head hunger

Hi everyone

I was at my dietitian appointment recently and she suggested that I ask you folks about the head hunger.  How do you handle wanting to eat when you can't or stopping cravings for the bad stuff? 

Thanks

For me I go do something to keep my mind occupied ie) bath, walk, a chore. I will work on drinking water that way I can't eat for 30 mins. If I am really still hunger I will grab something healthy an apple with cheese or hummus and veggies, no sugar not fat homemade pudding with a fruit. I make sure to always have healthy snacks and dont keep any of the bad stuff in house.

Stopping the cravings for the bad stuff I found my biggest help was to just stop having it.  It seems like a cop out, but really if you go without it for long enough you won't find yourself wanting it as much as you used to.  I used to love chocolate.  I'd want chocolate every single day, but after 3 weeks of optifast pre-op and then weeks of yogurt post-op I wanted nothing to do with anything sweet.  Now that I'm back on normal food I still don't want anything sweeter than a couple of berries.  The time away really broke the habit.

As for wanting to eat when you can't, don't make it easy for yourself to eat.  Don't keep easy to reach snack food.  Drink some water so you'll have to wait.  Distract yourself with something else until the urge passes.  Stick to pre-determined meals.  Some of the most useful advice I got is to plan your meals for your day at least 1 day in advance.  That way you know that if you eat these things you'll be getting enough protein but not too much of the bad stuff, then stick with that plan for the day.  Don't eat anything that's not on there, and don't SKIP anything that is on there!

Head hunger is a life long struggle for most of us. There are no cure for cravings. They all eventually come back. Many centres have classes for CBT or other classes. Take advantage of them.

Previous poster mentioned drinking. Sometimes it is just thirst. Drink something that helps satisfy you. Maybe a special tea. Have food around that will be good for a planned snack. Something that you will look forward to having. 

Activities other have suggested, go for a walk, have a bath, basically change where you are.

Good luck.

Short term solution, have some water (thirst can look like hunger), or distract yourself.  Go out for a walk, work on a craft, clean, etc.

Long term, see if there is a pattern to your head hunger.  If you find yourself in a pattern, break the pattern.  My Mom had to do this when she was smoking.  She had a routine before she quit and when she quit, she had to create a new routine, so that she wouldn't go back.  If you find that you get snacky when you are bored, find something to occupy the time.  Crafts (knitting, sewing, puzzles, puzzle books, etc) to keep your hands and mind busy.

As for cravings, make sure that you are eating according to plan, and not missing anything.  When I was pregnant, we were told that if we were craving something, that we are probably missing something in our diet.  I.e. craving chips, maybe we aren't eating enough salt.  But some cravings are "head hunger" cravings.  Cravings not because your body wants it, but your mind misses it.  For example, I crave ice cream once in a while.  I know it's not my body, but my head (I used to love ice cream and eat it daily, pre WLS) as my body retaliates when I eat it (I have dairy issues).  So I now just try to avoid ice cream all together.  I still get cravings, but try remembering the last time I had it as I probably reacted very badly to it.

I wish you well on your journey.

Cathy