Ok anyone hungry?

Alright guys, I have a poll question here for those a year out or more. When did your appetite really come raging back and you suddenly realize that this is gonna be harder than you originally thought to keep the weight off? I am now 19 months out and am realizing that I am wanting to eat all the time again like before surgery! I just seemed to creep up on me. I didn't feel like this for a long time, so I thought I was "cured", but now I am a little upset that I will still have to fight my damned appetite forever. I did start adding fruits and veggies into my diet since my little scare at Great Wolf, and I am back down to within a pound of where I was. And it does help the nibble monster inside of me, but I am worried I will stretch out my pouch. Any ideas or just answers to my original ? are appreciated. Wendy

I was about where you are when it started too, and i find it harder during that time of the month, especially the week before. I added an extra protein drink in the after noon and that helped....also are you eating more carbs than usual? That will do it. Make sure you get the bulk of your food in protein, then fruit or veggies, then last carbs or fat. Now that i'm almost 2 1/2 years out, hunger hits me all at once and i start shaking if i don't have something ready. I still don't eat a lot at once, but have to have everything ready before hand to make sure i don't eat the wrong things. Also where you are at now i started having problems with a lot of veggies, like mushrooms or cabbage or canned tomatoes. It put me in pain for a couple of days and still does. I hope this helps, up the protein and the water. Hugs Linda

You were first!!! That's a pretty neat trick lately. kp

it was weird for me in that my hunger never really went away, just my ability to eat as much. now that i can eat more i'm finding i HAVE to use the "tricks of the trade" to fight hunger. If my hunger seems out of control i DRINK WATER and have something high in protein. it helps. A lot. Somehow i'm still losing weight, slowly but steadily.

I just started feeling hunger again. I am 15 mos. out.

For me it was about 2 years later. However, my appetite went away with this most recent surgery, but I am afraid it will come back full force. When I find myself getting hungry I try to drink a cup of tea or some water. If that doesn't do it, I eat salad with some balsamic (fat free) dressing or something high in protein. I could never bring myself to drink the protein shakes. I have learned now that when I am hungry, I'm hungry. I try not to do anything about it. I feel so bad when I snack between meals so I have just trained myself to not eat when I am not supposed to eat. But like I said, if I think I just have to eat I make sure it's something healthy. I know that I am probably not going about it the right way so I wouldn't suggest following my method, lol. I don't know, I think I am afraid of food still. Julie

I have found that my appetite has came back to somedays. My Doc says that after time it does come back but you have to know how to be able to control your appetite and educate yourself on using your pouch. I also just go back to basics and remember the basic rules. Also I talk to my dietician. Suzanne

I'm over three years out and very seldom feel hunger,sometimes I have to remind myself it's time to eat something.I still get sick whenever I eat anything with hamburger in i,.just the thought of eating spaghetti makes my stomach turn! I have found if I do over eat all I have to do is drink some milk and right back up it comes.I didn't get to be 100 pounds over weight just eating when I was hungry so I guess it's a good way to control any over eating.

Like my sister Gussie I'm about three years now. I have not felt hunger since June 15 2004. I thought I was but I burped and it was gone. Now, do I hunger for the love of my beautiful wife? My thirst never quenches. To look into her eyes sets the hunger of my desire aflame. Then we both fart, roll over and go to sleep. kp

Well, Wendy I am 3+ yrs. out and I started feel hunger about 2yrs out. By the time I hit yr 3 it hit me with a vengeance. It scared the heck out of me. The best advice I can give you is to just remind yourself if you are going to put something in your mouth make sure it is something healthy. The problem I have found that I am now having is that I can eat and within an hour I feel like I am starved and haven't eaten all day. But what is odd is that if I don't eat breakfast I can go for hours without being hungry. I usually have to tell myself to eat breakfast. But like Linda had mentioned, I too will get shaky if I get hungry, usually it happens to me when I hadn't gotten enough protein in. For example, one day for lunch I had tomato soup with a few tortilla chips (I am allergic to flour so I use the chips as a cracker) anyway it wasn't near enough protein about an hr or so later I had gotten sooo shakey that I had to stop what I was doing and eat a protein bar. As soon as I ate it I was fine. Weird huh? I want to get my stoma checked because my pouch is emptying much to quickly I think. I do know that I have emotional eating days but I do know the difference, when you have a hollow, gnawing empty feeling its hunger, If you just have the "wants" it's usually emotional. I am still trying to put a finger on all of my triggers. I am trying not to beat myself up when I do have those emotional eating days, I just make sure if I am going to binge it is on apples or anything that crunches (that is healthy anyway) Chewing is how I deal with stress. Well I must have been really stressed at 304 lbs....LOL. Anyway, Wendy it is a whole different ballgame once you are further out. Just keep a handle on it and you will be fine. God Bless and take care---Toni