Mind munchies

I'm so hungry mentally of course not physically hungry as I am one week and three days post op. I find myself smelling everything and watching my family eat. I did not think this would be so hard because I thought the physical hunger would be gone and it would be fine. I find myself thinking about all the foods I'd love to be eating. Does this get better?

With time, therapy, and hard work, it can get easier, yes. The surgery only changes your stomach - you've got to do the work to change your brain. But you can!

Knowing that it's just mind/eye/smell hunger helps!! When I was on purées and softs, I would plan my meal schedule so I could have whatever "heartiest" option when I had meals with people. The social aspect is important and that helps, focus on the conversation, the time with them and that creates the mental distraction I think. Good luck, hope it gets easier.

It got so much better for me when I started eating solid foods again, because I could try some of the stuff that I was seeing lol liquids get old fast

I'm pre-op but on a restricted pre-surgery diet so I've been struggling a bit with this too. I find a couple of things helpful-

First, I just immediately distract myself when I find my mind wandering towards food. I just don't even allow my mind to go there. So I'll jump on OH and look at people's before and after pics for inspiration, or read the plastic surgery forum and think about my plans for plastics down the road...or I'll do some research for the trip I'm hoping to take once I reach my goal weight...or, since I'm single, I think about what I'll put in my dating profile once I'm ready to do that. Kinda silly but it's working for me!

Second- when I'm feeling hungry, especially in the evenings, I put on some Crest whitening strips. Then I often end up focusing on my teeth (I hate my teeth) and researching Invisalign or something. The other day I baked a cheesecake for my brother-in-law's birthday, and I had no problems because I was wearing whitestrips!

Third- I take some deep breaths, and remind myself that I'm choosing to have this surgery. I'm making this choice to improve my health and wellbeing. And I'm choosing to eat this way for my own wellbeing. And I can have whatever it is I'm missing (pizza, whatever) someday down the road. Then I might research some bariatric/keto recipes for the future, like skillet pizza or fathead pizza or something.

Basically, I just spend a lot of time on the internet

You got this. Good luck!

Lol. Thanks. I think your right and I know it I chose this and will be healthy and that's what matters. Thanks for all the tips I think I'll start googling healthy things or distractions ?