Truth about the sleeve

[Laural]

I have a plan in place as I too was a night time eater. I have my knitting project right next to the couch ready and waiting for my idle hands if needed. Maybe drink more water durning the times your head is telling you it's hungry. If you've eaten your 3 meals and 2 snacks... it just might be head hunger. Drink some flavored water, take a walk around your home.... distraction I believe is the key. Take care!

[cecilia55]

I do the same thing that I did 2 years ago when I quit smoking. I wear a very loose rubber band on my wrist and when I think I am hungry or just want to nibble out of boredom I give it a small snap. Puts my focus first on the small sting on my wrist then my mind goes onto other things. At first I was snapping it quite a bit now it is very seldom. Kind of like Pavlov's theory, if my mind goes into nibble mode my wrist gets a snap. Learnt behavior. It worked for me.

[cowgirljane]

You have done so amazingly well! I think your "slow" (not really!) losses are because you lost so much preop. Most of us got a bigger boost from the surgery but you already had a good start. I do struggle too and I am not a cook! I find myself at times just wanting to eat! I once read that if you do something for 21 days it becomes a habit. That isn't true, I have not been able to break my habit of eating in the evening and a few others even though I have white knuckled it for 3 weeks at a time in the theory that i can break the habit! What I am doing instead is "substituting". If I am dying for somethign sweet, I have a chocolate protein bar. I try to plan my visits to the gym for late in the day - around 7 pm because it simply reduces the number of hours available for me to snack. Other people take up knitting or something to keep their hands busy - whatever works for you to simply make it HARDER to do the old bad habit.

I know there are tricks and tips that cooks do, such as wearing a medical mask - reminder to not lick the bowl. I know that for me being around that all day would be a hard problem, so i would probably have to go cold turkey - no tasting or sampling at all. I think you are smart to be thinking about how to keep this from interfering with your success.... one thing i learned in all my years at Weight WAtchers - BLTs (bites, licks and tastes) will totally derail your weight loss goals.

Here is what I think about sleeve and hunger... many of us, myself included, went through a period of time when I really didn't experience hunger. I would have to remind myself to eat sort of thing. That ended at around 7 months out for me. So, during that period I just wasn't interested in food - you know, just no appeal and didn't even taste particularly good. Now, food does taste good and I do have a desire to eat. I think that what I experience now is what NORMAL people have - I do experience hunger, but it doesn't rule my life. IT is no longer so all consuming so to speak.

I guess some people NEVER get their hunger back, but i maybe it just takes longer... maybe a year or two down the road? I don't know, but for people pre-op I think a realistic expectation is a drastic reduction in hunger and maybe you will be lucky and have no hunger ever.

You mentioned feeling sick after your morning protein shake. That happened to me too - starting around 3 months out. I had been using the premier proteins from Costco and at some point they started giving me cramps and horrible feeling. I just stopped drinking them. I had one the other day, and had no reaction, so perhaps that phase is over? Anyway, I could still drink Syntrax Nectar (mix it myself) brand with no problem. You might want to experiment with a different type of shake or you might want to consider switching to food. How about a single egg and a slice of ham? Something with protein but that is also filling and doesn't make you feel sick?

I think that protein first, don't go to long between tiny meals, but drink lots of water (just be at least 30 minutes away from food consumption) is a winning formula for most people. I noticed that if I just really really follow the basic rules, everything else falls into place and I am less hungry. I think it is the regular small amounts of food, with a high protein/moderate carb content just helps keep hunger at bay.
Another suggestion whenever you are feeling like you can eat to much is to do the 5 day pouch test, it kinda resets you.
Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test

Good luck and never forget the amazing progress you have already made!!! You are an inspiration.

[Neurorat]

*Very* well put, Trail Nurse! That is why I refuse to "eat whatever I want, but in moderation". I feel like that is just a slippery slope because what I want to eat isn't good for me and eating what I wanted to is how I got here in the first place. I know where I have failed in the past, and it is crazy to think that these same things would cause failure now. My sleeve is just a tool that helps me with that.

At about 18 months, you are really on your own as far as food. Your sleeve has done its work and the rest is up to you. If you have established healthy, good habits, you will maintain. If not, the weight will creep back on. I've seen *so* many bariatric patients that have had this happen. Its so sad, because this really is a "last shot" type of thing.

Your advice was priceless! Thanks for sharing!!