It looks like hunger, it smells like hunger, it feels like hunger, and your stomach even rumbles. But it's known as "head hunger" although I think of it as "mouth hunger" and HABIT! LOL You really will lose that feeling, for now it's best if you try to ignore it while maintaining your fluid intake, your supplements, your protein, and your walking or other exercise.
Once you are a little farther out you will find that if you are absorbed in some project or whatever, you can actually forget to eat and/or drink because the body cues are not what you are used to. So hang in there, it will be okay, try not to let it take you over.

you're one week post-op. At that point, I was also feeling hunger. Real hunger. For about a day and a half. I thought, they messed it up--I'm not supposed to be hungry. A couple of sugar free popsicles did the trick for me (I was still on clear liquids). Fortunately, the second day, I could move onto full liquids and that really helped. Egg drop soup--on the way home from the doctor's office--perfect!

Hungry and thirsty are very similar sensations. Try drinking more of your fluids whenever you are hungry.

What we interpret as "hunger" could also be....

Thirst
"Situational hunger" (like needing to eat popcorn when we go to the movies)
Boredom
"Emotional eating"
being tired
a reaction to caffein, carbs, and artificial sweeteners

Sometimes it takes awhile to discern the difference.

Hang in there!! You can do this!!

JJ

I think it's the "hunger habit." I encountered it as well during my first month PO. I think I thought I was hungry because I should have been hungry.... Felt real, but it wasn't physically possible.

Happily, this will go away very soon.... Hang in there. :)

Well it's definitely rumbling, but I'm not craving anything in particular and now it's bed time (so I wouldn't usually be eating at this time). I'm trying to ignore it, but I also didn't get all my protein in today, so I'm a little worried...