Question:
depression/thinking about food.

haha...it seems like now the only commercials i even can pay attenion to are the fast food ones. i get head hunger so much now...and it's like ''wow i just want a taco.'' does anyone else get that? i'm only 3 weeks down so i don't have that many choices really. also, another thing, i mentioned drinking sweet tea with splenda (which i have been drinking alot of) but, it's not decaff. will this hurt me/affect my progress? it's just so hard to drink all that water, and i'm not fond of crystal light at all :(    — JaclynS256 (posted on June 27, 2007)


June 27, 2007
You should switch to decaf tea and if you don't like crystal lite, try water sensations which is a clear water flavoring sold in target stores. You have head hunger and you need to fight it off as hard as you can. Even if you did eat a taco, you'd never finish it and you will get sick afterwards, not worth it. Remember what foods got you to where you were in the first place. Good luck.
   — Sheri A.

June 27, 2007
I'm 3 weeks out too! And I have head hunger sometimes too. It's grieving the loss of comfort food. I have dreams about eating. However, I am not following thru on it. Dumping is a horrible feeling. You need to switch to decaf, because caffeine is a stimulant that also increases appetite. This question actually came up in my support group meeting last night!
   — Nichole13

June 27, 2007
I agree with Sherry but sometimes the road to decaf is really hard so here is what I did. I made half caf for a week. Just use half the amount of teabags or concentrate, whichever you are making of each and magic half caf. Do this for a few days and then switch to all decaf. The transition will go much better for you. Not so hard on the system to go cold turkey on the caffine and the taste sensation goes better too as there is a difference but this will help you get use to it. Good Luck and God Bless, Norma
   — njkbutton

June 27, 2007
well i'm going on 7 weeks out and all i have to say about the fast food commercials is GOD YES!!!! the quesadilla and the pizza commercials kill me the most...and like the other person that posted, i used to dream about food too....as you go farther out though and get to eat more of a variety of food it will subside...i've already started eating normal food (on my own) because moosh is just not an option for me (i'm a texture girl) and i haven't had any serious problems...at about 3 weeks i started trying weight watchers or lean cuisine meals..theyre pretty soft and it's not like you'll be able to eat the whole thing...lol
   — lizzie42

June 27, 2007
My Surgeon & Nutritionist have both told us that we can have Wendy's chili. Also have you tried the Special K protein water. It gives you 5 gm protein and I think tastes really good.
   — Lori F.

June 27, 2007
Caffiene is something to avoid period, it is not recommended for several reasons.
   — DonnaB.

June 27, 2007
Hi Jaclyn, I appreciate you writing. You show the emotional side of what you are going through, with honest insight, and I appreciate that. When I was post surgery, I had to mute the tv or change the channel when food commercials come on. You have to fight for this weight loss Jac, so fight, don't put yourself in a position to lust for what you cannot have. Fight for it, even if it means fighting yourself. Yes, go to decaf tea. Caffine if an enemy of your progress, you can get dehydrated and it also affects hunger. You will struggle for a week or two without caffine, but you should have dealt with that prior to surgery. If you did, than you might not have a lot of affects from changing. I never liked crystal light either, but fight for the decaf stuff and put good things around your head to find head hunger. Obesity is a head issue with a body consequence. You have to fight the head issues. You are worth it and you can do it. By the way, with all that time for tv watching, I hope you are walking around the block, say a dozen times. At 3 weeks out I was walking 2 miles a day, obese or not. It was a fight, but I love my size 4 now. Walk while it is beautiful outside. It is much better than a taco. A taco just goes to your colon, but the beauty of a walk stays with you all day! Take care. Patricia P.
   — Patricia P

June 28, 2007
Sweet tea has much too mcuh sugar for you! Don't you get sick?
   — Novashannon

