Question:
eating way to much
i am 7 months out and have lost 100lbs, yeah. now i find i can eat almost anything and i am hungry all the time. i graze. which is what got me here in the first place. i am so scared i am going to gain back my weight. i have not lost any weight in 1 month. what can i do to control my need to eat all the time. its all i think about. — pinky_711 (posted on July 28, 2009)
July 28, 2009
You are experiencing head hunger.
— Kristy
July 28, 2009
If your doctor has a nutritionist that you can call or go in and see, that
may be a good idea. They can help you make sure you are getting enough
protein and keeping your carbs down. In addition to head hunger, it may be
that you need to adjust your diet.
— Libby R.
July 28, 2009
Im going thru the exact same thing!! Its hard! This is an addiction! What I
do is write down everything I eat - if you bite it, you write it! and see
on paper what your eating. Also exercise even if it is walking a mile or
two, just doing that and (in my case - hating every second of it) makes you
not want to eat the junk because you dont want to exercise again. Once you
gain control of yourself its a lot easier to stick to it. Good luck!
— LauraMarie
July 28, 2009
I have to disagree somewhat with food plans and such to combat head hunger.
The issue is more complex than simply addressing your food intake to
include more filling food in your food plan. That said, first of all, you
have to change your language: you do not have a need to eat, you have a
desire, or head hunger. How we speak about our problems impacts how we
approach resolving them. Head hunger is most often fueled by unmet needs
and desires, or by attempts to numb our more uncomfortable emotions or
feelings of stress when we should be taking better care of ourselves by
other means.
On your own, or with the help of a friend or counselor, you need to
identify what is fueling your head hunger and then find other means of
dealing with these issues other than food. My triggers are boredom and
multiple stresses at one time. I had already identified these triggers
before WLS, so I first tackled the boredom trigger. I found something I
enjoyed doing, that kept my hands busy and too engaged to reach for food,
and it was an activity that really fed my soul's need for creative
expression - I took up find thread lace crocheting. After my WLS, I became
interested in learning how to make soap from scratch. And once I began
making it, I developed an instant passion for doing so. These two
activities feed me in a way that eating can never feed me. They engage my
mind in thinking about things other than food, and have become so consuming
that I am intending to launch a hand made soap making business, and open an
Etsy store front for both my soaps and my crochet work. There is no eating
plan that can stimulate my soul and motivate me to make the life changes
that healthy eating patterns and attitudes need to be maintained.
To deal with multiple and heavy stresses, I first need to acknowledge the
truth of them being active in my life. Then, I need to find better, more
affective, and non-harmful approaches to dealing with them. Friendships
become important in this instance, but so does exercise and other
activities that bring a sense of calm and relaxation to your day. So,
yoga, aromatherapy, reading a book, listening to calming music, playing
with a pet, going for a walk, taking a bath, etc are all means of relieving
stress and tension that will not lead you to continue abusing your body
with over-eating.
So, first identify your triggers, learn to recognize when they are active,
then find activities or behaviors to replace the eating with.
I never eat out of boredom any more. I'm too busy and passionately engaged
in my new found activities to be bored. And although stress is more tricky
of a trigger for me, I'm much better at dealing with it than I used to be.
I can sit and crochet and listen to calming music, or make soap and listen
to calming music, or talk with a friend and experience relief from the
tension caused by stress. Exercise is even better at relieving tension,
but since I cannot afford a gym membership, walking is my exercise of
choice for now.
Anyway, I just wanted to encourage you to look at the issue with greater
clarity and focus. WLS can only change the mechanics of your body's
processing of food for nutrients. It cannot change your brain, your
personality, or make up for anything lacking in your life. These are the
crosses we each must carry and deal with in as healthy a manner as
possible.
— rebalspirit
July 28, 2009
You can shrink your pouch in about two days by going back to basics. Go to
full liquid bariatric diet. I do this all the time and drop weight right
away. Sometimes I don't do it to lose but because I have no appetite. Then
I start adding a little protein and other foods slowly. Don't let yourself
fall into old habits. You've gone thru too much to get rid of those!
— lesleigh07
July 28, 2009
Just a note to say I started experiencing the exact same thing around the
exact same time - 7 months out. Several have said it is 'head' hunger. In
some cases this may be true, but I found I was truly hungary. If it is
true hungar - by all means eat something. Small, preplanned snacks,
throughout the day are OK and actually help the metabolism. BUT,I have
learned you must pay close attention to when you are hungary. Are you
bored, watching TV, everyone else snacking, etc.? Don't eat during these
times. Again, if you just have to eat, make it a preplanned snack, make a
Crystal Lite Icee (mix drink mix, water & crushed ice in your
Bullet/Blender). Stick in a couple of strawberries or pieces of frozen
fruit right out of the bag. It's filling, takes time to drink and is a
treat! Some things will never change regardless of whether you had WLS or
not. That is WHAT you put in your body, HOW MANY CALORIES you consume
& HOW MANY CALORIES you burn. Some things never change! WLS makes it
easier because you should not be able to gorge down a huge meal any
longer(big reduction in calories compared to the past) But the
grazing/snacking can be difficult. I have learned I can eat ANYTHING!
Those things they told me I wouldn't be able to eat, I can eat. I learned
a lot about myself and my mind did not change after WLS. So I am now really
working on that! For me, I refuse to allow myself to get back to the way I
was so I really MUST say "NO" to food and the old habits that
never die. This is a 'head' thing. How much do you love yourself? Are
you willing to sacrifice all you have done, (lose 100 pounds, Me too)for
food? You are in control! You make all the choices! Good Luck.
— BonnieP
July 29, 2009
Ok deep breath. You can do this. First figure out what is prompting yo to
eat. Hunger, real hunger is rarely the case. We eat for emotional or
comfort issues. Find another way to fulfill these needs. Talk to a
counselor to help sort it out.
— trible
July 29, 2009
If you take a breath and then think...You s hould be eating 3 meals a
day...no snacking. Drink drink drink. do this often enough and it becomes
habit. It isn't easy, but we weren't guarenteed easy. I have similiar
issues, but don't give in to them. I will drink when I feel hungry unless
its meal time. I do have real hunger..It came backa round 6-7 months out. I
hit my goal at 9-10 months out and am still losing. I do eat 4-5 meals a
day now to maintain my weight..but alas I am losing about a lbs a month.
Remeber that food is not a pleasure anymore...its a necessity. Put only
good things in and your body will respond better. I hope you can get back
on track and continue to have enormous success. hugs, kim
— gpcmist
July 29, 2009
I am currently experiencing this same thing but I'm only three months post
op. I have lost weight with diets many times and have always started
gaining it back at just about the same time, three months. There has got
to be something going on emotionally with me. My WLS surgeon has suggested
a counselor who deals with WLS patients. So, that's what I'm going to do.
Good luck to you.
— Char-Ree C.
July 29, 2009
Shelly, my heart goes out to you. Why? Because I, too, am experiencing
the same thing. I truly appreciate all the responses you've gotten and
they have really helped me. I need to recognize WLS is a tool, write down
food and portions, and forget the old thoughts and actions. Thank you all
for input! Sounds like a new beginning for me, as I don't want to go
backward after all the pain and suffering the weight causes!
— jjack
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