Starving for Food

[cjcolon 0]

Please help. For some odd reason I've had this overwhelming hunger for the past several days. I've being taking my PPI and trying to watch my calories but I feel like I'm in the battle of my life. I was losing weight without any problems and now I'm afraid I won't because I've been craving all kinds of food. I even hate going into my kitchen because I will eat something crazy. Has anyone else experienced this and if so what did you do? I didn't think I should be feeling this hungry and it even keeps me up at night. I try to drink something to get the feeling out but nothing helps. I've been so depressed over this because i haven't lost a pound since. I've lost a total of 42 lbs which i'm proud of, but I didn't come this far to start screwing up, please please please help me.

[cajun 46]

Stick to mostly Protein, limit carbs to 30 grams a day. If you are eating sugar or white carbs that can make you crave more...

You'll get through this. Just keep on following the rules and it will pass.

[thinoneday 437]

Cajun is right, eat Protein. . . there is <1 - 2 grams of carbs in most Proteins. . eat as much as you want, just watch the protein. . .and drink Water . . . not with your meals of course, that just washes the food away and your starving again within a few hours. . . eat lots of proteins. . .tuna, salmon, turkey Jerky, eggs, cheese, etc. . good luck and don't give up. . .this wasn't a easy fix for us, you still have to work at it and work hard at it. . we still have to do the work. . .good luck again. . and keep up the great work! 42 lbs is fanastic!

[mb20mom 9]

I know exactly how you feel. Lately I feel like a bottomless pit. My main reason for getting this surgery was to eliminate hunger but my hunger seems as strong as ever and it is such a nuisance! I may be over on carbs, but I didn't get the surgery so I would have to follow the Atkins diet either! I eat a pretty balanced diet but I'm tired of being hungry an hour after I eat. I'm trying to be patient until after 3 months since the hunger seemed to change for some people at that time.

[Chancie 65]

Something that helped me was keeping a journal.... and I still do.

In the beginning I had alot of "head hunger"... but kept to the "program" ate what was 'good' for me. As everyone else said Protein.

Keeping a journal helps you "see " what you are eating...

I get up... go to the bathroom...... weigh. take my shower, then take an hour for me to focus on what I'm doing.... and I start it with my weight for that morning. Sometimes I write alot... and some mornings not so much.

I try to keep track during the day what I have eaten, and log it, and calulate the carbs... etc.

I measure every Monday..... that helps visualize even tho I may be in a stall........ I still lose inches.

G'luck!!

[cjcolon 0]

Thanks so much guys for the positive feedback. You are absolutely right and I lost a pound after sticking to my plan for the full day.

[Jolanda 23]

With me it's so hormonal it's hilarious. The week before my period starts I crave carbs like nothing on earth. I've tried different things - keeping to my diet through the craving, or eating healthy for three weeks, then allowing myself the tranquilising effect of carbs that one week - and it hasn't really made any difference: once the next phase is on I've had no trouble going back to eating the healthy way again. Don't know if it's the same for you but sometimes it just isn't all in our heads, it may be physical too.

Edited April 2, 2010 by Jolanda

[Tracy46545 6]

you can't eat "crazy things" that are high carb if you don't have them in the kitchen!

If you're telling yourself they are for the kids, the husband, whatever....they don't need junk carbs filling their lives either.

(Easy for me to say right? I live alone.)

I think the last thing to say is that it's not a race...this is a long term solution to a long term problem. The weight didn't go on in a few months, and it's not going to come off in a few months. However, you will have a measure of appetite control the rest of your life if you learn to listen to your body and not your head during this phase.

Best of luck!

[Chancie 65]

Tracy-

I think you hit the nail on the head.....We have to listen to our bodies.

I know it happened to me when my blood pressure went up. I could DEFINITLY tell a differnce in my body.

When I take that last bite of food, and know it's not going down........ have to spit it out. When I feel "full" even tho I like the taste. I know I can't eat any more. Before surgery I would continue to eat. but I have become better aware of my body and the messages it's sending to me.

And thats one of the BEST things this surgery has done for me..... come in tune with my body!

[thinoneday 437]

Tracy-

I think you hit the nail on the head.....We have to listen to our bodies.

I know it happened to me when my blood pressure went up. I could DEFINITLY tell a differnce in my body.

When I take that last bite of food, and know it's not going down........ have to spit it out. When I feel "full" even tho I like the taste. I know I can't eat any more. Before surgery I would continue to eat. but I have become better aware of my body and the messages it's sending to me.

And thats one of the BEST things this surgery has done for me..... come in tune with my body!

Oh my gosh Chancie, I did that the day before yesterday, I was eating some sausage (less then 4 oz) and i felt just fine, BUT i had to have just one more piece of it. . . well. . . slime city. . . you'd think i'd learned by then right but OH NO, yesterday I did the same damn thing, only this time I was eating WAY to fast and the stupid thing was I KNEW i was eating too fast. . . big time pain (I need an ambulance pain) sliming the whole thing. . . so i just pulled up my big girl panties went outside and fertilized my lawn. . . i think i "watered" it more with sliming then with the hose though! Maybe ONE day I'll get it huh???? :001_smile:

[Tracy46545 6]

Also, it's very dramatic to say you're "starving" for food....and I'm not meaning to be harsh...but seriously, put this in context! Starving is what children in the Sudan are doing. You're dealing with head hunger in a house full of food!

It's big girl panties time, find something to keep yourself busy so you don't think about food, drink some Water or hot tea, make a 4 oz Protein shake, eat a cheese stick, go for a walk.....above all else.. .quit obsessing!

[Chancie 65]

I don't 'obsess about food...... but I do like to look for new recipes and "think" about what I want to eat.

I am actually quite bad.......... I live by myself.. but I have my frezzer FULL!! I go to the store and think of things I want, buy them. and don't cook!!:001_smile:

All healthy stuff...... I don't like red meat anymore.... but I love turkey cutlets cooked on the grill........... hmmmm...... think I might have to cook some tonight!!

[cjcolon 0]

Well Tracy thanks for your feedback but by no means do I feel I was being "too dramatic" by saying I was starving because I realy felt that way. There are others who seem to relate directly with that feeling regardless if it's head hunger or whatever. It can be hard when you try everything positive that usually works to soothe yourself and nothing helps. It's also hard when you either can't sleep or you're waking from sleep because you feel so hungry. I realize like one of the other young ladies that it was my hormones trying to adjust for my cycle and after it came I no longer felt the misery. It never happened before, but as your body tries to find a balance you may experience new things from time to time that you can't always explain right away and that's why we come to each other here for support.