hungry all the time...

Hi,  I have noticed that some foods fill me up better than others. Chicken and dense protein works best for me. If I am hungry I try to eat a cup of chicken or other meat first. Then I won't feel hungry and or eat things that I regret later. Shakes and yogurt etc....don't fill me up as well. And if I eat junk food (yes, unfortunately I have), it never fills me up! I guess that is why it is called slider food. Crackers etc...slides right through not making you fill up and feel full. Keep up the good work and follow your plan. It works!

Keep following your plan. When I started out I would write down what I was feeling when I went to eat. What kind of protein are you eating?

I know when I ate yogurt I felt no restriction. I know it is a slider food.  When I eat meat I do feel restrictions. I also have changed somethings that I used to do. I have so many triggers that make me hungry. Watching cooking shows looking at recipes. I know that sounds silly.

You have lost 45 pounds in a little over a month so that is great. So just keep measuring and writing down what you are eating. 

Remember you are worth it. write down the positive things you have done also. We have a tendency to look at the bad part of ourselves and not at the good. Think about how good you feel after losing the weight you have lost.

I do think about food often I may obsess but I know I have to plan or I could make bad choices. 

We have changed our bodies but not our heads. I have hunger now and sometimes I don't feel like eating at all. I do get head hunger which ****** me off. Thank goodness for my therapist.

One of the vets posted a few months ago that she drinks at least 16oz before a meal. 

Best wishes to you. You are not alone in this. We all are different but the same in some ways. 

thank you!  So much great advice and I don't feel like a crazy person.  I am taking a pepcid a day and not drinking with meals or after.  Ill keep this all in mind.  I appreciate the encouragement  

There's a book I've read many times called "The Beck Diet Solution".  You can get it on Amazon.  It's not about diet but about cognitive therapy - changing your thinking.  It has helped me so much with my thoughts about food.

Hunger is not an emergency.  It doesn't hurt like a sprained ankle or abdominal surgery.  I can think about how long it is until I eat again (maybe 1 hour) and I choose to wait until my next meal to eat.  So many good techniques to help you get thinking straight about your relationship with food.

Seeing a counselor can help and going to bariatric support group and being accountable to Obesity Help with your food log daily will help.  I did this for many months that first year.

Most of us in America have really never experienced real hunger - like those in third world countries.  We are so fortunate to have abundant choices of a range of foods available to us 24 hours a day.

Best wishes for getting this under control.

Penny

Physical Hunger Vs Emotional Hunger:

Physical Hunger:  Comes on gradually and can be postponed.

Emotional Hunger: Comes on suddenly and feels urgent.

Physical Hunger:  Can be satisfied with any type of food.

Emotional Hunger: Causes specific food cravings (pizza, chocolate, ice cream, etc...)

Physical Hunger:  Once you are full you can stop eating.

Emotional Hunger: Eat more than you normally would. Feel uncomfortably full.

Physical Hunger:  Causes satisfaction, doesn’t cause guilt.

Emotional Hunger: Leaves you feeling guilty and cross with yourself.

My Decision to Have WLS:

I did not come blindly to my decision to have WLS. I looked into it for many years, and very seriously for a year prior to having RNY.

I am very independent. I did not wait for others to hold my hand. I got all the resources I felt I would need when making a major decision. I made my choices with solid understanding under my belt. 

I developed a mental plan of direction and wrote down my course of action. I prepared myself for the challenge ahead knowing I may run into some roadblocks along the way. I created a way out to overcome whatever obstacles I may encounter. If I found I needed more resources, or I needed to gain more knowledge, I actively sought it.

I do not make excuses. I know what I want and where I am going. I do not cry over a mis-step. I do not get others to join me in a pity party.

I remain positive, purposeful and upbeat. I hold myself to a higher standard. I do not care about what everyone else is doing. I have come to know myself and have addressed those secret places in my life we all tend to avoid.

I have always had a clear goal and plan and I have never swayed from it. I am very strict and strong-willed. My personality, tolerance, life experience and stamina are all part of the equation.

I know myself and my limitations. When I began this journey, I felt I was fully prepared mentally for any challenge I would come across. I put in a lot of time doing research, and I continue to educate myself as time goes on.