Question:
Why can't I stop thinking about food?
Everywhere I go I see food and can't stop thinking about eating it. I am not hungry but my head keeps trying to tell me how good it would be to eat. Help how do I turn this off? — R. Brown (posted on March 13, 2011)
March 13, 2011
I am about 7 months PO and I still find myself with this problem. I think
my problem is that I am so worried about what I am eating that food becomes
an obsession in a different way than before. I try to "plan" my
meals/snacks out for the day in my head. I find it makes it a little bit
easier to say no to temptations, and I don't spend as much time thinking on
when/what my next meal is going to be, therefore not thinking about food as
much. And when I find myself "grazing" I stop and ask myself, is
my stomach hungry or is it my brain? Then I grab my water and take my mind
elsewhere.
— oooashamaleyooo
March 13, 2011
Please go to your support group if they have one in your area or Dr's
office. I go to the support groups and I see a counselor. WE all went
through hell to become thin! The surgery worked on the physical, but we
need to also work in the mental as well.
Good luck
— FSUMom
March 13, 2011
The answer to your question would be worth ALL the money in the world!
They operated on your stomach--not your head! I'm 2+ years out and I still
struggle with cravings. There is no easy answer. Do the best you can,
minute by minute or day by day and if you can afford therapy, that would
help too. Take care.
— Tina G.
March 13, 2011
Okay, I'm not quite 2 weeks out, but I have friends who are 1+ years out
with the sleeve. I guess my question is "why can't you eat it"?
Moderation is key, right? One reason I opted for the sleeve was because I
wouldn't be restricted in what I could eat. I know I cannot live on bad
food all of the time, but I can indulge in a bite or two occasionally.
That's why so many diets fail, because food is restricted. I read on the
message boards all the time that people eat what they want...protein first,
though. I'm not advocating eating an entire cheeseburger, or whatever it is
you are craving, but why not a bite or two (not like you are going to be
able to eat more than that). That will satisfy the craving and food won't
be ruling your mind. You need to have dominion over your mind and your
food. My sleeve is my tool and I plan to use it as such, while still
enjoying food. I want to enjoy food and not be a slave to it. I hope that
helps. Good luck with your journey!!!
— sportsmom3
March 13, 2011
I'd have to say that it's because you haven't dealt with the
emotional/mental issues that made you heavy in the first place. When I was
in my 20s, I put on over 130 pounds for two reasons....both were
"protective"... I had an ex who was stalking me, and I was
married to a man that I really didn't love, and I wanted to avoid intimacy.
Being fat turned both of these people off. In the first instance, that
was a good thing, but in the second, it was very sad for both of us. Once
I dealt with those issues, it became easy to recognize and understand, and
then heal the impulses that caused me to over-eat. I am now two years out,
and have maintained my weight loss (with some minor fluctuations - but
still in a size 10 slacks!)...
Oh yeah, I don't deprive myself. I "cheat" once in a while. But
when I do, I make sure it's worth it... and I STILL log everything that
goes into my mouth. And I try to ramp up my exercise to take care of those
"cheat" days. I also eat frequently - 6 times per day - and I
think a lot about what I want to eat. I pack things up ahead of time so
that I can just grab things for work.... a couple of slices of fat free
turkey breast lunchmeat, a couple of dill pickle spears, a light string
cheese (they make a good "roll-up" snack that's high protein. I
also pre-package fat-free cottage cheese, and a container of Del Monte
diced peaches in water to eat together, so I've got more high protein plus
something sweet; I portion out 1 ounce packages of turkey jerky - yumm!! I
make myself some Eggbeaters with half a slice of fat-free turkey lunchmeat
diced up in it, along with a quarter of a Jimmy Dean pre-cooked turkey
sausage, and some diced mushrooms and 10 grams of low fat 4-cheese Mexican
shredded cheese all scrambled up together, and serve it with chunky Pace
salsa; I take a mini babybel light or a wedge of Laughing Cow with me to
work... along with something like chicken breast strips stir-fried in a
little olive oil cooking spray and poultry seasoning, or tilapia with
season salt and tartar sauce made out of fat-free greek yogurt mixed with
dill pickle relish.... sooooo many things you can do to allow yourself to
nibble and taste good high-protein food, that should keep your mind off
things you are craving. And when that doesn't work.... I do the AA thing:
"Just for the next hour, I will NOT have that piece of Chocolate Candy
on my co-worker's desk!" And then the next hour, the same mantra. It
can be hard.... but my most sincere advice is that you get into counseling
to help you deal with whatever your issues are that made you overweight in
the first place. Until you do that.... losing weight, even after WLS, will
be a stuggle.
