Help Me Slow My Eating Down

[NeenBand 7]

I need help.:help:

I've always bolted down my food. I'm having a real problem slowing down my eating. I'm afraid of stretching my pouch, I'm so afriad I'm going to lose my band or cause esophagus problems. But even knowing that I eat too fast. It's like I get that food in front of me and can't slow it down.

I'm also scared because I can't control how fast I eat. I try to slow down, but sometimes I'm so hungry tha I can't. I don't have a fill yet, but I do have restriction.

Help.:help:

[Jachut 487]

I take a deep breath and mentally remind myself before I start to eat, otherwise I'm prone to getting discomfort. I'm afraid enough of the pain that I dont eat fast anymore - it really does become habit in a very short while if you just remind yourself to concentrate on it.

[Julie* 0]

I have had the same problem all of my life. Now what I do is remind myself that I'm going to slow down before I even get started. I have found too that I can't sit with the tv or a magazine anymore- I just have to focus on eating and taking my time. It sure is a learning curve.

Also, you may want to eat before you get so hungry that you are wolfing everything down. Would a big glass of Water or something before your meal help?

[NJChick 3]

I eat to fast also, but the food getting stuck has slowed me down alot.

[urbrdfs 0]

I eat a bite, put my spoon/fork down, chew, chew, chew and then start the next bite. Putting my eating utensil down inbetween bites (rather than holding it in my hand) has helped me. I also have to really concentrate or I will "shovel" it in....however with a really good restriction you will think about it a little more or else you may begin to pb...and that's not fun.

Good luck.

Bette

[NeenBand 7]

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. I suppose because I have no fill and can eat anything it's easier, or I'd PB.

I've lost 23 lbs, but I'm stuck there for a month due to eating fast, I'm thinking.

[Wheetsin 714]

Leener, if you need extreme help, go to extreme measures. Cut everything up into small pieces and eat with a toothpick until you get used to taking in your food over longer periods of time. May sound funny, but it would work. You could only pick up a bite as big as you had cut, and anything mushy - well - you're going to have to eat that slowly b/c a toothpick only holds so much.

[Mvpo8961 1]

LB this may sound slightly crazy but when I can I eat my meal at my computer while reading LBT. I use the clock on the taskbar to time my bites while I'm reading. Started practicing before banding.

Of course you could do as Wheetsin suggested and eat with the toothpick while reading LBT. That ought to slow ya down.:heh:

M

[vinesqueen 2]

Oh Bups... (insert evil laughter here) once you get a fill, this problem will seemingly magically disapear. But only if you can learn from pain. Because oh baby, the first time you get stuck you are probably gonna think you just ate an anvil.

Cheer up Honey Bups, this wolfing problem with go away once you get a decent fill.

[DonnaB 3]

Leener,

I have this problem if I'm eating with my husband. It's like I'm trying to eat at his pace, and probably stems from my childhood competing with three older siblings for second helpings! I've started eating before my husband comes home from work, which is pretty easy since he works fairly late most days, OR I make a conscious effort to eat my meal at half speed with him. He takes two or even three bites to every one of mine. So far that's really helped.

I haven't had a fill yet either but I definitely have restriction and get the flaming golfball feeling if I'm not careful. I PB'd on a scrambled egg (scrambled eggs are from the devil - never never never try to eat them!) (OK, maybe some people can, but I'll never never never even TRY again! lol) so I have a pretty strong, never to be forgotten, incentive to do ANYTHING in my power to avoid PBing on anything in the future. It's really bad.

[MelodyJ 0]

Leener--

Just had to respond as one of the 3 amigas!!! I think the extreme toothpick idea is GREAT!!!! Have you considered also getting a timer....setting it for 2 min.....you eat then wait for it to go off...then you reset your timer and start over.....takes up time....slows you down!! Boy it's SO AWFUL to get stuck!!!!!!!!! I have done it at least 3 times!!! You would think I would learn from prior boo-boos but I'm guessing I'm a bit hard-headed!?!

God Bless,

Melody

Banded 3/20/06 -47lbs

[CCBSTX 0]

Leener, don't worry! You WILL slow down, once you get a fill/restriction. Otherwise, there is pain involved!!! That is great behavior modification, at least it is for me....

Shawn

[Marimaru 7]

I agree with Crystal... you'll slow down, lol.

But in the meantime, the toothpic idea is a good one, or at least, cut up the tiny bites and only put one bite on the fork at a time.

If it were me, I'd take baby steps. If you are wolfing down your food, time yourself between bites when eating NORMALLY, and then add 10 seconds in between each bite (yes, you'll have to count). Then when you get used to that add another 10 seconds.

I have to do everything in baby steps or it's just all too big!

[Teachntots 0]

I get the "GOLFBALL" with the first bite/swallow of anything...water even. Then I can eat what I think my be a lot for a banded person. I can eat Cereal, bread, eggs, 1/2 a sandwich before I feel the restriction. I try to eat slower. I've been using a 1 minute timer, the kind that you get in board games. I eat my forkfull, chew 15 times, and turn the timer over. Wait one minute and on and on. It may take me twenty minutes or more to eat two hard boiled eggs like that. As a mother of a 3 and 4 year old, I don't have the time to eat slowly. Usually I eat and walk around and flip the timer, etc. My doc said to eat w/o TV or reading and really concentrate on the meal. That one I haven't been able to do yet. School's out today (I'm a teacher) so now I have 7 weeks to really focus on me and such. I'm so overwhelmed, I forgot my support group meeting tonight and the next one, I'll be out of town for. =(

[lookingout 0]

Ok leener, I feel your pain. I am having the slime from he** right now but sooo understand what you are going through. I am hungry almost all the time. I have a lower bmi so I know that it should be more challenging for me.

You have resurrected some good points about slowing down. I realize I need to do that. I also wait too long to eat then start starving...so I eat too much. It takes time and we have to take small steps each day. I feel your frustration!