Binge Eating?

[SlevieNicks 9]

Anyone else a binge eater? Maybe that's not the right word but I'm hungry all the time and can't eat just 1 bowl of Cereal...I was raised that way...I watched my mom gain to almost 350 lbs and my estranged dad is really big too...

I grew up having to eat all on my plate or not eat until the next day...luckily I could hide food I didn't like so much in my napkin and flush it after dinner BUT it was still alot of food...

Did the surgery help with anyone's food addiction?

I'm set on doing it but alot of people bring me down and make me feel like a loser for doing it. My sister in law is larger (and a closet binger) and I see her son sneaking food and he's a large boy already...I hate to think he is going to grow up like me : (

My in-laws are all for it as they've both had weight issues...but we are also all food lovers

[downsizing 5]

Anyone else a binge eater? Maybe that's not the right word but I'm hungry all the time and can't eat just 1 bowl of cereal...I was raised that way...I watched my mom gain to almost 350 lbs and my estranged dad is really big too...

I grew up having to eat all on my plate or not eat until the next day...luckily I could hide food I didn't like so much in my napkin and flush it after dinner BUT it was still alot of food...

Did the surgery help with anyone's food addiction?

I'm set on doing it but alot of people bring me down and make me feel like a loser for doing it. My sister in law is larger (and a closet binger) and I see her son sneaking food and he's a large boy already...I hate to think he is going to grow up like me : (

My in-laws are all for it as they've both had weight issues...but we are also all food lovers

Im right there with ya - always large amounts for me with everything i eat. So many have said the desire to keep eating is gone after surgery. A good friend had bypass and has lost 200 pounds in 1 year - says he has absolutely no interest in junk food anymore, and the eating is very easy to control. Im banking on hos stories and those of others that ive read. Another friend of mine had her surgery 2 weeks ago today, and got tongonto solids today! She said she ate a half of a cheese enchilada and was full! My surgery is in 1 week. Good luck!

[kellythestarr 39]

I'm so glad you posted this. I have always been a binge eater and I'm scared that the surgery may not be able to change that. I sure hope it does! I feel that for me the hardest part will be the pre op diet.

[CaliKat 153]

I'm so glad you posted this. I have always been a binge eater and I'm scared that the surgery may not be able to change that. I sure hope it does! I feel that for me the hardest part will be the pre op diet.

ME TOO!!!!

Im sooooo scared that this wont be enough to cure my food adiction and binge eating!

However, I feel that a "jumpstart" is all I need to make the changes necessary to make it successful. i have had success with other "diets"- couldnt maintain.... But the binging was controllable when i Was loosing weight. Plus.... Its a mandatory diet after surgery so you dont have complications.

My surgery date is still pending- but shooting for April 19.... If any of you have had the surgery before me and have found that the binging isnt a problem afterward.... i would love to hear!

[Amanda 3.0 140]

I am not being judgmental here, but I strongly suggest getting some help for the binge eating. You can hurt yourself if you eat too much, or you might just find foods that slide on through, or you might take up another potentially destructive habit in place of eating, like drinking, gambling, drugs, etc. This surgery is not a cure for binge eating. If you have hunger in your head, it will not go away after this surgery.

That said, I am sure that many of us who have had this surgery have definite eating issues. So much eating is about our head and not our stomach. Been there, done that! I still have pangs of head hunger, and I have probably done more "head work" than many. It is a long process.

I would suggest additional sessions with a counselor above and beyond what (if any) insurance requires, or maybe check out some of Geneen Roth's books, or even try Overeaters Anonymous if you can find a meeting in your area.

Good luck to you, but also take the bull by the horns and address that addictive behavior.

[5DoxieMom 87]

In my opinion, an addiction lasts for a lifetime. I, too, am addicted to food. I am only 2 weeks out from surgery, but so far, I can tell you that my relationship with food is changing. I really liked sweets prior to surgery, sugar was a real problem for me. Right now, the thought of something sweet grosses me out. I hope this feeling stays with me! Also, now, after a few teaspoons of Soup, or other soft (allowable) foods, I get a sharp pain in my chest. So, I stop eating before I get to that point. I think the pain signal going to my brain is helping with my food addiction, it's hopefully 'retraining' my brain that too much food causes pain, not pleasure. If that makes any sense at all. I'm just so hopeful that this surgery is the answer for me....I was just at the end of my rope, and becoming less healthy every year. I would agree that counseling, or OA couldn't hurt.

[lizzyshade 56]

This a a great thread! Thank you for being brave enough to address binge eating. I'm worried about having food cravings that I can't satisfy after surgery. I started counseling recently for behavior modification to address the unhealthy eating habits and events in my life that have led to my weight gain. Surgery is such a drastic measure that I want to be sure I will be able to keep it off. I'm so scared, but so excited too!

[SlevieNicks 9]

I am not being judgmental here' date=' but I strongly suggest getting some help for the binge eating. You can hurt yourself if you eat too much, or you might just find foods that slide on through, or you might take up another potentially destructive habit in place of eating, like drinking, gambling, drugs, etc. This surgery is not a cure for binge eating. If you have hunger in your head, it will not go away after this surgery.

That said, I am sure that many of us who have had this surgery have definite eating issues. So much eating is about our head and not our stomach. Been there, done that! I still have pangs of head hunger, and I have probably done more "head work" than many. It is a long process.

