Question:
Ravenous hunger & huge appetite?

Is weight loss surgery only successful for those who are always hunger and eat large quanitites of food? While I need to lose over 125 lbs years of dieting has resulted in me being satisfied with smaller portion sizes and I'm rarely overly hungry.    — bonzo (posted on March 24, 2007)

March 24, 2007
Bonnie.. let me ask you a question... why do you need to lose 125lbs if you have been so successful at dieting in the past? I don't intend this to sound mean, so please don't take it that way. The WLS is only a tool to use. It is not only for people who cannot control their portion size, but it prevents you from eating sugary stuff (you will dump) and is only a tool. The successful patients are the ones who get some kind of counseling to find out what their relationship with food really is. It is obviously not just a thing that they do to keep alive. Most of us have sought the comfort that food can provide. But there is a price, a high price for this comfort... And it is a negative cycle, because you are angry, hurt, whatever and then you eat... then you get upset that you were so "weak" and that just makes you more upset and you think just screw it... I think that all of the people who have had the surgery or are thinking of the surgery have finally come to the ends of their perspective ropes and have finally admitted that they can't do it on their own. Most of us have been on many, many diets to lose weight and then gain it back plus some. Hope this answered your question.
   — Kari_K

March 24, 2007
You didn't gain weight by eating small portions of food. You gained weight by eating too many calories. All the small portions X how many a day and what kind of food (sugars, carbs) made you overweight. After wls, you will not have cravings or much of an appetite and you will eat tiny portions of healthy food. Proteins first, fruits and veggies second and sometimes a healthy carb! You will not absorb all the calories you take in and you will lose weight rapidly. Eventually the cravings and appetite come back. That's usually after your weight is off. A psych evaluation is imperative for you before you go through this process. Also, you should keep a food log of what you eat in a typical week and be honest about it. Show it to the nutritionist and she will analyze your calories or record it on fitday.com
   — Sheri A.

March 25, 2007
Bonnie.....before surgery.....I would rarely feel "hungry or ravenous". I would "eat like a bird". I would yo-yo up and down - up and down in weight. I started making lifestyle changes in prep for surgery and found out a few things. Like it wasn't that I wasn't eating a lot - it was WHAT I was eating when I did eat that was the major issue. Once I got control of the WHAT I was eating, I lost 30 lbs. prior to surgery. It was great and I started to think - if I can lose 30lbs with these lifestyle changes (in preparation for surgery) and gave a thought of two to not having surgery. I figured, I've dieting my whole life and yes...I would lose and then gain it all right back when I reverted back to my old eating habits. Since I was doing so well with lifestyle changes, I didn't want t jinx it all and slip in any way.....so I had LAP/RNY on 2/15/07. I can honestly say - that I've yet to feel hungry. I can honestly say that I would do it again in a heartbeat and that now with my new tool and my lifestyle changes - I feel like I can conquer the world! It's amazing. Good luck. LAP/RNY - 2/15/07 - start weight 262, current weight 234. Jammie
   — jammerz

March 25, 2007
Hi Bonnie, and thanks for your question. Wls isn't a one size fits all surgery type of thing. If you are hungry now, you may not be after surgery for quite some time. Others experience hunger after surgery, anxiety hunger, but hunger nonetheless. You have to examine why you are 125 pounds over weight. If it is a health issue, than wls may not work for you. If it is because of abundance of food and lack of exercise, then you could get help for that problem. I never met anyone 125 pounds overweight that didn't overeat and under exercise. I know I have lost 120 pounds, and even though I could diet and exercise with the best of people (8 miles of walking a day and 1200 calories) and not lose weight after about 30 pounds, to get discouraged and regain it all plus. It is the regain that puts me back in the category of overeating and under exercising. You say you are rarely hungry, but you don't say that you under eat. Maybe you eat too much too often to ever know what hunger is? You have to be the judge. What I do know is that obesity is a head issue with a body consequence. Sometimes obesity (perhaps) can be from a physical issue, but I have no knowledge in this area. I do know that you have to deal with the head issues to get the body consequence you want. Surgery helps this by giving you a great tool to use. You have to deal with the head, surgery won't help that. Keep researching and ask your questions at informational sessions at your local hospital. Ours has one every month. I went 9 times before surgery for myself. I went every time so that I could hear everyones questions and let the lesson over and over again. I learned something new every time I went, and learned a lot about how others felt and questions they asked. If you can't understand why you are overweight, than I would not jump into wls. If you are not willing to own up to your persoanl faults in regard to your size and weight, surgery won't help you, not in the end. Many a person has had surgery and put their life at risk to have no change in their eating and exercise habits, to lose weight for a while, but then gain it all back and regret ever looking at surgery, much less having it. You have to know that you are ready for change, that you own your problems (only you know what they are, I am not trying to decide what your issues are here, I hope you understand that :)), and make a plan to get your health back. It is a fight, and if you are willing to fight for your health, it can be a real benefit. If you think it is some sort of miracle and will doe the work for you, I am afraid you will be disappointed in the end. Know the truth and decide for yourself. Hope this helps some. Take care. Patricia P.
   — Patricia P