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Ugh! HEAD HUNGER!

Corridor72

By Corridor72, in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

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Corridor72    518

Corridor72
Posted

Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! I am 2.5 years out from having my band. Every time I think I have this thing figured out, I realize I don't have it figured out at all. I know what I'm supposed to do and feel my band is properly adjusted but the head hunger is just too much sometimes. A lot of it has to do with the ridiculous amount of stress in my life right now but that's not going to go away anytime soon so I have to get a grip and learn to come with it better. I have to figure out to avoid falling into that old habit of using food as a coping mechanism. And thinking I need to eat even when I'm not physically hungry. What are some of YOUR recommendations for dealing with head hunger?

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SassyNanny    311

SassyNanny
Posted

The best thing I do is track everything I eat. It really helps me stay accountable. I'm 8 months out and was on vacation recently and started grazing. Old patterns emerged. I didn't log for 2 weeks. Got home and started again and immediately lost the 4 lbs I'd gained plus 2 more. Maybe my sleeve needed a little vacay too!

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WLSResources/ClothingExch    3,444

WLSResources/ClothingExch
Posted

It may help to recognize that appetite is what's gnawing at you. Separate it from hunger (scrap head as extraneous), which is something to tend to.

When you're driven to eat without being truly, physically hungry, do anything to redirect your attention. Take a walk. Rearrange a kitchen cabinet and, if you still feel an urge, rearrange another. Take a bath; it's relaxing and not a time associated with food. Reading or watching anything involving a screen are poor choices, as they are associated with eating.

You don't "need" to eat, as you say in your penultimate sentence. I also notice that you, like most of us, are fond of imperatives -- "have to..." "supposed to..." and the like. Why pressure yourself according to some external rule book? Try shifting your vocabulary to "want to..." Having the choice and acting on it because it will take you where you want to go are far more palatable and productive.

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betsylulu2525    7

betsylulu2525
Posted

I feel your pain!! I am an emotional eater and I struggle with old eating habits on a daily basis. I wish I had advice for you but I don't. It's a relief to know I am not the only one!!! I had my bad done 7 years ago and I still struggle. I didn't have the proper diet training going into this life long journey. I don't regret it for a minute, but wish I had the support I need to be successful.

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Go To Topic Listing LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

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    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • bellaamey

      bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.

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