I am having my surgery in Early December and am a little concerned because I am a very fast eater. Even when I concentrate on eating slowly, I don't seem to slow down very much. Was anyone out there a fast eater before surgery and how did you deal with the change after the sleeve?

I was/am an extremely fast eater. I would wolf down my food like there was about to be a famine. Now, I eat slightly slower but it's definitely something I have to work on. For me, it takes a lot of concentration. The best place to eat (so I've been told) is at the dining room table and not to have any distractions. Well, we got rid of ours so dinner is on the couch, in front of the tv. What I've started doing is taking a bite, chewing until it's pretty smooth, and then I'll put my fork down and literally time myself. I try to give myself 2-3 minutes between bites. I'm sure as I do this more and more I won't actually have to stare at the clock, but for now it's gonna have to do.

Also, sometimes my sleeve will let me know that I need to slow it down. Depending on what I eat, if I'm shoveling too much in, I swear I can feel my stomach inflate. It's probably not but that's the best way I can describe it. So when I get that feeling, I stop eating and don't start again until it's gone.

I hope this was slightly helpful

I am a fast eater ...not a good thing with the sleeve. I've slowed down big time since my surgery, but I really need to slow it down some more, otherwise I get a stomach pain which forces me to stop eating all together. When I do take my time and eat slow I'm fine. It's just something I've to work on .

I am having my surgery in Early December and am a little concerned because I am a very fast eater. Even when I concentrate on eating slowly, I don't seem to slow down very much. Was anyone out there a fast eater before surgery and how did you deal with the change after the sleeve?

I am a fast eater too. I do not have a surgery date yet. I guess we should start practicing eating slower. I haven't started yet, I guess I should get right on that.

I was/am an extremely fast eater. I would wolf down my food like there was about to be a famine. Now, I eat slightly slower but it's definitely something I have to work on. For me, it takes a lot of concentration. The best place to eat (so I've been told) is at the dining room table and not to have any distractions. Well, we got rid of ours so dinner is on the couch, in front of the tv. What I've started doing is taking a bite, chewing until it's pretty smooth, and then I'll put my fork down and literally time myself. I try to give myself 2-3 minutes between bites. I'm sure as I do this more and more I won't actually have to stare at the clock, but for now it's gonna have to do.

Also, sometimes my sleeve will let me know that I need to slow it down. Depending on what I eat, if I'm shoveling too much in, I swear I can feel my stomach inflate. It's probably not but that's the best way I can describe it. So when I get that feeling, I stop eating and don't start again until it's gone.

I hope this was slightly helpful

Thanks for your reply!

I think it would drive me crazy to time myself between bites. Like being in stop and go traffic when all you want to do is sail through. I don't love the super-mushy feeling of well-chewed food in my mouth, either (this is going to be a problem!), however, if I concentrate on the crunchyness instead, and chewing on the crunchy parts, I'm okay--as stupid as that sounds.

I'm looking at the whole surgery thing as having to discipline myself to do certain things because I have no choice. Like wearing a seat belt because it is the law--I knew it was the right thing to do before, but if I didn't have to, I sometimes didn't.

Try purchasing cocktail forks and spoons. I used them consistently for the first 3 months or so. You can only fit so much on there. I made sure to put my untensil all the way down and then pick it up again before the next bite. Sounds a little silly, but it helped to slow me down so I could learn my full signal.

My nickname is "Hoover." I took Mini's suggestion and bought demitasse spoons and cocktail forks--keeps those bites small. Like Fleur, I also eat in front of the TV, and use the clock on the VCR to time my eating. Same process, take a bite, PUT THE FORK DOWN, chew 20 times (remember to count), and repeat. Practice, practice, practice, before your surgery. Eating too fast is PAINFUL and its likely you'll not get your protein in because you just have to stop.

Good Luck

Fit

I'm a really fast eater too. I know it sounds strange but it helps me to eat while I'm on the computer. I will make and measure my food then I take a small bite and put my spoon down and read something while I'm chewing. Then I finish reading it and take another bite. I am NOT someone who waits 2-3 minutes between bites. I wait about 30 seconds or a minute. It doesn't take me long to eat my food at all of course I'm only getting in maybe 5 bites at the most. The other day I had some egg salad after work and I was so hungry. I hate about 2 oz of egg salad in less than a minute and OMG did I pay. I had to lay down for a couple hours. The pain in my chest and back was terrible. It's a learning process!

I am a fast eater. I had my surgery Oct 6th and after 1/4 Cup of any food I know I have had enough. I try to eat slow and know this is best it is difficult to change habits. I am working on it everyday.

I am having my surgery in Early December and am a little concerned because I am a very fast eater. Even when I concentrate on eating slowly, I don't seem to slow down very much. Was anyone out there a fast eater before surgery and how did you deal with the change after the sleeve?

Thanks for all the great tips. I think I already have the small utensils, so I will definitely try to use them. Reading during eating is a good idea, too.

I was a fast eater, as well. You'll learn pretty quickly after you end up in pain after eating too fast.

If this a repeat, I apologize as I didn't read all of the other replies thoroughly.

The biggest thing that helped me slow down was to sit my eating utensil down in between each bite, and put my hands in my lap until I had chewed thoroughly and swallowed each bite. I started doing it before I had my band placed, and it continued once I had the sleeve. I couldn't do other things while eating, that typically ended up with me extending my meals far too long and not concentrating on my food portions, and bites. I measured my portions and didn't extend my meals for more than 30 minutes.

I was a fast eater, and sometimes I think I'm still eatting to fast, but I don't get any pain, whatsoever. I make sure I chew all my food realy well but I think I may not be waiting long enough in between bites. But like I said I have not gotten sick, or had any pain whatsoever.