Hungry Do you still get hungry?

[SpaceDust 585]

So, here's what today looked like for me:

• Breakfast: a Chai Protein Shake (I mix vanilla Protein Powder and a cup of 1% milk with a cup of chai tea concentrate that I make - it's very lightly sweetened with stevia, but I've also done just a dollop of agave or coconut sugar as an alternative sweetener. Protein Shakes are pretty much my go-to Breakfast on weekdays, since I am not really into eating breakfast at 6:30 AM but I can sip a Protein shake on my way to work.
  
• Mid-morning - about .5 oz of homemade beef Jerky - I don't always have a mid-morning snack, but if I do it is always protein of some sort. It mostly depends on my schedule and when I think I'll have a chance to eat lunch.< br />
• Lunch today was about 2 oz. of kaluha pork and a third of a cup of fried rice and veggies. Some days it's tuna or chicken salad, or chili, and some sort of veggie or fruit in a small amount.
  
• Mid afternoon - another protein shake today because I had to grab it on the go, but more typically it might be an oz. of cheese or some sliced meat and a few bites of fruit or veggie. I almost always DO have a mid to late afternoon snack of some sort on work days, as otherwise it would be 7 hours or so between lunch and dinner.< br />
• Dinner - I indulged a bit tonight and had 3 inches of a Subway chicken sandwich. The "indulgence" is that I actually ate some of the whole wheat bread.and 3 potato chips.< br />

[Justinh125 472]

For me all sensation of hunger came from my brain, or at least I couldn't tell the difference between "real hunger" and "head hunger". It all felt the same. Feeling is similar now but only tiny amount of food needed to make me satisfied.

[Sofficial 162]

Do you all feel like its easier to make better food choices now that the hunger has subsided a little bit, AND also knowing that you're not going to be able eat a whole lot. Like for instance Gamergirl ate a 2oz piece of chicken and 1 shrimp, instead of eating 1 or 2 slider from white castles and getting full. How much easier is it now post-op to make these wise food choices.

[gamergirl 4,610]

Do you all feel like its easier to make better food choices now that the hunger has subsided a little bit' date=' AND also knowing that you're not going to be able eat a whole lot. Like for instance Gamergirl ate a 2oz piece of chicken and 1 shrimp, instead of eating 1 or 2 slider from white castles and getting full. How much easier is it now post-op to make these wise food choices.[/quote']

For me it's a lot easier to make those choices. It reminds me of when I was pregnant. I watched every bite of sugar because that sugar was taking the place of something nutritious that the baby needed. Similarly, if I eat junk, I won't get in my Protein and I won't have room for it so I have to choose carefully.

I think it also helps that some of my cravings are gone. Most of them are gone. So I get hungry but it's not like I get hungry for cake. I get hungry for ANY kind of food. I need real food.

I can smell a pizza and say, oh that smells yummy!--but I don't necessarily have to eat pizza. I just need to eat something and I start with Protein and before you know if, I'm done eating, I'm full, and I've moved on.

Here's how my hunger is different and perhaps this is the head hunger vs real hunger difference. Real hunger for me is, I feel nauseated, light headed and empty and I need to eat something NOW. Anything. I just go get food and eat it.

Head hunger starts with, hmmm..what sounds good to eat? Am I hungry? Maybe I'll have a snack. How about cheese? No? Want yogurt instead?

If I have time to discuss, argue, debate, wonder if I'm hungry, fantasize about what to eat--I'm really not hungry. I just want the good tastes to explode my taste buds.

I know when we are pre-op maybe we can't even imagine real hunger. It's hard to explain it, but it's unmistakable once you experience it.

I think unless you have severe food addictions, it's a lot easier to deal with real hunger by making good food choices after the surgery than it ever was before the surgery.

[marfar7 1,533]

I've found on this board that its true for about 50% of sleevers. The other 50% (myself included, bummer) still feel hunger. I'm 8 1/2 wks out and feel hungry often. I can only eat a few bites so I'm hungry about 90 minutes later. While they do remove the part of the stomach that produces about 75% of ]hrelin, the pancreas produces the other 25%.

My first 10 days I felt no hunger at all. Then bamm, on day 12 it started. People keep telling me its impossible to feel hungry anymore and that its stomach acid. Firstly, I take a PPI 2x a day. I've had reflux in the past (slipped lapband) and its not acid. And I know what hunger feels like. It goes away after my first bite of food, which if it were acid it wouldn't.

So, the moral of the story: u may get lucky and be in the group that has to remind themsleves to eat. Or u may end up like me who carries almonds in her purse cuz I frequently am hungry. Toss of the coin...

[marfar7 1,533]

Oops, I meant "]hrelin" not "Jhrelin". On my phone so I can't edit my post. Truly I'm not dumb!!!

[marfar7 1,533]

Damn auto correct. It autocorrected the word Ghrelin. Not sure why. Like jhrelin is an actual word

[Sofficial 162]

Damn auto correct. It autocorrected the word Ghrelin. Not sure why. Like jhrelin is an actual word

lmbo...but yeah I guess it just depends on the person.