Having a head time with head hunger

Hi all,

Here's the situation; my mom is probably dealing with the end stages of her cancer, I am still working full time at a job that will no longer exist on November 30th, I drive every day a horrible hour long commute one way to get to work, and I barely have time to exercise. I am beginning to be totally checked out with work. I am having to really push myself to stay engaged and care.

My brain and body want to be comforted. For for than 20 years, getting comfort meant eating. I feel like I am battling a monster in my brain. It seems the only thoughts I have these days is FOOD. It's maddening. I am glad I am conscious that this is what's going on. That is half the battle, but I've given into this voice more than I've resisted it and I am scared.

I have to figure out how to comfort myself right in that moment when I am feeling tons of anxiety no matter where I am at. What do some of you do right in the moment when popping something in your mouth is so easy to do.

Thanks,
MsBlues

I'm really sorry about all this stress--none of it is pretty, but also none of it can be avoided.  That sucks.

If you MUST pop something in your mouth, make it protein.  There are some high protein bars that are good for the crunchy, but as they are more than 10g of protein, they're not too bad.  Just make sure you track them (if you are doing so) as a small meal, so you don't get too carried away.  I used to do a protein bar for break, which went well with a cup of coffee.

Exercise is the major destressor--somehow I just let all the bad stuff go as I was keeping track of my minutes on a recumbent bike, or doing my reps on the various machines.

And sometimes, I just have to face the stress and deal with it.  "The way out is the way through."
(Can't remember if that is JRR Tolkien or some other guru but it works.)

Best wishes,

Hi MsBlues, I am sorry that you are going through a rough time.  I am going to copy and paste some information about Head Hunger and although it is probably not the information you are looking for maybe it will help.  Good luck and I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

Physiological hunger or real hunger starts to occur about two to four hours after your last meal. Symptoms include an empty or rumbling feeling in your stomach.  If you ignore this signal you body then sends you a stronger signal in the form of a headache, dizziness or lightheadedness. This type of hunger is your body's way of telling you it is time to nourish your body. So go

eat some protein.

 

Psychological hunger or head hunger occurs at any time and has no physical symptoms.  Obsessing about food, emotional situations, certain personal triggers, or food cravings may cause you to think that you are hungry when you're really no****ching TV and wanting to eat is head hunger. Grazing is head hunger.

 

To assist you to identify which type of hunger you're feeling and what action you should take with that feeling, look at our Hunger-Satiety Rating Chart.

 

Hunger vs. Satiety Chart

1...………………….Stuffed to the point of feeling sick

2…Very uncomfortable, you need to loosen your belt

3….………….……Uncomfortable full, you are stuffed

4…….……Very full, you feel like you have overeaten

5…………………...Comfortably full, you are satisfied

6……………………Contented, neither full nor hungry

7………………………….Beginning signals of hunger

8……………………………………Hungry need to eat

9…………………Very hungry, unable to concentrate

10………………………………Starving, dizzy, irritable

 

Where are you right now on this chart? At number five you have satiety, if you are above this

number on the chart you have over eaten. If you are at six, you are neutral, nether hungry or full.

If you are at a seven, then you are beginning to get hungry and need to consider eating soon. If

you let your hunger go for a while you will start to feel the physical signs of hunger.

 

Where do your habits fit into this chart? If you are waiting to eat until you are "starving", irritable, or unable to concentrate; you will eat to fast and then you will likely eat beyond a comfortable feeling of fullness just to get rid of those bad physical feelings. Start paying close attention; start eating when you have early signals of hunger (level 7) and stop eating when you are comfortably full (level 5).

 

Keep a written record of your feelings of hunger, using this chart. This will help you to recognize if you are waiting too long to eat, or eating beyond a comfortable, satisfied level. Record what and how much you are eating - when you are too hungry versus the times you are just beginning to feel hunger.

 

This exercise will assist you to adjust your eating schedule to accommodate your true need for food.

 

DISCLAIMER: Information provided by this flier is for informational www.obesityhelp.com/ohsupportgroups

Purposes and is not medical advice. Only you and your doctor can ObesityHelp Support Group Leader Program determine what regimen meets your specific needs.  [email protected]

(866) WLS-INFO ext. 382 or (866) 957-4636 ext. 38

Hugs
Terry

Ms.Blues, Thank you for sharing your troubles with head hunger. I have not had surgery yet, however I get very nervous about my eating habits as relates to comfort and head hunger. I just bought a book but have not read it yet. Called 50 ways to southe yourself without food, by Susan Albers. Somthing like this book may help you if you have any time to read it. I will post on here in another post when I find some good solutions to self comfort without eating when unnecessary. Good Luck. I will pray for you and your family and a comfortable transition for your Mohter. Take Care, HUGS, amy

MsBlues, I just wanted to come give you hugs.  I'm so sorry that everything is piling up on you at once.  I'm really sorry about your mom and your job.

I'm still so early out at 11 weeks that I haven't had a lot of head hunger but I've lived a lifetime with it pre-op.  Being accountable is what works best for me, whether it's food or exercise.  I love myfitnesspal. com to track my food and exercise.  Just the act of having to honestly write down everything that I eat helps me stay more focused.  When I look at food, I imagine how it will look on my food log and what the totals will be when added to the protein, carbs and calories.  I'm sure I'd pick up lots of "bites" of other things if I wasn't doing the tracking.

Be sweet to yourself.  Make time for that walk on the beach if you possibly can.  Find uplifting things to listen to on your commute.  Distract yourself in positive ways.

Sending hugs your way.

acknowledging that food has been your comfort technique is part of the battle.  is it possible to go into the lady's room and look at yourself in the mirror and give yourself credit for how far youve come when youre feeling anxious or needy of a gnosh?  it might not work all the time but giving yourself a good eyeballing and saying outloud or to yourself "you look great" is a type of feeding yourself.

wearing a pedometer and taking that quick walk at lunchbreak and doing stairs instead of elevator etc will help keep you accountable for calories burnt.

hang in there.