>> Now that we've considered head hunger, let's look back at the hunger scale and how our bodies
and signals change after surgery.
Physical hunger can be turned off after surgery which seems like a nice change.
However, it's still so important to eat every three to four hours in order
to get in enough fuel after surgery.
Because so many people rely on hunger signals to tell them when to eat, after surgery people tend
to forget to eat because their bodies are no longer signaling to them that it is time to eat.
Many patients end up using timers every three hours to remind them it's time to eat.
It's important to continue to fuel your body to get in to enough food and nutrients.
If you do end up skipping meals or snacks, you may feel nauseated if you go too long
between meals and snacks which can start a vicious cycle of nausea and not eating.
Head hunger, however, will likely not go away after surgery.
Surgery won't change what triggers you to eat which is why it's important to start working
on coping strategies for head hunger now.
Also it may be challenging to stop eating when satisfied.
The amount of food you put in front of you may not look satisfying to your eye
since you are used to much larger portion sizes.
Because you have a new very small pouch,
it's going to take very little food to feel physically satisfied.
So it's important to eat for fuel or eat nutrient dense foods.
Think protein first.
Even liquids like water and protein shakes are going to be very filling right after surgery.
This is why it's so important to slow down the pace of your meals, take very small bites,
and be mindful about what you're eating and when.
Head hunger may still make it difficult to stop eating even
after your body tells you it has had enough.
Eating food past the point of satiety may result in vomiting, pain, or pressure.
You can also easily tolerate more food if you are grazing
or not separating liquids from your meals.
It is very important for you to identify why you may eat past the point of fullness,
why you eat for reasons other than fuel, and when you may eat mindlessly or out of habit.
Once you identify the reasons you eat,
you can start developing coping strategies for head hunger.
So going back to the hunger scale, think about that seven.
How do you stop eating at a seven or when you feel satisfied?
You may want to start practicing leaving three bites on your plate, slowing down the pace
of your meal, putting down the fork between bites,
using smaller utensils, plates, and bowls.
Chew very well to a pureed consistency.
Pay attention to your body's feedback.
What is your stomach telling you?
Push the plate away or put a napkin over it when you're feeling finished.
Don't eat from the package or in front of the TV.
Limit distractions.
Keep in mind that meal time should only be about 20 minutes.
It may be advantageous for you to set some timers.
Eat only on schedule, and not between meals and snacks.
Change the environment.
You may have to leave the kitchen or the living room.
And make sure you're not drinking with meals.
The following eating struggles may happen to you after surgery, and they are usually caused
by a behavior that can be changed.
Vomiting, nausea, frothing which is like burping up froth from your stomach repeatedly,
pain or pressure around your pouch or esophagus, or foods feeling stuck near your pouch
or esophagus may happen if you eat too much, if you eat too fast, take too big of a bite
that you aren't able to chew well enough,
advance your diet too soon, or drink too close to meals.
If you do experience eating struggles, the first thing you should do is stop eating.
After you've stopped eating, ask yourself, "Did I eat too much, eat too fast,
take too big of a bite, advance my diet too soon, or drink too close to my meals?"
Why did this happen?
Were you in a social situation?
Did you get too hungry so you ate really fast?
Were you mindlessly eating?
And then it's important to change the behavior.
How can you practice more mindful eating?
How can you slow down the pace of your meal?
How can you pay more attention during meal time?
It's important to change these behaviors so the eating struggles don't continue.
If the struggles continue to happen, it is likely you will regain weight
because you're ignoring the feedback your pouch is giving you.
So now your goals are to start eating slowly, chewing 30 times per bite,
minimize distractions, and savor your food.
Practice mindful eating so you can work with your tool, your new pouch.