Hunger

There have been posts over the months concerning hunger and eating. This is a clip from Barbara Thompson's monthly WLS newsletter. Welcome to the real world. You have reached the point following surgery when your appetite returns. It happens to almost all of us, so don't despair. But I know that when it starts happening, it is scary. The first thing you think is that your surgery has failed. There are a lot of things you can do to minimize your hunger and get it under control. If you were sitting beside me, I would ask you several questions so that we might figure out what is happening. So I will try to figure this out from a distance. Ask yourself: 1. Are you eating too many carbohydrates? I really believe that those of us who are morbidly obese are carbohydrate sensitive. When we eat carbohydrates, they cause our blood sugar to rise. We may have temporary energy and our bodies seem happy. Then when the blood sugar level drops, our bodies send out the signal to get that blood sugar level back up there. This is when we feel cravings. So watch your carbohydrates. I try to delay eating carbs as late in the day as possible. If I start my day off with carbs, I am hungry for the entire day. Also, protein is denser and will sit in your pouch for a longer period of time, keeping you feeling full longer. So minimize the carbs and eat protein. 2. Are you hungry or are you thirsty? We sometimes mix up the two sensations. So when you feel hungry, drink a big glass of water and see if that helps. 3. You just may actually be hungry. Sometimes we end up not eating enough. We get used to eating these tiny portions and are afraid to increase the amount. Well, you can't live on 2 ounces of protein and 1/4 cup of vegetables forever. You are at the point where you may need to increase the amount of food you are eating. When you eat a meal, eat until you feel full. Take your time and make sure that the sensation you feel is fullness and not something stuck. Do not overeat and stretch your pouch. Just eat until you have that sensation in your chest of fullness. Do a food journal and count your calories. At 4 months post-op, you should be eating about 900 calories per day. Where do you stand? If you are getting in less than that, increase the amount of food that you are eating. If you are eating more calories than that, don't decrease the amount of food you are eating, just decrease the calories. Choose lower calorie selections so that you can have more food. The entire publication can be viewed (and free subscription link) at http://www.wlscenter.com/NLArchive/feb_1_2005.htm Feel free to look at the archives for additional information and tips. Peter

Thanx Peter. That was a big help. I have always known I was sensitive to carbs. This just reassured me that I am not alone. I am at the 4 month mark and starting to plan for my future eating habits. Thanx for sharing, Linnie

Hi Peter, I just wanted to let you know that on your recommendation, I did buy Barbara's book. What a wealth of information it has! Thank you very much. I think every pre and post op should have this book. Sandy