My Pavlovian Dog Response to Eating

It just occured to me (but frankly not for the first time), that my eating is very much like a Pavlovian response. If you had college psyche classes, you probably had to read about "classical (or Pavlovian) conditioning to describe one type of associative learning in which there is no contingency between the behavior of an animal and a biologically relevant event". 

In other words, I've been conditioned to believe I must eat at certain times, no matter what. The lunch hour just passed and I haven't eaten. I was going to, but then I realized that the black bean soup I brought would probably be giving me gas by 6pm this evening, and I have a dentist appointment right then.  I don't need the embarrassment.  So I grabbed my purse and was headed out the door to pick up a nice safe salad when someone asked for some urgent help. (I can't resist urgent pleas!)  I fixed their problem and then the phone rang, and then and then and then.

But here's the kicker.  I'm not hungry. I have no physical hunger or head hunger.  I was going to eat because the clock said it was time to eat. I haven't eaten since 5:30 this morning, but that oatmeal really does stick with me. I've had a skinny latte and about a quart of water.

Mu mother said "It's 7 am (or noon or 6pm) and it's time to eat, so eat." The school teachers said, "It's your scheduled lunch time, so go eat and leave me alone!"  The college said, "You can take your classes at these hours and these hours only, so eat between them."  My employers have said: "We have lunch between x and x, and everyone buys into it and schedules me into meetings right up until that moment and starting right after most days.

So I've been a good little puppy and let them dictate when I'm going to eat, whether I want to or not.

I really don't need those extra 400 calories that lunch would have been. I'm not hungry. I'm a big girl and can decide for myself if I want to eat.  So there. I'm not a dog afterall.

Ann

I can agree with your post totally and I hope that someday I can take that same attitude, as I get very tired of having to think about eating all the time.  When, where, how much, should I, shouldn't I, can I, may I.  I have other things in life that are passing me by when I am spending too much valuable time thinking about food.  When my body says, "Barb, it is time to eat" I will listen and I will obey that command.  Sit, stay, roll over, and beg are not in my daily routine anymore.  No more dog house feelings for me. So I am now going to start to live the life of  "who let the dogs out?" and choose for myself who's command I will listen to.

Thanks for your reminder that life sometimes bites,
Barb

Good point and interesting thoughts.  I am still tied to the clock.  I arrive at work at 7:30 have my cup of decaf and then eat breakfast around 8:30am.  Scheduled lunch for my shift is 11:30-12:30 and I have something.  My own scheduled snack is at 3:00 pm and then dinner is 6:00pm.

I'm just like the guy in Castaway..."I live by the clock and I die by the clock".  Well, not really, but this has opened my eyes to how much I eat on schedule and not because I am listening to my body.

I am going to work on that.

ann you're so funny!! and i totally know what you mean. it occured to me this weekend that i also only eat because "they" tell me to (or because i'm bored.) but then this weekend i was so involved with my move that i didn't eat anything until about 3:30 in the afternoon (and only had a slice of cheese in the morning.) i wasn't hungry so i figured why waste time eating?? but then i got the mother of all migraines and was like "OoOoOoOoooh! THAT'S why i should've wasted time eating!" LOL!!!

 Ann - for an experienced insightful person like yourself - not eating is probably fine - but it is not at all fine for somebody in an active weight loss stage - and it's a mistake many postops make - not eating enough or often enough.   Going that many hours without a feeding is not metabolically good - and just oatmeal and coffee - for hours - where's the protein!! : )    I know you know what you're doing - but anybody newly out - don't do this!!!!!      Susan

You are absolutely right!  And you caught me in something that I sometimes catch others on!  Thanks for chiming in. 

Each of us must learn to tune into what our bodies need and respond appropriately.  As we are losing weight or learning to maintain, keeping our glucose levels fairly constant is an important part of keeping our metabolism working properly, and even keeping our mental acuity sharp and our psyche happy.  Even when we are "old timers", my behavior today is probably not a good practice, and I probably will hit the floor before dinner time.  The bad news there is I may want to grab something fast and easy, not healthy and wise.

My intended point was, sometimes we need to set our own clocks and not use those that are handed to us to maximize our success.

OK, so I keep some lovely Greek Yogurt in the fridge here, and I'm headed there right now to get it.  Thanks again Susan.

 Now I"m happy - greek yogurt is always a good choice!     :  )   SUsan

i'm usually not hungry. Somedays , i have no desire to eat. I sometimes need to force feed myself to eat. Even if I don't want to eat... I just eat!  Because I have to and need to eat. I eat by the clock .... every 2 1/2- 3 hours.  I eat small meals throughout the day.  If I don't , then i would probably get sick or faint. I need to eat to live.  it use to be.. i live to eat. Now that i had wls , i don't feel that way anymore. I don't even think about food anymore like i use to.

if we - as wls patients ..... eat very little calories throughout the day... our metabolism will slow down. I don't want my metabolism to slow down. Plus, if we don't eat the calories that our body needs.... we will not get the nutrition and vitamins that we really need As wls post op....we need all the nutrition and vitamins we can get through our foods!  ...Ann, you already know all of this.... lol ... and if you saw a post like yours , you would explain all of this to the wls patient member here ....that this is not the way to eat ...wls post op. Keep in mind , as wls patients , we don't have regular stomachs anymore. We are not like normal people...Normal people can go through the day (sometimes ) without eating a few hours... My Father does this alot. Skip meals...because he is a contractor and he is so busy with customers and going up and down ladders all day long. building kitchens...bathrooms.... doing floors .... etc.....But my mother and our family calls him to make sure he eats... He is going on 65 years old and he is still going. I can't believe it... he works all day long and doesn't stop until late at night.... We make sure we call him.....because he just doesn't have the time and doesn't remember.......But us WLS patients...need to eat..... we need to eat to live in order to feel good and healthy. Also , without food and calories , my thinking would not even be clear to work.

I am glad Susan made you realize that eating this way is no good.... and i am happy to see you eat something :-)  Living on 400 calories a day is just horrible... wls post op person or not. that is so unhealthy for anyone. Please keep on eating and take your break lady! You need the energy and calories! And i do not want to see you SICK! So please Ann , do whatever you need to do in order to eat your meals throughout the day... big girl or not.... you still need to eat. and make sure you do.

Lizzy