June 28, 2007
The beginning stages are the hardest, esp. like you said when you have little choices re: food. Try some of these things to help: mute the tv. Walk around the house or occupy your time with something else while the commericals are on - wash dishes, walk the dog, change out the laundry, take a hot shower/bubble bath, walk up and down the stairs, cuddle with your honey...anything to distract and keep your mind OFF of those commericals ;) It will get easier and once you start eating "real" food again, the Head Hunger went away for me. I would suggest switching to decaf. I have always drank decaf (migraines) so it was easy for me. Try 1/2 and 1/2 (1/2 reg 1/2 decaf) for a while if you can't "quit" cold turkey. Sweeting with Splenda is fine, but it would seem the amount you drink in a day with the sweetener should be watched. I have a friend who sweetens her tea, too and it hurt her WL. Other things to try - diet snapple (pink lemonade ROCKS), Ocean spray has a variety of diet juices out. If you don't care of Cyrstal Light - there are several different brands out there that are similar but have different flavors and are in my opinion taste better - for instance Target has their own brand - the raspberry lemonade and the strawberry/orange/banana are both to die for. Good luck!
   — jammerz

June 28, 2007
Been there done that. It was sooooo hard to fight the head hunger at first, but now at 3 months post op, the only time I have to really fight it is the week of my menstral cycle. When I don't feel I can fight it anymore and NEED something sweet, I eat ONE sugar free lemon wafer and I'm good to go. Go ahead, eat a Taco, you will so REGRET it afterwards so take that as a warning. I haven't tried stuff I shouldn't have as I don't want to find out if I will dump or not. The tea is super easy to switch to decaf and you won't even notice. Lay off the sugar! Unless it's in propel water, or special K protein water etc. Yes yes yes the sugar WILL hurt/affect your progress! You will end up defeating the purpose of getting this tool! There are PLENTY of other things to "sweeten" your water with. Also, ask your nutritionist what else you can be drinking, it's not like you are completely limited to what you can drink. Good luck!
   — crystalsno

June 28, 2007
Definitely "head hunger". I had this too, so I know what you're going through. I actually CRIED when my husband and daughter ate a cheeseburger when I was 3 weeks out. So silly, but you do go through a "mourning period" I believe. Food has been your best friend, your comforter, and your sidekick for so long that to let go of it is a huge emotional change. But it IS a change for the better. If you think you absolutely have to have that taco then try it, you'll be sorry, believe me. I am just now 6 months out and actually thought I could eat onion rings from DQ... WRONG!! We all might try to do things we know we shouldn't, but then I had to remind myself that I had this surgery so that I wouldn't be able to eat the things that got me to where I was before. Try buying some Isopur protein drinks (they look like large snapple bottles at GNC) and they have a lot of protein in them. At 3 weeks out you need a lot of protein... they gave me energy and good protein... they don't taste too bad either, just get past the strange aftertaste.. but you start to get used to different tasting things, like I have a hard time telling if something is sugar-free now because I'm so used to it. I got a sugar free, non-fat mocha the other day and had to have my friend try it because I wanted to make sure it WAS sugar-free. When I want pizza now (I used to LOVE pizza) I take a plate and melt some mozzarella cheese on it (I'm talking less that a 1/4 cup) and sprinkle a little parmesean on it too and some garlic powder then pop it in the micro for a minute. It sounds really weird, but we learn ways to curb our cravings without making ourselves sick. I would definitely only use splenda to sweeten your tea, and I can't really tell you to go decaf because I still drink caffeine because I haven't completely stopped caffeine yet. If you're not already, I would definitely have a protein shake a day (I buy Isopur Zero Carb in creamy vanilla and my fav right now is a little orange juice, 2 splenda, a splash of nf milk, a little imitation vanilla and ice, blend it up and it tastes just like Orange julius... oh, and a scoop of the protein powder. I made the mistake a couple months ago of not drinking my protein shake for a few weeks and I'm telling you my hair was coming out in CLUMPS! I started using Mane & Tail shampoo & conditioner and drinking my protein again and now it's better. Sorry for the long answer to a short question... soup in a blender with spices also is really good for cravings, sounds gross but you will be in SO much pain if you eat that taco, really. I hope I helped, contrats on being on the loser's bench!!! Aaryn :) 374/221/170
   — airbear762000




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