I am SOOOOOO Hungry..HELP!

All of a sudden as of the last week or so, I have been soooo hungry I can't stand it.  I could graze all day if I let myself.  I am 6 1/2 months out from RNY in Feb.  Weight loss has slowed down but is still coming off.  It is almost like my stomach has healed and I have figured out that things that I was afraid to eat don't hurt me.  I haven't eaten anything BAD, but I can eat more of the things that are good for me.   Too much of even the good things is to much when you are trying to lose weight.  Any suggestions from the veterans on the board? 

Any new low cal dishes that are FILLING and will last long enough not to slide through and make room for something else?   I am really afraid of that seems to be happening to me.  I AM NOT going to give in to this!   I am really struggling with it right now.  I know it's probably part of what happens, but it is significant right now.  I hope this does not continue, or I find someway around it.  I seem to be hungry all the time. 

HELP

I may not be a veteran of the board or surgery; but I think I may be able to help a little. If you like blueberries, strawberries, granola and yogurt then it may help you out. Mix 1 cup of the blueberries, strawberries and fat-free granola with one fat-free single serving container of any flavor yogurt into a small bowl. Sprinkle with ground flax seed and enjoy. I tend to feel full for at least 3 hours after eating that as a snack between meals.

Thanks...Read my post to Mel...I can't write all that again (LOL) 

Hey Cathy. Can I ask you a question?  Are you getting in enough liquids?  Many times, when a person is thirsty or dehyrdrated, they misinterpret that feeling of need for liquid as hunger.  And as a result, will snack all day trying to curb the craving.  It will be there until they quench their thirst instead.

Also, you might be at the stage in your journey where you need to rework your eating schedule.  Are you getting in enough protein?  That will help you feel full longer.  You might need to add a small protein snack in between your meals.  For example, in between your breakfast and lunch, perhaps add a reduced fat skim mozarella cheesestick, or maybe a piece of Ostrim jerkey.  These are protein, and will also help get your mouth to moving a little bit if its the need for food...  

What times of day are you having the most problem?  Evening?  Mid morning? Afternoon?  Is it driven by boredom?  Really it will be a combination of things to try in order to get to the root and find solutions....

Thanks Mel.  I can always count on you and the others on the board.  I am drinking liquids like crazy.  As a matter of fact I am amazed at how easy it is for me to drink.  I am not having any problem with liquids and if you see me anywhere, I usually have a drink of something in my hands. I don't think its the liquids.  I don't do Diet  Coke or carbonation, but I do some caffeine from time to time.  I am hooked on the protein drink Whey-Up they sell at GNC on line and Susan Maria's site.  The citrus is SO good.  I usually drink one of them every morning when I get up and go to the gym.  They do have a lot of caffeine in them, but my NUT says they are OK and they do sell them on the bariatric eating site, so I figured they were OK. 

I think I am getting enough protein and I wonder if drinking to many shakes and RTD's like Isopure and Designer Way Rtd liquids are giving me to many calories, but I don't think they will make me have food cravings. 

I have thought and thought about this and I think I can trace it back to my 6 week check up a couple of weeks ago.  I discussed my slow weight loss with the NUT and she told me I was not getting enough carbs.  I was probably eating 40 to 45 carbs a day and sometimes much less than that.  She said I needed to get in at least 100 carbs per day on average.  .  SO....I added some mission carb control torteas on occasion and made a tostada with my re fried beans and cheese and I bought some wheat crackers (15 carbs for 5 crackers) which I love.  I thought that would help me get my carbs up and help my weight loss get started a gain!  I have been hungry ever since.  I think this may be it.....but now I realize that these things sit well on my stomach and do not hurt me.  Just a little of this should be OK.  But It is like CRACK for me.  I keep thinking of what I can eat to put the crackers on and not what is good for me to eat.  I swear i knew I was addicted, but what a realization this is. 

How do you live without EVER having bread or crackers in any form?   Could it be this much of an addiction?   Good Gosh!  I can't believe that a small amount of anything could do this to me.  How do you handle this?  I have read about it on the threads, but It is personal to me now and I want so to overcome this.  I know I can,  and I don't want to wine about it.  I just need some TLC and encouragement.  Thanks.. for letting me vent. 

If there was something else out there with some CRUNCH that would help me....I would appreciate all the help I can get.  I am looking on the recipe sites but I just haen't found anything quick and crunchie that would be a good substitute. 

We need to start a carb rehab center.  Why hasn't anyone thought of that.  We could have a SPA and workout area . invite all the carbaholics that we know and charge lots of money.  Instead of Betty Ford, we could come up with some creative name for it.   (Sounds like a contest to me) ......A name for the Pretend Carb Rehab Center......HUMMMMMMM....I'll have to think about that one! 

I think you just found the cause of your hunger, Cathy.  I believe it was the low carb tortillas.  Perhaps, and I am just tossing this out here, but maybe it is a trigger for you (at this time).  It does not mean that you won't ever be able to have them. 

Let me give you an example.  I decided while in my losing phase that I wanted some low carb spaghetti.  So I bought some of the Dreamfields Pasta (some folks have NO problems with these).  And boy, I wanted to have pasta every single day after having that one meal.  It caused such a craving that it was like setting a forest fire!  I didn't give in to that desire, and  had to decarb, but I learned a lesson!  Now, however, after losing and being in maintenance for 2 yrs, I am able to have Dreamfields and it doesn't cause me to want more.  I have it only maybe once every 6 months. 

Perhaps just drop those Mission tortillas off your list "for now"...  and revisit them at a later date.  If you find that you aren't able to add them safely back, stay clear until you hit maintenance. Revisit again... it could be that you will always have a trigger in that food.As for crackers, NO.  I would say these are slippery slopes.  

You could try to get some Kay's Naturals protein products that will provide the crunch you desire.  There is also a low carb soy flaxseed chip at Trader Joe's that is pretty good, they taste like Doritos, low carb.  Also Genisoy sells a low carb nacho style chip.  You would do better with one that has protein such as Kay's so that you get full very fast.  Sometimes I am able to eat 5 chips with my taco fixings (the white cheddar kruncheez by Kays) and then I am done.  I put the bag away and not think of them or revisit until weeks later.  I just seal my bag up good so that they don't go stale or to waste.

I may have to give those Whey Up's a try.  I need some caffeine in the mornings!  And also, I want to add one more thought.  You just might be at the place where your body NEEDS solid protein, rather than just liquid protein.  And that is OK.  You shouldn't have to live on protein shakes the rest of your life, or yogurt.  It's good to use those to get more protein and keep the carb count down, but living on them isn't such a great idea.  I do see why nutritionists want patients to try to incorporate real protein solids into their diet, but at the same time I disagree with them that it should ALL come from solids as we just can't eat that much! 

Like Mel said, make sure you are getting in the liquids. Keep a bottle of water or Crystal Lite with you and SIP, SIP, SIP all day. Make sure you're staying well hydrated. It keeps the "hunger" or "head hunger" down tremendously.  A lot of times when people think or feel they are hungry it is because they are really dehydrated.

A resent study by NYU Medical Center says if you start your day with carbohydrates you will crave carbs. through out the day.  Just a thought.  C'ya Bob

I think you may be right on.(as usual)  Read my post to Mel on this thread so I won't have to write it again (Thanks!

Thanks Bob...read my post to Mel on this thread.  I just can't write all of this again (LOL)