Eating slow is hard

[Kelli1016 52]

So, I am 9 days post-op and just yesterday started on my "mushie" stage of eating. I've only had two meals so far and man am I having a hard time eating slow. I thought I was doing well but my body is telling me now that am still eating too fast. I have always been a fast eater and I KNEW this was going to be the toughest part for me. I'm working on it and my husband, Jim, has an app for my phone that can help. I am going to install it for lunch time. Does anyone have any tricks they use to eat slower??

[GuyMontag 1,264]

Put your utensil down right after you put the bite in your mouth. Don't start getting your next bite ready. Sit and concentrate on chewing.

[MandaMom23 684]

I'm about 8 months out and I STILL struggle with eating too fast. I can't eat with any distractions (watching TV, or eating while on the computer, etc.), and have to really focus on the size of bite I'm taking, chewing it well, then waiting in between bites. It's a learning process for sure!

[NaNa 878]

So, I am 9 days post-op and just yesterday started on my "mushie" stage of eating. I've only had two meals so far and man am I having a hard time eating slow. I thought I was doing well but my body is telling me now that am still eating too fast. I have always been a fast eater and I KNEW this was going to be the toughest part for me. I'm working on it and my husband, Jim, has an app for my phone that can help. I am going to install it for lunch time. Does anyone have any tricks they use to eat slower??

I purchase small bowls to eat in, and put no more than 2-4 oz in my bowl and take the time to eat and concentrate, and not get distracted while eating. You will really need to get used to eating slowly and taking pea size bites to prevent any vomiting.

You can do it!!

[Bandista 7,466]

The other day I was pondering this as I know it's going to be a big issue for me once I'm banded -- New Englanders eat so damn fast! Our kid likes to eat with chop sticks and it occurs to me that this would slow me down considerably. There is an elegance to them that appeals to me. A focus on the aesthetics -- how the food looks, smells, tastes. Really appreciating the meal in a slow way. Hey, maybe the Slow Food movement people have some thoughts out there about this......

[Kelli1016 52]

@Bandista -- I agree. It's a problem. It's something we have been talking about in our Hungry Head class, that I'm currently taking. It's a matter of being conditioned to it. Look at schools and the work place, you generally have 30 min to get your lunch and eat it. It's crazy.

Thank you all for the advice. I know I can do this but I'm going to have to work hard at it.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

That was probably the hardest thing for me to learn. I do what Guy suggested- I always put my fork down between bites and I don't touch it again until I've fully swallowed the bite in my mouth.

Being honest, I didn't really master eating slow until I had enough Fluid in my band so that it mattered. Let me tell ya, shoveling food in mindlessly just to find yourself painfully stuck and sliming is enough to change your habits in a hurry.

Btw, there are also apps people use to time their bites. I've even heard of people using timers.

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

So, I am 9 days post-op and just yesterday started on my "mushie" stage of eating. I've only had two meals so far and man am I having a hard time eating slow. I thought I was doing well but my body is telling me now that am still eating too fast. I have always been a fast eater and I KNEW this was going to be the toughest part for me. I'm working on it and my husband, Jim, has an app for my phone that can help. I am going to install it for lunch time. Does anyone have any tricks they use to eat slower??

hey there, just go slow and take small bites and chew alot...it wil come to you...i was an inhaler i wanted to eat before anyone else could go for seconds/thirds...once i ate too fast or too big of bite and (felt) how uncomfy it was, i learned quickly. Hang in there

[pulsetkr 39]

i am not banded yet, but i feel this will be my biggest hurdle to slow down and eat. i have thought and thought of how to do this, i don't want to have to rely on a timer, and i don't want to have to use one in public either. So i am going to approach it this way. Take your bite, put down your utensil, and then silently i will sing twinkle twinkle little star it has thirty seven words in the song. and if you make note to chew to each word your food should be where it needs to be before you swallow and prepare for the next bite...now mind you this is just my 2 cents....lol...and it will probably make some laugh....but this is how i am going to start my process of learning...It's like when i learned CPR we were told to do the compressions to the rythm of the song "If your going to play in Texas, You got to have a fiddle in the band"...it really did work...lol...anyway that's my thoughts....

[Jim1967 3,569]

There is an app for iPhone and Droid called Eat Slower. Basically it just a looping timer with an alarm. Time interval is adjustable from 20 secs up to 3 minutes.

[Kelli1016 52]

That's a good idea, pulsetkr! I'll try it.

[Zingythingy 210]

Have you heard of the 20/20/20 method? You basically chew for twenty chews minimum. Then wait for the count of twenty before the next mouthful and only eat for twenty minutes.. Worked for me. I used to inhale my dinner..

Sent from my GT-S5830 using LapBandTalk

[Shazam 517]

I'm a year old and still have probs eating slow. Don't allow yourself to get to the starving point is key.

[skb123 308]

So, I am 9 days post-op and just yesterday started on my "mushie" stage of eating. I've only had two meals so far and man am I having a hard time eating slow. I thought I was doing well but my body is telling me now that am still eating too fast. I have always been a fast eater and I KNEW this was going to be the toughest part for me. I'm working on it and my husband, Jim, has an app for my phone that can help. I am going to install it for lunch time. Does anyone have any tricks they use to eat slower??

I take one bite chew the living daylight out of it and wait one minute to take my next bite, what my surgeon suggested. i was on liquids for a full month and the first day I could eat they did my first fill so it was back to liquids for a few days! Going in for a fill tomorrow so enjoying my food today!

[PrettyThick1 1,860]

True Results gave me a cute 1 minute sand glass, once I swallow, I turn it over - when the sand is emptied then I take another bite. I don't have to do that anymore and neither will you. It just takes a little time to get use to it, but it's better for you to make the adjustment on your own. When your band makes you make the adjustment...it ain't pretty.