Question about hunger

Hi I had the sleeve surgery over three years. My original weight was 196 lbs and I got down to 135 lbs easily in about 10 months. I have now regained some of the weight back and am up to 152 lbs.

I am getting back to basics with execise, protein firs****er. Snacking is still happening but I am okay about that for right now as I change from poor food choices to good food choices.

What I loved about the first two years was a freedom from the constant never satisifed hunger I felt. Also my emotions stabalized and I felt calm, content. I could go for hours and not be concerned about food. It was a major relief. I guess that is what slim people feel. They are not eating right now and also worrying about the next meal.

I think snacking on junking type food has lead me to my weight gain.

My question to you is, was this absence of hunger due to the surgery or the great food choices I was making?

Also, if you are back on track with your food plan, are you experiencing the calmest that you felt about food again? What are you feeling?

I would greatly appreciate your thoughts on this subject. I dont know anyone in my city that has had WLS, so I dont know were to go to get this answered.

thank you
Pat

I'm not sure how the sleeve surgery differs from the bypass that I had but I do know that the time frame that you talk about was my "honeymoon phase". During that time the only hunger I experienced was head hunger and not actual physical hunger.

The junk food type snacks and carb laden foods only cause me to want more of them. It sets me up for a never-ending cycle of needing more of them that takes it's toll on my both mentally and physically. Planning my food gives me a feeling of control that seems to carry over into other aspects of my life. SO I wouldn't necessarily say I was calmer but I am more in control.

I spend more time planning my meals and snacks now. Sometimes I think it was easier prior to surgery - I just ate whatever happened to be available. No thoughts about the blend of protein and complex carbs. No thoughts about how long since I last ate. 

Sometimes we have to stop and realize that our surgeries were only on our stomachs and not our heads. I really think that everyone has difference reasons for their eating patterns and addictions. I ate to comfort myself. That urge never really goes away. It's just now that I've learned some other coping strategies I can chose to use them in place of the food. It's still a choice.

I'm interested to see how the others will respond to this.  

- Iris

I think for me the surgery limited the hunger and hunger hormones. Also - food choices after I was able to eat - mostly proteins- kept the insulin in check - creating a rather very stable blood sugars and that limited 'real' hunger.
I now follow high protein-mid fat-low carb diet- and I excluded most starchy carbs and grains. Gluten free low carb diet limits my hunger and the food choices.

Due to self imposed food limitations I can now recognize head hunger from real hunger...
Head hunger is when I want the crispy piece of French bread, toasted and with cheese....but the idea of eating the same cheese with some veggies is not appealing. Then I know I and not really hungry but that I 'want' carbs. When I am hungry - really hungry - I will eat 'real' food even if it is not that tasty. (Sometimes I make a dish that is OK - but a bit off - specially while experimenting with new recipe)

I agree with H.a.l.a. 100%.  That is exactly how I distinguish head hunger from real hunger.  I also find that by limiting carbs, and staying away from "simple carbs", my blood sugars are stabilized and hunger is at a minimum.  If I ever indulge, it's not sugary or high carb foods...it's fat, and it is well known that fat (like protein) digests slowly and keeps you sated, therefore, even less hunger. 

Pat:

I have a close family member who is about to undergo the sleeve.  In our surgeon's consult, he told us that the portion of the stomach which is removed is the prt that produces the most ghrelin, which stimulates hunger.  That is supposed to be another desirable effect of having the sleeve.  How long this effect lasts, I don't now, but when we go for the pre-op consult, I'll be sure to address it if I don't find out beforehand.

Maybe this effect is similar to the "honeymoon period" of the RNY, but for a different reason, and could this possibly be why you had no hunger

Don't know what happened.  Apparently entered my reply before finishing the post :)

 

I was asking if that could be why you had very little or no hunger for a long time following your sleeve surgery.  Wonder if these ghrelin producing cells come back, or what?  Anyone out there familiar with this...perhaps another sleeve patient?

Pat, you have gotten some really good replies.  My honeymoon period lasted almost 3 years and then I let stress come in along with sugar and other bad carbs.  I constantly have to watch what I eat because I do have the cravings back for carby food again.  It was wonderful not to have to think about eating, we just ate to survive.  Now we are back to the part of eating to enjoy the pleasures that food once brought us.

thank you for your thoughts on this subject.

I am actively working at my new habits, focus on protein and good quality carbs such as fruit and veggies. What I have noticed is that after a few days like this - say a week, my apetite will dramatically decrease. Head hunger is still around but natural hunger is eased and not painic driven.

About 15 years ago I went on an OA abstience type food plan for about 10 months until I got pregnant with my first of two children. I eat three meals a day, nothing inbetween except skim milk, and no sugar and flour. And I was faithful to this for thoses 10 months. I lost only 12-14 lbs. I would pack in lots and lots of food during the meal times. My head hunger was lessened and I did feel more stable. But my stomach was a bottomless pit during meal times.

I think for me, the tool of weight loss surgery help me put a break on continuous eating and the habit of protein first stablizes my blood sugar levels and moods.

My goal right now is to reduce my weight from 154 to 140 by the end of Nov.
Thank you for providing a platform where I can share my thoughts and concerns.

Pat

I am not sure I could really identify real hunger from head hunger.  I know I have had issues with food since I was a child...but that is for a whole different post....

I do know that the first year really was kind of a break from all forms of hunger, no growling stomach, no conversations in my head, everything was fairly easy - plus I was afraid to eat the "old" favorites that were not recommended - partly because what if they went down just fine?  Then I would know that I could eat more...and more...or be stuck restricting...once again.  Or, it would not agree with me and I would dump or puke - I was afraid of those two things.  The only time anything came back up was if I ate too fast or did not chew thoroughly and once it caught up with me, yuk.

Part of my BOTT, is to get back to the support groups that a bariatric practice offers (there are no OH groups here) and last Saturday there was a nutrition support group.   I had low expectations and they were far exceeded.  In the case of not getting enough protein, the recommendation is to back up and liquefy a meal, two if necessary.  Add the protein shots to your water - double whammy.  Back to basics...they kept it very simple.  There was discussion on how a snack can turn into another full blown meal or all day grazing....and it was easy to visualize.

Since I have been BOTT, I have made huge improvements in not eating between my morning 30gms of protein and lunch.  I was doing a mid morning snack b/c of one of my meds, but now I changed that up so I take that med at lunch time.  I am not eating after lunch either.  I have been cold brewing tea just for some alternatives to water and I find I like it much better then hot brew and then chilling.  I am trying to delay dinner in order to help me not eat before bed or at least have a mini protein bar or fiber bar, depending on how the MFP log is looking.

I will say, like someone else that posted, that now that I have some days strung together it is a lot easier and a lot less effort to not eat between meals because it is not part of my normal routine.  I am not perfect, but making good progress.

Louise