3 Minutes in between bites

[Padanelle 2]

Wootsie,

I would definately check further what your surgeon means by 3 bites per meal. I don't see how you could get sufficient nutrition by having only 9 bites per day, unless you are also taking major supplements, specially since most instructions say each bit should be small.

How would you determine which 3 bites you take - all Protein? 2 Protein, 1 veggie? 1 protein, 1 veggie, 1 fruit, etc?

It sounds like something is missing in the instructions.

[tmbowe 1]

I have always heard 3 bites of Protein to 1 bite of Carbs or Veggies but never just 3 bites of food per meal.

[GlenSand 1]

If the doctor is telling patients 3 bites per meal, I am sure he is also allowing at least 6 meals per day. This sounds logical to me. I know that 3 bites for me fills up my stomach! That's why I eat so slow, cause then I can eat more like 15 bites.

I guess the point is to do what is right for you. If what you're doing is working then great! If you are not loosing, then try something different. We are all here to help each other.

[pickles123 0]

I could see 3 minutes between bites when you are first learning how to eat. That way you would not eat too fast. I told my husband after surgery if I get up and walk around between bites don't be surprised because I am a fast eater and I know it will be a big adjustment.

I think that 3 minute between bite rule might be good for me to teach me to eat much slower. I would prefer that to pbing, I know.

Might be a good idea for learning after surgery.

[wootsie73 0]

Wootsie,

I would definately check further what your surgeon means by 3 bites per meal. I don't see how you could get sufficient nutrition by having only 9 bites per day, unless you are also taking major supplements, specially since most instructions say each bit should be small.

How would you determine which 3 bites you take - all Protein? 2 Protein, 1 veggie? 1 protein, 1 veggie, 1 fruit, etc?

It sounds like something is missing in the instructions.

I will check with my surgeon before I do this, that's for sure. In my original post, I plainly stated that I'm not banded yet, so I don't have personal experience with this yet. The information I copied and pasted is on my surgeon's website. I have not talked to him about it in person. I will be sure to do that before I have surgery. I, like everyone else, want to do what my surgeon thinks is best, but I'm also realistic enough to know that 9 bites of food is not very much for an entire day.

Joan

[kbuzz46 0]

I've been banded 1 month....and other than not drinking while eating...this is absolutely the HARDEST thing for me to get my thick head around....I have 'shoveled' all my life and I know the advice to slow down and let your brain catch up and chew well is sage advice....but this lesson is truly tough for me....AND I pay the price for it when I DO NOT go slow ....can you spell puke/hiccup??

signed

The Shoveler

[Padanelle 2]

I've been banded 1 month....and other than not drinking while eating...this is absolutely the HARDEST thing for me to get my thick head around....I have 'shoveled' all my life and I know the advice to slow down and let your brain catch up and chew well is sage advice....but this lesson is truly tough for me....AND I pay the price for it when I DO NOT go slow ....can you spell puke/hiccup??

signed

The Shoveler

I,ve been banded a little over 2 months, and don't seem to be making any headway in eating slower. I may manage to pause for around 30 seconds - 1 min inbetween a FEW bites, but usually loose my focus and go back to showeling the food in. I've had a few minor incidents of tightness/some chest pain, but it usually passes after a few minutes. At least I'm smart ebough to stop eating when that happens. lol. Definately a work in progress...

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

My bites are the size of a nickel.....three of those wouldn't keep my parrot, my pug or my cat alive much less me. My meal consists of about 3 oz of Protein, a vegetable and if I'm still hungry a single serving of whole grain carbs. I'm really liking those new Special K Crackers.... a serving is 17 crackers. Sometimes I make egg salad with low fat mayo and have it on the crackers and have a spinach salad with it!

I do have to eat quite slowly or I get stuck repeatedly, especially in the evening. At lunch, I think I could eat anything without a problem. But even I don't wait 3 minutes between bites. I take a bite, chew it really well, swallow and when I know it's "gone down", I take another bite.

[krtork 0]

It's one thing to eat slow, and another altogether to eat in slow mo! :thumbup:

I have also read/heard to take SMALL bites the size of pencil erasers. I find bites that small harder to chew! I do well with a bite about 1/2 to 2/3 the size of my "old" bite. My point...we have to do what works for us. To me it isn't even the time between bites that's the problem but how long I spend on each bite that counts.

The three bites per meal would be a killer! I agree with Monkey - the eraser size bites is ridiculous for me. I have "mini" bites, and I chew well. Chewing, I think, is the key component!

The thee minute wait between bites is a good thing! I have had to learn to do that without the Dr. telling me to. I find the slower I eat the better I do. At work it's easiest. I can take a bite, do some work and then take another bite. The other day I timed myself. I took 1 hour to eat 3/4 c of cottage cheese. I suffer when I eat at home cause I used to sit on the couch, watch tv and eat. I always end up sliming when I do that now.

I have to eat and clean house in between bites now. I really take a long time to eat! Tonight was tacos. I had one, and it took me 45 minutes. I did LBT, FB, and surfed the internet in between bites. I need to get a hot plate to keep my food warm. I also tend to eat more cold food, like salads. I have a very hard time at restaurants and usually get Soup.

I was told no more than 20-30 min per meal. Otherwise you are just grazing and not really learning to eat a meal! Your stomach might not get that full feeling either. You need to fill the pouch so that it triggers the full feeling in your brain (I am sure there is more technical language).

Amen, Monkey!

What she said!

A Simple Formula for Weight Loss Success

Bariatric surgery will alter your eating habits dramatically, particularly in the first few months after surgery. To gain the greatest benefits of the surgery, Dr. David Provost recommends patients follow a simple formula:

3 x 3 + 30

What this means is that you should only eat three bites of food at each meal, and separate each bite by three minutes. In addition, you should not drink anything—including water—for at least 30 minutes before you eat and 30 minutes after you eat.

Joan

This does say "the first few months after surgery". I can't imagine using this for a life time. I guess it would help you learn to take time to eat. I still can't imagine 3 bites per meal - that would not give me a feeling of being full.

I wasn't instructed to wait 3 minutes between each bite, however I was told to put my eating utensil down between bites, and to chew, chew, chew. By doing so my meal lasts anywhere from 20-30 minutes.

I use the eating utensils down between bites and that seems to really help me slow down when I eat. I think that is reasonable and something that you could use and do for a lifetime of eating.

My bites are the size of a nickel.....three of those wouldn't keep my parrot, my pug or my cat alive much less me. My meal consists of about 3 oz of Protein, a vegetable and if I'm still hungry a single serving of whole grain carbs.

That being said, the meal size is great and it would take more than 3 bites to eat that meal!

Everybody is different and what works for one bandster may not work for another. I would find out how long the doc is expecting you to follow that rule and then I would see if it really works for you.