Tips for regulating appetite/managing head hunger?

[shyguyyoshi 2]

Hello. I got the sleeve done in July of last year. I've had a hard time overeating because I don't realize I'm overeating until it's too late. It's like I'm hungry (I struggle badly with head hunger as well) or stuffed with no in between. I can get around 3 bites over the course of an hour before that 'oh ****, I overdid it' feeling hits me. I try to drink Water but I run into the same problem as I sip too much water and then I feel sick as well. I've dealt with horrible stomach pain/heartburn and while I know it's my own doing, I keep messing up. I've also been stalling real bad as I have been maintaining my stats (SW: 230, CW: 168) for over a month. Does anyone have any useful mindful eating tips?

[Jeanniebug 476]

Hugs!

Perhaps eating a measured amount of food would work better than just eating until you're full..? Take your 1/2 cup of food (or whatever your measurement is) and sit there and slowly eat that. Wait 30 seconds after you've swallowed, before you take the next bite - use a timer. If you feel full before you've finished your measured amount, then stop eating. If you don't feel full after you're done, stop eating.

Are you tracking your food? Tracking can help, because you can see where you might be eating some unnecessary calories. Remember, we still have to diet and exercise. The surgery helps us, but it's not the cure.

A therapist might also be helpful, if your issues are mental/behavioral.

[bigoverthinker 8]

I second the person who said pre measure before you put it in your mouth. I carry one of these 1 cup glass prep bowls. Before I eat it I put it in the bowl first then eat from the bowl. If I want seconds it goes in the bowl first. Now I know 1 extra bowl will make me feel ill. I have a clear volume related cutoff. On the other side of that cutoff is discomfort.

I would add 1 thing to the pre measure mantra: Don't eat distracted. So don't eat in front of the TV. TV or eat but not both.

This is helping me. [emoji4]

Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

[mhohulin 1]

I’ve been struggling with this and I am only 12 days out. I like Soup very much but I’ve noticed I don’t have an off switch that people have spoken of. I don’t get sick or full & I love the tastes just like before. I’m seriously worried that I will fail.

[Lisa XO 117]

28 minutes ago, mhohulin said:

I’ve been struggling with this and I am only 12 days out. I like Soup very much but I’ve noticed I don’t have an off switch that people have spoken of. I don’t get sick or full & I love the tastes just like before. I’m seriously worried that I will fail.

I'm almost a month out now. I was the same when it came to Soups (strained). As soon as I switched to pureed food, I started to feel the restriction that the majority speak of. I did the same worrying and it was unnecessary. When do you start purees?

[mhohulin 1]

20 minutes ago, Lisa XO said:

I'm almost a month out now. I was the same when it came to Soups (strained). As soon as I switched to pureed food, I started to feel the restriction that the majority speak of. I did the same worrying and it was unnecessary. When do you start purees?

Lisa, thank you! This is wonderful to know! I start purées next Monday. I can do okay with that knowledge I won’t worry anymore, just do the best I can.

[Arabesque 7,597]

I second @Jeanniebug’s suggestion of seeking help from a therapist. Many find them very helpful in identifying the why behind overeating & head hunger & can help you develop ways to better manage the cause & effects.

The suggestions of measuring your food & drinks are a good place to focus. Set a timer on your phone for a couple of minutes so you only take a single bite or single sip at a time. I still ask myself if I need the next bite or do I just want it & find this helpful for really thinking about my eating. Working out what your real hunger cues are will help too. I feel restless. I think something is wrong but don’t know what until I realise it’s hunger. I never crave a specific food, flavour or texture with real hunger. And this is a legitimate reason I am hungry (missed a meal, didn’t eat much at the previous meal, my calorie intake for the day is low,…). Real hunger doesn’t really disappear. You can distract a lot of your head hunger away.

To distract yourself, try going for a walk, craft, garden, call a friend, check social media or this forum, clean out a cupboard, read, have a cup of tea or another drink, etc. Try to work out why you want to eat. Are you bored, stressed, angry, sad, hormonal? Are you wanting to eat out of habit - because of a time (lunch time, snack time) or activity (watching tv, socialising).