How do most of you deal with the mental hunger? There are times of the day that I just want to eat. I'm not really sure if it's eating that I want or just a taste or texture thing. I've been chewing gum a lot at these times, but it doesn't really seem to help. I try to drink Water or juice instead of eating.

I need some advice. I've already had one fill and will have the 2nd one on 8/22. I've not really noticed much restriction (which I expected) but now the mental stuggle of food hard for me to deal with.

Pam, I too had a hard time dealing with this. Just the fact that I knew how little I was eating made me think I was hungry and that I needed to eat some more. For me personally, I can tell you that chewing gum just makes me hungrier and I think You are doing the right thing by drinking lots of water that will help you out. One thing that helped me was to kept healthy snacks around to nibble on and keep the mind monster satisfied. It will also take some time, so be patient as your body gets adjusted to your band. good luck in conquering the Mind Monster. He still visits me often...

"MIND MONSTER" I like that Esetla. I am gonna use that. I usually try to write in a journal when I feel the "mind monster" lurking. I also talk to myself and say OK am I really hungry or is it all mental? If it is mental then "why" am I wanting something to eat? All this I write in my journal. I have pages and pages of this stuff. It is the only thing lately that has kept the "mind monster" at bay. Heaven forbid if my pen runs out of ink in the middle of an attack. LOL!!

I also keep healthier Snacks around instead of cheetos, fritos, chips, dips, candies, etc. I now keep veggies, fruits, and if I must have chips then I get something at Trader Joe's (grocery store out here in Calif) that is called Veggie Chips. I know they are still loaded with fat but one or two of them and I am satisfied.

http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=434

I grab a bottle of ice cold water, or I come here to LBT, Or I play games at pogo.com OR ride my stationary bike..all of those things work for me.

This has been the biggest factor in me deciding for now to put plans for a band on hold and give it one last effort. Finding this board was a big lesson, I've realised that for lots of people the mind hunger doesnt go away and that if I was going to have to work on that and overcome it (and a band wasnt going to make it magically disappear) then I could do that on my own and would have to do it on my own anyway.

If I dont have mind hunger, I can ignore physical hunger without a problem. I enjoy my tummy rumbling because it means I've been "good". I'm sure that's not healthy, lol.

Best for me is to go and do something else, like clean out the wardrobe or clean one of the bathrooms. I find if I can ignore it for an hour it does go away.

I find this works for me but the trouble is for some inexplicable reason, I'll be going great guns, will have lots a bit of weight, thinking I'm on top of this and then I simply stop trying.

I have decided that I am going to get the band and let my twisted psyche catch up.

I figure it's like any other life-changing event - you cannot truly prepare for it - you just have to do it and learn as you go.

I have been waiting to be "mentally prepared" to lose weight for something like 10 yrs - and it hasn't happened yet - so screw it. God knows, I have tried all the diet plans there are and you can see where THAT has gotten me... So, if my insurance will pay - I am getting the band NOW. (I want it NOW - just call me Veruca).

I will battle the Mind Monsters as they attack - with lots of help from my new LBT friends.

I'm having major issues with my mental monster right now, so I just filled up my water, opened a Diet Green Tea and opened a Diet Root Beer all at once. Call me crazy, but I'm fighting it with all I got!

I've been working on my hunt for the low calorie volumn Snacks for this very reason. "Snacking" by nature defeats the purpose of the band, but if I kind of plan it into my day, and make sure it's low cal, I'm ok. Most often, I use sugar free Jello with an extra packet of Knox Gelatin. Then I can cut it up into squares (or whatever the shape is when you cut 'squares' out of a round bowl, lol) and eat it with my fingers. The extra gelatin only adds 25 calories to the whole batch and keeps it from falling apart in your fingers. I eat a whole batch of it almost every day, and that's 105 calories. And something in gelatin is supposed to be good for your fingernails.

other than finding good snack alternatives, I try and keep myself busy. I play video games, or at least try and fidget with something while the TV is on. Sometimes I try and crochet, but I'm not good at it, so I usually end up frustrated. On the nights that I try, hours have gone by and I haven't thought of food at all. I'm alright during the day, but the night time snack demons are at my door waiting for me with my cats when I get home from work.

Thank you all so much for your advice. I know part of my problem is that I've not been keeping healthy Snacks at home. So then the thought of what I "can't" have starts to get to me. When I have good stuff at home, I'm better. Also, I'm in a job transition right now (hoping to substitute full time) and working sporatically at my job I'm leaving. Just lots of personal stuff going on too.

Again thanks for all the info. I'll give it a try.

Here's a thread I started on the very same subject.

Hugs

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=8401&highlight=head+hunger