So within the past 2 weeks I've had this head hunger. I'm 4.5 pounds from my GW(150) but I keep floating from 153-155. We had a snow storm this week which doesn't help because I'm not able to get to the gym or walk outside. I hate exercising in my small apartment. My biggest thing is head hunger though. I'm so terrified of going back to where I was. That's my biggest fear. Can someone give me tips or ideas on how to handle this?!?!

I think this is the hardest part....realizing if I am hungry or just bored! I try to always have a protein bar or shake around. That way if I do cave I'm stuck eating something healthy....I'm fairly new at this so I wish I could offer more!

Great job on the weight loss!

When I went for my pre-op clearance, the psychologist gave me one piece of advice that has really helped. She said that when you are hungry but have already eaten, to stop yourself and realize that this can't be real hunger. At that point try to anayze why you are feeling that way and address it without food.

The next time I felt hungry and wanted something not good for me, I did that. By making it almost an academic exercise it was much easier for me not to make a bad choice. Now, do I make good choices 100% of the time? No, but this has helped me! Good Luck.

ugh, I am so with you, and I agree with both responses. I, too, am still in the fairly early stage. I have my next fill tomorrow and I am so hoping it gets me to green. but this past week in particular has been so hard for me. I had tried to do a strict food challenge for the month of Feb but I did not schedule very well at all. My son's birthday, a baby shower, and Valentine's day all threw me for a loop so whereas I was trying to do no sugar, I ended up tail-spinning into it! Very mad at myself, but even more than the above mentioned events, my stress has been out of control this month. I am fighting head vs real hunger constantly. It feels so defeating.

Having said that, when I read posts like yours, in a weird way it is actually kind of comforting. it means that I CAN get to goal, lose the weight, change, etc., but still not be perfect. Does that make sense?? It means that even though it feels like I am making one month-long mistake, I can still come out on the other side.

I have heard all kinds of things like ask yourself if a carrot or apple would satisfy you. If it does, then you are hungry. If not, it is head hunger. I am not a fan of this approach because I feel like I would just say screw it and give in already, lol. But knowing that this is an issue truly is a tool in your success.

Head hunger is a daily battle, unfortunately it's something that's always going to be there we just have to learn as we go the best way for us to deal with it. When the ugly monster rears it's head at me I immediately get up and do SOMTHING, ANYTHING, just to occupy my mind. I'll drink a bottle of Water, then move on to something like vacuuming, laundry, crafts, call a friend and chat, etc. I find that typically if I can get my mind off it for 5-10 min. I've gotten over the biggest hurdle. However, if I find that I'm still feeling hungry after all of my attempts to divert it then that's how I know I'm it's truly my body telling me it's hungry so I make the best choice possible.

The other thing I will say and I say this with caution is.....don't restrict myself. This isn't a diet; all those years of saying NO to whatever you're craving didn't work that's why we have the band, so use it. Now don't get me wrong I'm not telling you to cave every time you have a craving but if you really are wanting something to treat yourself once in a while is OK. We have to learn to live and balance our new lives and restricting ourselves in my opinion is just a recipe for failure!

We don't have to be perfect to get healthy that's where the band does it's part.

You could dance in your little apartment during a snowstorm. That's my only idea so far.

My doc told me that when I feel hungry and it's not meal/snack time, it's probably thirst in disguise as hunger. I tend to keep my sleeve full of fluids all day long. Weekends can be tricky, though, so if I feel munchy, I try to make Protein choices, even if they're high fat ones, like cheese or nuts.

All good responses. For me I agree. If an apple would do the trick I know it's stomach hunger and I give it something healthy. If I'm craving a favorite meal and it's not mealtime, off go the alarm bells because that's head hunger. Usually anxiety. But sometimes, like this week it can be unexpected relief after a period of stress. What I mean is, I can often hold it together when under extreme stress. But once the crisis has passed I turn to food.

Here's what's helping me now. No matter how restless and agitated I am with head hunger, it's just a feeling. I don't have to feed that feeling. I don't have to. It feels like I have to but I don't. It's a muscle I'm learning to exercise. Feel the damn feeling, whatever it is. It's not going to kill me. It feels like it will but it won't.

I've had a year of incredible stress and I've come through it with the help of good friends, this forum, OA, CoDA, and a therapist. I'll be damned if I'm going to return to the food now. This is hard as hell but it is so worth it.

And congrats on your success !!!

Head hunger is a daily battle, unfortunately it's something that's always going to be there we just have to learn as we go the best way for us to deal with it. When the ugly monster rears it's head at me I immediately get up and do SOMTHING, ANYTHING, just to occupy my mind. I'll drink a bottle of Water, then move on to something like vacuuming, laundry, crafts, call a friend and chat, etc. I find that typically if I can get my mind off it for 5-10 min. I've gotten over the biggest hurdle. However, if I find that I'm still feeling hungry after all of my attempts to divert it then that's how I know I'm it's truly my body telling me it's hungry so I make the best choice possible.

The other thing I will say and I say this with caution is.....don't restrict myself. This isn't a diet; all those years of saying NO to whatever you're craving didn't work that's why we have the band, so use it. Now don't get me wrong I'm not telling you to cave every time you have a craving but if you really are wanting something to treat yourself once in a while is OK. We have to learn to live and balance our new lives and restricting ourselves in my opinion is just a recipe for failure!

We don't have to be perfect to get healthy that's where the band does it's part.

Ditto everything @@enjoythetime wrote. Everything.

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.