Hi out there in "Loserville". Hope everyone is doing well.

I'm 23 months out, lost my other half and am feeling great. Hunger is really creeping back in and I wonder if I'm alone with this.

I try to eat a small meal 5 times a day so I'm not starving myself. I'm actually looking at the time now to see when it is time to eat.

I'm so afraid of failing that this is weighing on me. ( no pun intended )

Your thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Oh, by the way, I've been maintaining this weight for about 7 months. I feel this is a good weight for me..

Edited March 18, 201412 yr by LovinIt

^{Sorry you are experiencing this. I'm looking to be revised to rny so I will be looking for responses to your question.}

I'll be 29 months out in two days. I have "hungry days" and not so hungry days but haven't noticed any pattern of being more hungry than before. I never eat less than two or more than four hours apart. Less than two is head hunger. If I'm hungry and it has been less than two hours since I ate something, I bridge the gap with fluids. My Fluid of choice is decaf coffee but there are lots of other options - tea, Crystal Light, flavored waters, some even drink just plain Water to name a few.

Are you getting enough fluids? The signals to the brain for "hungry" and for "thirsty" are very similar. So similar in fact that it can be very difficult to tell the difference. You might consider increasing your fluid intake up to the recommended 64oz a day and see if that resolves some of the hunger issues.

Are you maintaining a food log? I've been using My Fitness Pal for well over two years and it is an amazingly powerful tool. Hunger is a normal, perfectly healthy response to your body's need for something. MFP keeps you on track and accountable for ensuring what you eat or drink is the right something. It also helps eliminate a lot of stress and worry about "what if?". For example, I don't think I ate well last week. I know that I averaged just under 1700 calories a day last week. I know I averaged a little over 100g of Protein a day for that seven day period. And I know that my consumption of fats and carbs were in the healthy range. And I know that I exceeded my 40g daily average of sugar (ugh!) by about 6g.

Commit to logging for 90 days and you'll be amazed at what it does for your confidence!

I will get more liquids in. Yes, I do keep a log.

Thanks

You're doing everything absolutely right and you have the weight loss and the numbers in your log to prove it! Great job!!

I doubt that there is one of us on this forum that doesn't understand your fear. I try to examine my fears by answering the question is it rational or irrational. If it's rational, I try to do something about it. If it's irrational, I make a conscious choice to recognize that I have no objective basis to justify it. That doesn't mean that it instantly goes away. But continually reminding myself over time that it has no basis usually alleviates the fear.

I think there is great value in keeping it as simple as possible. The laws of science and the universe cannot be denied. As long as you are meeting your calorie goal average on a consistent basis, it is not possible to gain weight. That does not mean that you won't occasionally exceed your daily calorie goal. Life is meant to be fun and enjoying a special meal on a special occasion is part of enjoying your life. When that happens, I simply make a mental note to reduce my daily calorie goal by 100-200 calories for a day or two and I'm right back on track with my average.

You'll see the results in your log. And on the scale. Just as you have been all along on your journey. You're managing your weight instead of your weight managing you. You are in control. And that's a great feeling.

Persistence, along with absolute belief, can never be defeated.

Thanks.

good to hear from someone who's been there

I've felt 'hunger' since just a few months post op. It feels different than it did pre-op but I think I've just come to recognize that feeling as the 'new hunger'. I don't get a rumbling stomach, I get kind of an empty feeling and sometimes a little soreness in my belly. Kind of similar to a motion sickness feeling, or like someone pinched my insides lol. I try not to go too long without eating. I usually have 3 meals and 2 small snacks a day. In between I use liquids.

Edited March 19, 201412 yr by pookybear