I was banded on 12-1-08 and My gas problems lasted only a couple days (lucky I guess) my problem is not feeling hungry but thinking hungry. Mental hunger is a problem for me. Physically i feel full after having a Protein shake which for me is very comforting.

I'm thinking that its just withdrawals from a lifetime of bad habits. My attitude has been to just stay positive and wait it out until my brain realizes that this is just how it is now.

Anybody else get the mental hunger? If so how do you deal with it.

Hey Logan: I try and distract myself with an activity. Walking or getting up and removing myself from the food. Or get on the phone and call a life line (AKA Family).

I definitely think that we all feel the mental hunger thing. It is very hard to be in a world where food is so emphasized and it is totally inconvienent to diet. I worked really hard on changing bad habits before the surgery. I was a complete grazer before. Now I set three meal times and 2 small Snacks, and that's it. I am on mushies and soft foods, so I feel full fast.

When I have the mental hunger thing going on I picture myself buying brand new clothes in a smaller size, or I think about how great it will be to see someone I have not seen in a while and them say wow.

Basically I just try to think positive and that takes my mind off food.

I agree with food being extremely emphasized in society. It is a huge contradiction within our cuklture. Hurry up and go get the lates burger from BK because it's good and satisfying and you just gotta have it. But...you're a pig and a horrible person if you do.

Oh Well.

I am with you! I was addicted to the food network and still am. Its like tourture to watch. I am not hungry but crave those foods again.

I hear you. I went to the mall with my kids to do my walking for the day. At the end of it they wanted dinner so I bought them Chick Fil A. I wasn't hungry but OH MY GOD did I want waffle fries and a chicken sandwich. Now I know how I got so big. I'm like a drunk but with food!

The best way I fight off the mental hunger is to remember that the scale will tell on me. I enjoy getting on the scale and seeing progress (who the hell doesn't...) but it only takes 1 good binge to screw up a weeks worth of work. Keeps me from the mental eating. Now sneaking an off limit snack here or there - that's a different story. It would be unrealistic to believe we can forever eat nothing but 100% healthy foods. Falling off the wagon happens - just learn to tuck and roll and jump right back on.

Brad

I just had surgery on 12-03-09 and I am feeling this way also. I really did not think I was "addicted" to food. But I am. I actually miss eating. I know the first few weeks are supposed to be very hard especially while I am on liquids. But I'm feeling very sad about not being able to eat right now. Kinda embarrasing to admit, but I feel like I lost a part of me. I'm just hoping the part I am replacing it with makes things better.

Hope you are doing better, congratulations on your surgery!

Thanks for the well wishes Smoochy. I felt embarresed to about admiting that I was addicted to eating. The way our culture looks at food is very strange. But I noticed that once I was honest to myself and admitted that I was addicted to food and eating I now had something I could work with. I have noticed over the past couple days my brain is starting to realize that this is how it is now. No more big meals or meals at 1 am because there is nothing to do , or because I just want it. The liquid diet part for me is going much smoother.

Yesterday I put on a pair of pants and they were actaly loose! I now see that what I'm doing is a positive thing and It makes the sacrifice worth while.

God Bless,

Logan