A question for the vets: How to distinguish from "head hunger" and real hunger?

I always equated head hunger as stuff like what happens when you get those flyers in the mail with pictures of pizza on them. Of course pizza sounds good just about any time, so that sort of 'hunger' I pay it no mind. But from reading these boards, head hunger can manifest as so much more than "gee, a pizza sounds yummy right now". Head hunger can be anything up to and including stomach pain. Real hunger is when you have had a bunch of water but you still feel like you are going to pass out.

I am making a list of stuff to do when head hunger strikes and how to identify it from real hunger.

I agree with what others have written above.  One other thing that I have not seen addressed is acid in your stomach especially post op.  When I was trying to determine if I needed to up my calories about 3-4 months out, I was feeling like I was hungry but wasn't quite sure.  I had stopped taking my antacid.  My stomach kept rumbling like it did before surgery so I took an antacid again and the rumbling stopped so I knew that it was not real hunger it was just acid in my stomach mimicking the signs of being hungry so I did not up my calories at that time.

That is a good idea. Thanks for the tip. I will try that later on today as I think I will probably need to skip a meal. I have used PPI + a drink of antacid to calm the rumblies before. I just need to pick up another bottle of antacid at the store.

I get really frustrated with this head hunger/real hunger thing too....

For me - I am WELL aware that my "eating" issues have always, and continue to occur from about 3:00pm onward until bedtime.  Prior to that time of the day, I could go for a VERY long time without eating OR easily make good choices....once 3 o'clock hits - I am basically fighting with myself not to graze or eat things that are NOT on plan, or just too much of things that are.  It sometimes feels like a grit your teeth battle to get through it, and, I'll admit, I've lost the battle many many times.

So, my determination?  If I've ensured I've eaten well throughout the day, then I KNOW that the fight I am having with myself after 3pm ish is absolutely 100% head hunger - which really is THE biggest, hardest and most difficult issue for me, and is head hunger.  Can I eat an entire bag of family size chips now?  No.  Do I still "feel" like it?  Yes, many days yes.  And, I could, realistically, eat that whole bag of chips over the course of a day maybe?  I wouldn't feel great, but it could be done.

It is sometimes disillusioning to know that I still have the desire to eat all of the things/crap that I used to eat regularly, but this IS the battle.  I have a disease - and, in the moment of "wanting" to eat a bunch of crappy food, I am acutely aware that this is how an "addict" feels. 

Well, after a rough start to the day I'm happy to report that once again I came in under my calorie limit. I made sure I wasn't eating things I "craved", but things I "needed" (like lean protein). I found that if I get the right foods in, the craving for bad foods is less. For me at least, eating bad foods seems to set me up for eating more bad foods later. Of course I'll always want to eat crap, but I think everybody does. Unfortunately I have a disease that doesn't let me fall off the wagon.

Physical Hunger VS. Emotional Hunger

Tends to come on gradually and can be postponed vs. feels sudden and urgent

Can be satisfied with any number of foods vs. causes very specific cravings (ex. pizza or ice cream)

Once full you are likely to stop eating vs. you tend to eat more than you normally would

Doesn't cause feelings of guilt vs. Can cause guilt afterwards

This is helpful.

This morning, I woke up hungry but it was satisfied with the proper foods (I was not craving Oreos or pizza or whatever).

The hard part was that after I ate the proper amount, I did not feel full. At least I didn't feel guilty. I just felt... I don't know. Stupid, desperate, like a loser. ("Here I am still hungry after a proper breakfast. This is how far I've fallen. I'm so fat that normal food doesn't satisfy me anymore.")

I went in to work and chugged black coffee until I felt better. At least it's disgusting and it doesn't have calories.

Then I ate a bunch of antacids and I was back to normal.