Does hunger mean your bariatric surgery is broken?

So, does hunger mean your bariatric surgery is broken?

First off, hunger is normal.

And no, your bariatric surgery isn’t broken.

You see, hunger is physiological. It occurs because of biological changes throughout the body, which signal you to eat to maintain energy levels.

But guess what?

Not everyone experiences hunger the same.

Before bariatric surgery, some experience hunger that is never satisfied. Others have normal hunger cues allowing them to eat the standard three meals a day. And a small group rarely notice hunger until evening occurs.

I’m sure you’ve witnessed several examples of this from obese to normal weight individuals.

Now, there are so many directions I could go with hunger. But what I want you to understand is your hunger is unique to you.

You see, there are genetic SNPs that drive hunger.

Which is why some individuals naturally experience more hunger than others. This doesn’t mean you are broken. Or your bariatric surgery is broken. You just have to approach hunger in a way that works for you.

But, before we dig into the genetics of hunger that might be at the root of what you’re experiencing after bariatric surgery. It’s important to highlight some very obvious causes that you may be missing.

Here are four simple reasons you may experience more hunger:

You’ve recently changed your workouts.
You are consuming more protein shakes instead of solid dense protein.
Your fiber and fat intake is too low.
A new medication has a side effect of hunger.

Exercise and hunger

Increasing or changing your workout routine can affect hunger. If you exercise frequently, or more intensely, you may experience more hunger to compensate for the excess calories and nutrients your body has burned.

Now, you may be thinking. Aren’t you supposed to not increase calories if you want to lose weight? And the answer is…it depends. This is where you need to work with your bariatric dietitian. Having a professional evaluate your true needs is so important. This is so you can build muscle and not lose it.

Protein and hunger

Protein shakes are a necessary evil right after bariatric surgery. Without them, meeting your protein needs will be impossible.

But, you have to transition from liquid protein shakes to solid dense protein as rapidly as your program allows. This will provide satiation and proper fullness after meals. Alleviating hunger.

When you are experiencing hunger. First, ask yourself… how many ounces of solid dense meat do I consume in a day? You may quickly find your cause of hunger.

Again, this is where working with your bariatric dietitian can help dial in the right amount of protein for your body.

Fiber, fat & hunger

I know protein is such an important piece after bariatric surgery. But, you have to find ways to meet your fiber and healthy fat needs too.

Fiber and fat are two food properties that play a role in how much hunger you may feel. Consuming more non-fiber filled carbohydrates can lead to increased hunger.

Additionally, some may have a fear of adding fats to your diet. If you’re still under the believe that fats are bad for you. Or will make you fat. I want you to know that the Heart Association has recanted this belief. The key is to include more unsaturated than saturated fats in your daily diet. Adding healthy fats, such as olive oil, avocado oil, nuts, seeds, olives, fatty fish are great ways to help maintain normal hunger cues.

Medication & hunger

If you’ve recently changed or started a medication, it may have changed your hunger level. So checking with your pharmacist or the prescribing provider is a great place to start. They can help determine if there are better medications available that won’t influence your hunger.

Genetics and hunger

Now, genetics is where I began to look at hunger through a different lens. Hunger is more than willpower, failed dieting attempts and broken bariatric surgeries.

In fact, how you experience hunger is very unique to you.

You see, there are three specific genes that are considered “hungry genes”. And these genes may require a different approach to health.

As a matter of fact, if these genes are turned “on” you will likely feel hunger even after eating a nourishing meal. But the good news is you can turn these genes off, allowing more satisfaction with the foods you consume.

These genes include…

MC4R
FTO
APOA2

First, carriers of the MC4R gene have weaker satiety signals & increased calorie intake. Now, you should never treat an isolated gene. Because genes don’t work independently. They’re influenced by other pathways.

So having this genetic SNP doesn’t mean you’ll always experience hunger. Your approach to food may need to be more intentional. Including foods that digest more slowly, like protein, fiber & fat may control your hunger more optimally.

Second, FTO was the first obesity-susceptibility gene identified. And the good news is, it’s highly responsive to diet & lifestyle interventions. This is where maintaining blood sugar balance, consuming nourishing meals and moving your body can help with normal hunger cues.

Lastly, APOA2 is the second most abundant apolipoprotein in high-density lipoproteins(HDL). They additionally play a complex and relatively undefined role in lipoprotein metabolism, satiety, obesity, insulin resistance and atherosclerosis susceptibility. Not to mention that you may be likely to consume more fat-containing meals. So it’s like you will be drawn to more fatty foods. Especially saturated fats.

So, even though fats can help control hunger you may find it influences reward hormones like dopamine.

Regardless if you have this genetic SNP, your body needs healthy fats. You will need to utilize more Mediterranean oils and fats and keep saturated fats low.

Conclusion

So, as you can see hunger is a simple yet complex biological function. Everyone will experience hunger, even after bariatric surgery. And your hunger will be very unique to you. Because of the genetics you were given. Of course, if you’re experiencing hunger after bariatric surgery. I would encourage you to address any simple causes first. Exercise & medication changes. Liquid protein shakes instead of solid dense meats. Inadequate fiber & fat intake. The good news is, even if you have some of these genetic SNPs that can drive more hunger. There are solutions and ways to turn those genes off.