On a Fast Day and even on a Slow Day, there are times that we get hungry. But are you REALLY hungry? The body sends all sorts of conflicting messages to the brain and the brain responds in very simple ways: eating or vomiting are some of the common reactions. Is your ‘hunger’ actually due to a lack of food, or is it caused by something else? Here is a list of ‘something else’ which might lead you to eat when you really don’t need to and shouldn’t.
a.”I’m not hungry, I’m thirsty.” This is a big one. Most of the time if you feel hungry, go get a glass of water. Ice water is even better, in my opinion. If you like sparkling water, that’s fine — but not flavored water or sports drinks.
b.”I’m not hungry, I’m annoyed.” So, what is annoying you? Solve it and in so doing, the hunger disappears.
c. I’m not hungry, I’m sad.” Go chat with a friend. Call someone you like. Speak with a stranger on the plane. Don’t kvetch about feeling sad, just talk with someone about anything. But don’t eat when you are sad — it creates bad habits.
d. “I’m not hungry, I’m bored.” This happened to me yesterday. I was wandering around the house thinking about what to snack on. I said aloud, “I’m not hungry, I’m………bored!” So I put on my jacket and went out to weed the herb garden. It worked!
e. “I’m not hungry, I’m anxious/depressed.” Back to ‘c’ and ‘a’. Being thirsty can make you feel depressed. So drink some water or tea or coffee. Anxiety is like sadness or being annoyed. Sit down with a comforting cup of tea, chamomile might be good, and work out the problem. Set the timer for 60-90 minutes and think about solving your problems instead of thinking about eating. Then open up to a close friend who will lend a sympathetic ear. But don’t eat, just because you are anxious.
f. I read this somewhere. Wish I knew who said this! “If hunger is not the problem, the food is not the answer.” SO true.
g. “I’m not hungry, I have gas” I used to get gas in my stomach [the actual organ, not the abdominal region] and it felt just like hunger. So I’d eat more and feel even more miserable. Solve the gas, solve that ‘hunger’ feeling.

Here are some more tips for avoiding/denying hunger on a Fast Day. These are part of a longer blog post from February 2, 2017. Believe me, it gets easier with time.
>Set goals by the clock.  After breakfast, vow not to put any calories in your mouth until noon. Then at noon, tell yourself that you can hold out for another 2 hours. Maybe setting a timer will help you: while the timer is ticking, don’t eat. This does not mean that you will eat when the timer rings! No. Set a new goal.
>Plan ahead. We write on the calendar what Fast meals we want to eat in a week. Nothing ruins a diet like coming home and having no idea what to eat for dinner. That’s when the default foods come out [carry-out or pizza]. You can avoid that by planning.
>Prep ahead. You see in many recipe the HINTS about preparing food ahead. This is a real time-saver in the morning. Want your spouse to help you to stay on the diet when you get home late? Write out the recipe, leave it on the counter, include info about where to find ingredients, and maybe the meal will be in progress when you come through the door.
>Shop ahead. Now that you know what you want to eat, have the ingredients on hand. When Fast Day comes, you want to be ready.
>Portion as you shop.  The recipe calls for 4 oz chicken breast, so when you get home, cut the chicken into the correct size. Wrap and label the part you need, save the trimmings for another use such as Chicken Curry [Feb. 11] or Chicken Noodle Soup [Jan 19]. The same goes for vegetables: slice and chop those 2 oz of bell pepper that you will need.  It takes moments to do this as you unload the groceries, so do it to save time later.
>Make the meal setting special. Instead of eating on the run or while standing over the sink, make a Fast meal an occasion. Use the good plates and flatware. Put the sparkling water in a nice glass with a twist of lemon. See the demitasse cup in the photo? It is the only one I have and it makes the breakfast table so pretty that it is saved for Fast days only.
>Slo-o-o-ow down the meal. The other reason for the little cup at breakfast? By putting the coffee in a pitcher, I frequently have to stop to refill the cup. This bit of fussiness slows down the process. When you put food in your mouth, put down the fork. You don’t have to chew 30 times, but don’t simply cram the food in your mouth — savor it, taste it, and make it last.
>Distract yourself. After breakfast, I pour a large [1.5 cups] glass of water which I sip on until 2 pm. Then I have earned a hot cup of tea — something bold-tasting or soothing as mood dictates. A touch of honey in the drink provides a real lift. Mid- to late afternoon is difficult for me. Go for a walk [not to the kitchen or break-room!] or get involved in a long project to take your mind off eating.
>Hide the temptation.  I stash the bowl of pistachios in the cupboard on Fast Days. Yes, I still know they are there, but out of sight, is out of mind.
>Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow. This has a double meaning. 1]  If you yearn for something on a Fast Day, tell yourself that you can have it tomorrow. It is not a promise that you have to keep. Tomorrow it might not be calling to you.  2] Tomorrow is the day that you will weigh less. Tomorrow is also weeks from now when you will be slimmer and thinking about new clothes. Tomorrow will come.

AbFab, the ‘gas masquerading as hunger’ hasn’t happened to me in years, so I can’t give you any insights on that. Sorry.
As for bloating, once in a while I take 1/2 of a GasX tablet and that reduces it. Haven’t figured out which foods cause it. Perhaps it is due to an elderly [68 yrs] GI Tract.