I have noticed that as I incorporate more "real" foods (as opposed to liquids) into my day I tend to feel hungrier.

Is this normal?

When I did liquids, soup, jello etc- I felt full and satisfied. Now I eat lets say a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese and 1 hr later I feel hungry again.

I know it is hunger hunger and not mind hunger because it is a true discomfort from not eating (similar to before surgery).

Any advice?

I was told by my doctor to pick my proteins carefully. Yes, cottage cheese has a lot of protein grams but it's mushy food and digests quickly, whereas meats are more dense and take longer to digest. The longer it takes to break the food down, the longer it contributes to a full feeling. When you were doing liquids, you still had post-op swelling and the combination of the two gave you that full feeling. So try eating 3 oz of lean meat or fish and a steamed veggie and see what happens.

I think Cathy made a good point. You are now at that spot where the stomach is healing and not as swollen as before, so true hunger is coming on again.

Ask your doctor, but the practice I go to had advised me it was okay to eat again when I was hungry...still take it slow, still eat the soft foods, still do your best to wait after having liquids. Right now is not about calories...so if you are really hungry, don't punish yourself...sometimes it will feel worse if you eat when you have been really, really hungry for a while. I always ended up kind of nauseated when I did finally eat again.

Edited April 15, 200917 yr by SunnyRachel