Are we Hungry or just more comfortable and less scared?

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

So as I am approaching one year, I am thinking more about my post-op life.

Lately I thought my hunger has come back but with the rare exception of when I go over 12 hours without eating drinking, I am never physically hungry. Yet I think that I am increasingly hungry or at least willing to eat more and I think this has happened since 6 months.

In thinking about it, at 6 months I was healed and it was like a switch was flipped and eating food was easier. I didn't have to fear that a half an ounce here or there or the moisture content of something would make me too full. Day to day the amount I could eat without getting full varied. I can easily eat 3-5 ounces of Protein with no issues, 3 of chicken or pork, 4 ounces of beef or lamb and 5 ounces of fish.

So now I wonder am I really hungry or am I just less fearful about eating because I know it is unlikely I will end up uncomfortably full. So I will to eat more times a day. I rarely have head hunger because my brain and stomach still have a disconnect, my brain thinking about food doesn't make my stomach react and want food.

I know post op a lot of people struggle when their hunger comes back, but I am wondering, is it really hunger or is it just comfort and adjusting to what normal life long restriction feels like as opposed to the short term restriction of healing. This also really explains the honeymoon period to me more than just some mythical time when it is easier to lose weight. The first 6 months while healing you have an artifical level of restriction and tightness. As it eases with healing so does your comfort with eating.

And eating more is a positive me, as I am striving to meet Protein goals which are higher than most people here. I am trying to increase my calorie goals because the days I eat more, I lose more.

This is just something I have been thinking about and I wondered what other people think about comfort with your sleeve versus hunger returning.

[sweetmini 12]

I have been wrestling with this same issue lately. I'm 13 months post-op and it has suddenly felt like I can eat pretty much anything with ease. I can still feel the restriction of my sleeve, but I'm able to eat more (obviously) and therefore I've been eating more. I agree with you that this is a good thing, and also that our bodies are supposed to be adjusting in this way. I think you raise an important point about the mental/physical connection between hunger and our healing timeline. Thanks for your thoughtful post!

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[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I'm not sure I'm addressing your specific issues below, so feel free to clarify them, if I'm missing them here.

As you know, I have tracked my food all the way along this journey. I know exactly what and how much I'm eating in terms of macronutrients. So that gave me a LOT of information to design how I eat now (nearly 2 years post-op).

All along -- during weight-losing phases and during maintenance phases (there were several) -- I have eaten as much as I do and eaten what I eat because that was what kept my weight falling or stabilizing at the time. I am extremely goal-oriented and can be pretty disciplined.

Some days I am a little more hungry than I used to be -- and some days I have little interest in food.

But for the last 14 months I've essentially eaten daily the same amount (in terms of macronutrients, not specific foods). That kind of consistency really makes it easy to stay within the guardrails.

[Babbs 14,680]

I think it's a little bit of both.

I'm like Ann. Well, not as far as the consistent tracking, but consistently eating on a schedule. I have eaten on a schedule for the last almost 2 years the best I could. 7-8am Breakfast, mid morning snack, noon lunch, afternoon snack and dinner. In maintenence I have added an evening snack from time to time.

Early out, eating on a schedule was just to get enough calories and nutrients, and it worked. Now, it's to maintain the calories and nutrients, but I notice in between I'm watching the clock anticipating the next meal or snack. I honestly think it's a combination of hunger returning AND just knowing I can eat different stuff, so some of the "fun" has returned. My few scheduled Snacks I think turned more into grazing if I'm honest, even though I seemed to be eating the same amount of calories.

I have put on 5 pounds recently also, so I'm back to tracking and I have cut out my afternoon and evening scheduled Snacks. Booo!

[lmm300missouri 95]

I agree totally, I made my goal several months back. I've been eating some of whatever I want. I give myself 2-3 lbs on the scale to be up. Then I go back full force and one day is all I usually need.

I ate a bunch of raw carrots and they either killed me Father's Day or a little bbq the kids brought may have given me food poisoning. It was so horrible I thought my husband was going to have to take me to the hospital. It made dumping syndrome a piece of cake (). My stomach has been a little tender since.

Has the 5 lbs been a part of Constipation? I try to weigh the days I have gone to the bathroom recently. If your weight goes to far do the 5 day reset diet, even if you only do it 1-2 days. It will prove you can keep on track after a few bad days. Also Drs that specialize in weight have some meds that can help new bees like us. I'm almost at a year. I went to a Lipo office and I have very little fat so if I want to do anything about my skin it will be a Tummy Tuck or nothing.

You can do it, I believe in you.