I am still in the researching stages of getting surgery and I was wondering if head hunger could be compared to someone who quit smoking and occasionally still got cravings. I quit smoking almost a year ago so I am determining how difficult/easy dealing with head hunger will be.

Congrats on a year of success! I quit about 2.5 years ago. Both food and nicotine were addictions in my life one or the other was used to from morning till night each day as a way to celebrate, relax, wind down, deal with stress. It takes time but replacing those with exercising or a brisk walk are now my go to's. Its not easy, nothing about the surgery is easy. But its worth it (just like quitting smoking)! Good luck!

Congrats on a year of success! I quit about 2.5 years ago. Both food and nicotine were addictions in my life one or the other was used to from morning till night each day as a way to celebrate, relax, wind down, deal with stress. It takes time but replacing those with exercising or a brisk walk are now my go to's. Its not easy, nothing about the surgery is easy. But its worth it (just like quitting smoking)! Good luck!

Would you say when you get food cravings/head hunger they were similar to nicotine cravings? For nicotine cravings, I distract myself and look at a cigarette as costing me $80,000 because if I have one then I will be smoking a pack a day. It passes quickly and it is manageable and I don't want to go back to smoking because I'd feel horrible physically. I was just curious if I would view eating junk the same way.

Not being a smoker I can't say for sure how that feels but yes cravings.. Think about how most of us eat (Americans) it's mostly driven by cravings and temptations... how many times do or did we eat because if true hunger?

We are conditioned to think we "need" food constantly!

I was at the mall a couple of days ago.. Walked past the food court and the mixture of smells were intoxicating (I'm over a year out) I wasn't hungry but instantly my mouth and head were.

I wonder how many there eating were eating because of true hunger? My guess was that it was out of head hunger or habit.

It's funny that something like shopping can't be fine without a meal thrown in..

Head hunger is a powerful and tricky thing.

That is where the work determination and willpower come in

Would you say when you get food cravings/head hunger they were similar to nicotine cravings? For nicotine cravings, I distract myself and look at a cigarette as costing me $80,000 because if I have one then I will be smoking a pack a day. It passes quickly and it is manageable and I don't want to go back to smoking because I'd feel horrible physically. I was just curious if I would view eating junk the same way.

Yes, for me the cravings are similar. Both lasted about 15 minutes and would pass after distracting myself. When I fought the cravings for nicotine I did a similar but more gorey distraction. I literallt closed my eyes and envisioned chemo cuz that's where smoking leads. For food I envision the emotional pain I felt as obese. I never want to fell that again. If im actuallt hungry I have a healthy snack or protein drink. If its just in the head I drink water or chew gum or depending omln if I can at the time, I take a quick walk. Also helps to think of the time amd money and tests I went thru to have surgery to get this point. What a waste that all would have been if I gave into cravings.

Thanks this gives me a good idea of what the cravings are like and I seem to manage them very well with nicotine so I am hopeful it would be the same with food.

I have been finding that there is mental hunger.." I would love to have that" and physical hunger which is what you need to eat. I am 2 weeks post op and I have been cooking & baking up a storm for my family but I have had no desire to eat beyond my liq diet.