Blessings,
Erica
— Erica Alikchihoo
March 13, 2011
I understand this problem. I think about it often but then remind myself
that if my shut-off switch was working, I wouldn't have had the surgery.
It's a regular struggle but I don't give in. When I find myself wanting to
eat an extra cracker with my soup, I remind myself that if I allow myself
to do it once, I'll do it again and then it's downhill from there. I pray
about my weight loss daily. The writer was correct, the surgery was on our
stomach but not our minds. I am 10 weeks post-op with RNY.
— mcfardee
March 14, 2011
Randy...it will be a lifelong struggle with food. As food addicts, we
cannot just "Quit" food like an alcoholic can "Quit"
alcohol and live a normal life. So it is a double edge sword with us. Just
think of other things to do, journal, blog, find online support groups. I
know many of us would be happy to help you.
— Carla C.
March 14, 2011
WOW! I thought I was the only one thinking this crap! I have to remember
that I had a RNY Revision not Brain Surgery to turn my mouth off! Or even
my thinking about food. I hate this and I have sought help to talk out my
problems. There are so many TV shows about obsession and food now and I
watch them. I find me in those programs and the people say what I feel, I
was just never able to put it in to words the way they did. I cannot wait
till "Addicted to Food" comes on because I know I will see me in
there. For now, I watch Ruby and Heavy and they seem to help me and my
thought process. We that have had this surgery are the same in one respect;
we are addicted to food and we have to face our demons, whatever they
are...man I have a lot of them!
Jules
— rexysmamma
March 14, 2011
I'm 18 months out,and for me, it depends. Yes, there are times that I
obsess about food. There are other times that I actually forget to eat. I
know it's a mind game. It also depends on my emotions and how on my
schedule or how busy I am.
— Kathleen W.
March 15, 2011
I am 2 years post op. What you are experiencing is "head
hunger". IT WILL NEVER GO AWAY. It may be silenced for a period of
time, but will return with a BANG! One thing I have found to help is to
keep busy. Head hunger kicks in and I throw on my sneakers and get away
from the food. I have young children and this is not always doable...I
also have reached for my cross stitching to keep my hands busy and my mind
off of food. There is no turning it off, just redirecting it. Good Luck
— kfgates
March 15, 2011
If you're anything like me its because the surgery only took care of the
ABILITY to eat a lot of food. It didn't do anything for the DESIRE to eat a
lot of food. I'm 18 months post-op and I've pretty much ruined my weight
loss by constant grazing. In the first 6 months post-op I lost 130 lbs.
Then I started grazing (due to emotional issues...lost my job, my dog died,
my hubby got cancer, etc.) and haven't lost anything since. In fact, I've
put on 25 lbs. Get counseling, go to a support group, do what you would do
for your emotional problems if you HADN'T had the surgery. Do it for
you...don't be like me. Good luck.
— fawn3710
March 16, 2011
I am three years out from my surgery date and i went through the same
emotions but you got to ask your self the question what did i have to
surgery for if not to help me make better healther food chooses. and stick
to it and get all the support from others that you can get. and most of all
God created you to prosper and be in good health, so hang in there you can
do it. best wishes just-ducky
— just-ducky
March 29, 2011
I'm 10 yrs. 2 mos. post-op and I still think of food constantly. I eat
when bored or stressed. Sometimes I tell friends what I would love to have
and sometimes that helps, I almost feel sick after verbalizing the list.
Fried chicken, mashed potatoes with chicken gravy, fried okra, cole slaw,
peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream; malts, hamburgers with everything;
onion rings ... big ones and the list goes on. I have eaten too much on
occasion, but none of the things above and I was miserable for quite a
while, so I don't dare really eat anything on the list, unless it is just a
bite.
— Betty Todd
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