How do you know you are hungry?

The RD at my doc's office said that a growling stomach doesn't always mean you are hungry. It could be just working on something. Gurgling, maybe... but growling to me means hungry!

Lately, I've been very tired quite a bit. I'm trying to get better sleep. But it occurred to me that back in the day, when I was low-carbing in the late 90's, being tired was a key indicator of hunger for me. I'm wondering if fatigue=hunger with the lap-band.

Anyway, here I sit, it's 11:30, and I could seriously lay my head down on my desk and take a nap. I don't feel "hungry" per se, but I'm soooo tired... I hate to eat when I'm not hungry, but maybe this is hunger?

Your thoughts?

Hunger now is SO different than it was before. I've also learned that I can go from "not really all that hungry" to "OMG I need to eat NOW or people are gonna DIE" in a matter of minutes. It's taking time, but I'm learning my new signals.

1) I feel tired when all I really need is a small snack. Peanuts or string cheese are great for snack time.
2) I get a headache if I've skipped the snack (and if I've missed my Water for the hour)

3) I feel nauseated if I've gone more than 4 hours between meals.

4) I get HANGRY if I've gone more than 4 1/2 hours between meals.

I have to admit that I backslid a bit and have now gained a couple of pounds back. Which sucks. But a recent allergy attack has me back on track. That's what I get for taking a few bites of a brownie without checking it first. BUT .. it was a reminder that I need to be more aware of what I'm putting in my mouth.