I'm so bored with broth, pudding, jello, and other mushy liquids. I cannot wait to eat eggs and soft cheeses and meats, and I still have one more week until I can do so! All around me still, are the foods I (used to) love! I have been debating on chewing up some stuff and spitting it out! I am starving and mourning food. Going nuts. How do you deal with head hunger?? The "foods" I am bored w/ don't even taste good to me. I just want some actual food! I feel like I am being punished! This blows!

I am two weeks out and I was feeling the same way you were the first week. I will tell you that the worst of the head hunger has passed. Hang in there and know it's only temporary.

I'm 3 weeks out - it does get better. However, there are ways to change the taste of things. For example, I found a recipe that makes chicken broth taste like the skin of a piece of original Kentucky Fried Chicken. It only uses spices, so it's first week friendly. Really helps when you want savory and not sweet. Also, if it's texture you're missing, try crunching on something frozen, like ice or a sugar-free popsicle, if you're allowed those. Also, drink, drink, and drink some more - our goal is at least 64oz. of fluid a day, which is a lot. Since you just had surgery, you'll probably only be able to get down 32oz. but keep up with it and drink as much as you can.

The 1^st few weeks I mourned food and really had to remind myself why I did this. I used to watch a lot of food network show, man vs. food and dinners drive- ins and dives and live vicariously with the host's eating adventures. All I can say is that time heals. Take this time to focus on your relationship with food and try to figure out your triggers. For years I thought I was just a stress eater now I know that I eat when board…sounds silly but I didn’t realize this before. give it time...

Food itself is my trigger! It's everywhere we look and I want it! Cooking for my family makes me want to eat too. I definitely eat when I'm bored or emotional as well.

I agree with everyone in that it gets easier. My pre-op liquid diet and then 4 weeks following surgery were the hardest. We always seem to want what we can't have! Starting week 5 when I was allowed soft foods something triggered in my brain and it definitely got easier. I agree that the mental part can be a challenge as we all need to learn what triggers us. I had my surgery in Houston and I've been back home for a little over a week and I already noticed that I definitely tend to eat when I'm bored. Also, old food choices are taunting me so dealing with that as well. It's not easy but having the surgery is definitely a HUGE tool for success. I would just say hang in there and get any help you may need with the mental aspect of the life-changing journey you're on.

This is probably not want anyone wants to hear, but i'm out now 3 years and still have to battle with the head hunger BIG TIME. This makes me wonder was it really our tummies or our heads that made us obese in the first place. Did we really need to have surgery or was it our thoughts that needed adjustments? Interesting thoughts. . everyday i battle that head hunger and everyday is yet another challenge I need to overcome. . let me tell you I do alot of self talk! Sometimes the demon wins and i give in but the majority of the time I win because I need to be stronger then the demon. . . in the end I WILL OVERCOME! good luck!

I am on day three of my preop liquid diet and I am going insane! I am so tired of just "drinking." I can never get satisfied. I know it is all completely in my head which is so frustrating. I wish my "need" for "good" food would just go away! I want to cheat so badly, but I know in the end that would just hurt me. So I'm just trucking along :/

I am on day three of my preop liquid diet and I am going insane! I am so tired of just "drinking." I can never get satisfied. I know it is all completely in my head which is so frustrating. I wish my "need" for "good" food would just go away! I want to cheat so badly' date=' but I know in the end that would just hurt me. So I'm just trucking along :/[/quote']

Today is my first and I'm dying.

Today is my first and I'm dying.

Aw, that first week is murder. I was so happy to start puréed foods today. Hang in there!

Thanks for all the advice :-)

I'm in the puréed stage now which is a bit better. I can also have eggs and soft poultry.

I don't know that wanting to chew is so much head hunger as much as it is phyisiology. The only time we drink our food is as infants, so drinking a pure liquid diet certainly is going to throw your body and brain into a tailspin. I guess I think of head hunger as compulsive eating when not hungry because you "think" you need to eat when you do not.

This day three of clear liquids before surgery and I am ready to eat my plastic water bottle. Has anyone ever heard of the MD taking some of the patients out to dinner the night before? I thought I read it somewhere. Maybe it was on Aceves website.

Okay I'm just finishing day 5 of liquid diet, and I'm doing sooo much better. It really gets easier every day

my doc did not give me completely liquid diet I was allowed pureed veggie or fruit .... thank god for apple sauce.... anyway it wasn't so bad for me.

oh man! You were so lucky. I have to have all liquids, clear broths, protein shakes. Nothingggg substantial blah.