I would suggest additional sessions with a counselor above and beyond what (if any) insurance requires, or maybe check out some of Geneen Roth's books, or even try Overeaters Anonymous if you can find a meeting in your area.

Good luck to you, but also take the bull by the horns and address that addictive behavior.[/quote']

I'm not eating to the point of getting sick or harming myself but I grew up having to eat large portions of food and never wasting what's on my plate. I feel bad if I throw out food...I feel guilty. My dad was abusive and we either ate it or suffered the consequences.

I do have more physical physical hunger like my tummy is hungry more than my head...

I have gone to counseling in middle school, high school, and in my adult life. Yes it feels better to talk about things...but I'm using the sleeve as a tool to help me not be so hungry...even my aunts and uncles and cousins are big and big eaters...we just love food...I remember my grandpa falling asleep with the cookie jar beside him lol

[yoshikitty 8]

I am 2 months post op and was doing great. 36 lbs lost and on track. I started drinking diet coke again....bad idea......everything I craved before surgery appeared again and my thoughts about constantly being hungry reappeared too. I feel like a failure right now and now I need to get off the dc again! Why did I do this to myself. I had a week of migrains preop just to get off the stuff. pizza, candy, cake, chips......not like I used to but my Protein and Water intake has decreased dramatically. I hope my story helps and makes others understand that the bad habits and bad eating never truly disappear but I can take away the trigger which is diet coke because after surgery I had no desire for anything bad. Im not try to deprive myself of this food either I just can't control myself....even now. Please send word to lift me out of this black hole i am currently in.

[Amanda 3.0 140]

I am 2 months post op and was doing great. 36 lbs lost and on track. I started drinking diet coke again....bad idea......everything I craved before surgery appeared again and my thoughts about constantly being hungry reappeared too. I feel like a failure right now and now I need to get off the dc again! Why did I do this to myself. I had a week of migrains preop just to get off the stuff. pizza, candy, cake, chips......not like I used to but my Protein and Water intake has decreased dramatically. I hope my story helps and makes others understand that the bad habits and bad eating never truly disappear but I can take away the trigger which is diet coke because after surgery I had no desire for anything bad. Im not try to deprive myself of this food either I just can't control myself....even now. Please send word to lift me out of this black hole i am currently in.

I am right there with you Yoshikitty. I am over three months out and some of those old habits can definitely sneak back. The only thing we can do is get back on track. You know that diet coke is your trigger, so you know you need to get rid of that.

An example: I recently purchased some Sun chips. I thought there would be no harm, since I would eat only five or so at a time. Well guess what? I was eating more than five at a time. I was eating maybe 10 - 15 at a time, a couple of times a day. I was also home all week by myself while my husband was traveling so my schedule went by the wayside and I skipped two Water aerobics sessions. GAH! I know better than to do this! That is exactly how I went off course after prior weight loss attempts.

I poured the Sun Chips in the garbage. That is what I need to do when I encounter a food that is a challenge. I would rather put two dollars of chips in the garbage than feel bad for eating the chips, which open the door to other wrong choices. I also did that with some pita chips.

This surgery is not foolproof. I had lost over 100 pounds before with diet and exercise and I swore I would never let that happen again, and it did. The power of food on the brain is not removed forever by this surgery, as much as I wish it could be!

[favoredone 590]

I raise my hands and feet about old habits!!!! Pre-surgery, I would go days and barely eat because I was so disgusted w/ myself!! I celebrated my birthday last month and had sweets galore!! Today, I had to MAKE myself eat Breakfast because i was so disgusted and disappointed that I make horrible decisions...

Thank God and Sleevina that too much sugar makes me sick and I HATE being nauseous.. So, today, I'm starting over... embracing my sleeve as a tool to help me deal w/ my food issues... This is truly a journey and not a quick fix... The blessing and the curse is that our journey is as unique as each individual partaking in it..

Blessings and best wishes guys.. We can do this!!!

[yoshikitty 8]

So I have a question for more advanced sleevers. If I have got off track for about 2 weeks now, does that mean my sleeve is ruined and won't be effective anymore? Or, will it simply bounce right back to doing its job when i'm back on track? I don't ever want to get in this type of predicament again but beware it happens....... even after surgery!

[bigkim 109]

Me too....I life revolved around food. Daily and entertainment on the week always was what we were going to eat.

[Amanda 3.0 140]

So I have a question for more advanced sleevers. If I have got off track for about 2 weeks now, does that mean my sleeve is ruined and won't be effective anymore? Or, will it simply bounce right back to doing its job when i'm back on track? I don't ever want to get in this type of predicament again but beware it happens....... even after surgery!

I am only just over three months out, but you can still be a winner. There is a "bootcamp" posted here on this forum. Maybe go back to basics for a bit. Definitely get rid of the trigger foods now, if you haven't already (my advice).

We know what to do, we just have to do it. And when we go off course, we have to stop what we are doing quickly and get back on track.

[yoshikitty 8]

So I have a question for more advanced sleevers. If I have got off track for about 2 weeks now, does that mean my sleeve is ruined and won't be effective anymore? Or, will it simply bounce right back to doing its job when i'm back on track? I don't ever want to get in this type of predicament again but beware it happens....... even after surgery!