DO ANY OF YOU STRUGGLE WITH HEAD HUNGER?

I think I am having problems dealing with stress without having my old "friend" food to help. About once a week...usually in the evening...I am ravenously hungry.  The only thing is...I know it isn't real hunger. I don't get hungry yet. It is head hunger caused by stress or whatever causes it.   I hate it!  I haven't figured out quite yet how to cope with  it.  I won't eat because that would make me sick. I drink water and go to bed early or cry if it's too early for bed (that's embarrassing to admit!) I know I could probably jump on the treadmill and walk but that is the last thing I want to do after working a 10 hour day...plus it usually happens at 9:30 or 10:00 at night so I don't want to work out that late and get a second wind.  Then I would never get to sleep!  I get kind of down about it for a while and usually the next morning I  am fine.  Will we always have to fight the head game? My fear is that if I always have to fight the head hunger...will I gain the weight back in several years when I can eat more? Will I give in to the head hunger then? I have so many times in my life before.  It scares me. I just know I can't be the only one who faces this and someone down the road further than me has figured out how to cope with it...surely. Thanks for reading....

Diana, I too have the same fear you do. I'm pretty sure this is normal. So far I have done much better than I had anticipated with the head hunger. I just try to keep myself busy with finding new recipes or new WLS websites. I hardly ever try the new recipes, but at least I know I have them to fall back on if I should get tired of eating the same ole same ole.

I do think that years down the road this may become harder. I truly believe the whole key to not getting back into the old habits is to try to never get them started back up. I know without a doubt that if I hadn't had the RNY I never would have made it this far on a diet. I would always get frustrated and say "oh, hell with it! I will start my diet Monday". It just doesn't work that way now because we couldn't pig out even if we wanted to.(Oink Oink)

We have to take one day at a time and try not to stress about a year or two ahead.A good place to go to on OH is the WLS Grads thread. These people have met their goals and are very encouraging. WLS doesn't fail us, we fail it. I know it is hard when you are used to using food for comfort, and the going gets tough. We just have to not take that first bite and look for a healthier alternative, and believe me their are many of them out there.

Remember GOD DOESN'T LEAD YOU TO IT IF HE CAN'T SEE YOU THROUGH IT.(or something like that) LOL   It will all be okay.(((((HUGS))))) Rita

Thanks!  You're so right...why worry about tomorrow. Today is enough! I'm glad we have the "honeymoon" period to work on this head hunger thing. 

No honeymoon with the band....but head hunger will probably be an issue for all of us, since that is why we got fat in the first place (eating when we weren't hungry or didn't need food).  With restriction, it seems to be easier to not give in.  Even now, unfilled as I am, I don't seem to be tortured with it the way I was before, because I've had months of learning that I can get by quite fine on less.

Eating is a lot of habit, so once you create new habits, healthy ones, THOSE will be your default mode.  Find something besides eating to replace the stress release part of the hunger.  Maybe crochet?

I have been struggling with head hunger, but, then I expected it, since I am only two weeks out of surgery and not even eating yet (liquids only till Monday)! I have has sort of a nostalgia effect towards food - I miss food, and I miss the comfort that comes with it. Unfortunately, this is what got us here in the first place, using food for other reasons but hunger. This is teaching me what the difference is between being hungry and not. And I have to catch myself on that familiar walk to the fridge and tell myself that this won't work anymore, and I better turn around and find something else to do - for me getting on the computer works, TV does not, reading does, taking my dog for a walk. It's tough, but I know in the end we will make it! Best of luck, Anna

I too have head hunger and at times miss my old dear friend food. I have had to watch myself on picking up something and popping it in my mouth without thinking about it.  Tressa