of cake because I'll be puking on the shag carpet if I eat more than that. I could probably get down half a slice, but again, it's my lie and I'm OK with it. I call it "Livin' the lie." Love ya, Connie

I think what I'm feeling and trying to express is real physical hunger. I do know that when I get anxious or upset or sad or angry, I want to eat to soothe those feelings -- sometimes I do, sometimes I just ride through it or do something else to cope. But what I'm trying to describe is real physical hunger and I sense it, I feel it, like an empty pit. I feel my pouch so intensely I can almost visualize it. I'm seeing my regular doctor soon and I'm going to ask if he can order a test to measure that hormne, grehlin, you're talking about, Connie, I had heard something about this quite a while ago but didn't pay much attention to it. The other factor that bears worth looking into is the stoma -- how does the function of the stoma factor into real physical hunger? I know 6 months ago I couldn't eat the way I'm eating now, the size of what's going into my mouth. I'm no longer cutting up my food or being mindful of the size of those morsals or the rate at which I'm eating. I know I'm eating way too fast but it doesn't bother me or make me sick. Oh, and I never drink with my meals, that much I've been able to continue to do right! But I wonder about the stoma -- if it has enlarged or expanded, might that have something to do with the very real, almost constant physical hunger I'm experiencing? Any thoughts, guys? I wish for you today what my beautiful son wishes for us at dinner every night -- "Dear Lord, thank you for another peaceful day." Love Reenie