why am I so hungry

 I don't understand what is going on with me that past week.   I seem to always be hungry.  I know I need to get more water in but I just feel like I need to be eating.   I hope this passes soon. 

 Is it just head hunger, cravings, or is it real hunger? Could it be just acid that feels and sounds like hunger? Have you tried drinking whenever you feel this way? Thirst can mimic hunger too, especially in the summer heat.

 My hunger is pretty persistent the week before my period.  I also was thinking I was having true hunger pains for awhile.  People on the board helped me to realize it was acid.  I have doubled up on my acid meds, and feel much less hunger.

How far out from surgery are you?  I struggled with hunger once I started on mushies, until I was cleared for all foods, and even then, a little after til I understood what was going to work for me.  It's so much better now, so don't get discouraged!  Let us know what you're eating and folks will share ideas with you.

I am 2 1/2 months out.    For breakfast i usually have a protein shake.  For a snake I had a low fat cheese stick.  For lunch I am having 2 small baked chicken tenders,  Then I will probably have some fruit for an afternoon snack.  Not sure what to have for dinner yet.

What do you usually eat daily?

Is this a constant problem (hunger) or just occasionally?  That's a little different, if you're normally satisfied but struggle at different times of the months or days of the week or whatever.  We all have those ravenous days where nothing seems to be enough.  At least, a lot of us do.  If you're hungry most days, that needs a different kind of fix.

I am 9 months out today, and what I eat now won't be as useful to you as what I found filling at 3 months out.  I still have one protein coffee and 4 food meals.  I tried to target a snack in the 50-100 cal range, and a meal in the 100-175 cal range.  I was around 650-700 calories at 3 months out.

I really like low fat cheese sticks, but they didn't touch my hunger.  It was like I hadn't eaten anything.  So, I didn't find them useful as a snack.  It was kind of trial-and-error, but I found that one egg, poached or hard boiled, is filling.  The 1 oz Jack Links beef jerkey sticks (60 cal each) are filling.  Dill pickle spears, filling.  Raw vegetables, like cabbage and brocolli, filling.  Dense chicken breast (2 oz), filling.  Cottage cheese (4 oz container), filling.  Protein hot chocolate, filling.

Good, but not so filling:  low-fat prepackaged tuna salad, chicken salad, deli-sliced luncheon meat, Trader Joe's chicken meat balls (I think because the chicken is ground), nuts (one ounce is not enough, but packs a wallop on the calories), cheese of any sort (at least, not in the 0.75 to 1 oz range).

Depends:  Greek yogurt, chili, soups.

I have to make sure I'm drinking all the time that I'm *not* drinking because of meals.  I am sometimes satisfied by warm drinks instead of cold, and sometimes the reverse.  I make iced decaf coffee in the afternoons which I use almond milk in.  There aren't many calories in almond milk and it is very satisfing to me, compared to plain or fruity-flavored water.  I found that many, many times, hunger will be satisfied by drinking the right thing.

This is not a normal thing for me to  be this hungry.  I will try making some hard boiled eggs and have that for a snack.    Where do you find that beef jerky?  I will give that a shot too.    Do you use the fat free cottage cheese?  I tried that before and it was so nasty I couldn't even get it down.  
Where do you get the protein hot chocolate?  That sounds delish?   

Glad to answer all your questions, just remember you are an experiment of one and what works for me might work differently for you.

Jack Links - The 1 oz size is 60 cal (they sell a 2 oz size).  Walmart.



Cottage Cheese (my favorite, 2%, 90 cal/4 oz)


Protein hot chocolate, best price http://www.bariatricfoodsource.com/SearchResults.asp?Search= hot+chocolate.

Good luck!