There are lots of links in my signature, but I thought I would start a post here if anyone is interested in reading. One of the biggest side effects of chewing and spitting (outside of weight gain), are stomach ulcers. When you salivate (which starts breaking down food in your mouth), it triggers your stomach to begin producing digestive juices in anticipation of the food that you are about to swallow. When you spit that food out, your tummy doesn't know that. So you're left with an empty tummy pumping out digestive juices. This is how ulcers form. Why would you want to do that to your teeny tiny tummy? They don't have anything to cut out anymore if you develop ulcers, you've already lost 85% of your stomach!

You're also doing damage to your teeth, because the saliva that starts breaking down the food is very acidic. And more people report weight gain than weight loss going this route. Plus, you're just trading one addiction for another and going down a very slippery slope.

You can find healthy alternatives to whatever it is you're craving and feel you need to chew and spit for.

If you want something crunchy, Protein for a vegetable) and you can bake it into kale chips which are fantastic. They crunch and melt in your mouth!

Please post here and let members help you find something to eat that is safe for your tummy and whatever stage you're in, rather than endangering your health (both physical and mental) by starting the habit of chewing and spitting.

Wow, I didn't know this! Thanks for sharing the info. I'm still pre-op, and my NUT told me that if I take a bite and realize that I'm not going to be able to break it down, then it's better off to just spit it out. Hopefully that won't happen to me often enough to do any damage though!

I think that's a LOT different than what people here are saying they do. They are eating something forbidden intentionally and spitting it all out. Not taking one bite and spitting it out b/c they can't tolerate it.

I also assume (and it sounds like your NUT does too) that if you spit something out b/c you discover you won't be able to stomach it, that you're going to follow it up with something you can.

Ohhh...yeah that's definitely a different reason for spitting. Almost sounds like a type of transfer addiction, instead of binging or overeating. Good to know that it could be a potential pitfall though...and only if I allow it to take root.

My "chew n spit" moments are the sudden realization of "WTH.. Why am I eating this?", and I so I don't. I never premeditate it so maybe it's a lesser charge of tummy slaughter as opposed to 1st degree

My "chew n spit" moments are the sudden realization of "WTH.. Why am I eating this?", and I so I don't. I never premeditate it so maybe it's a lesser charge of tummy slaughter as opposed to 1st degree

Hehehe. You always make me laugh!

And yes, definitely not the same thing! It's the people who want something so badly (crunch, sweet, carbs, whatever...) who intentionally chew and spit something to taste it, but not actually eat it.

I've done it once or twice. I did it in the beginning after surgery when I was so starved physically and mentally. I took bites of sausage I knew I couldn't swallow...I chewed and spit it out NAND you know what, it settled my craving. I do not do this now nor do I advocate for ppl to do it, but if you happen to just forgive yourself and eat something yummy you can have! (For me that sausage I ate was a no go but I went and had some bacon flavored refried beans after and was ok)

What if you salivate just looking at food? or smelling it??

Same thing! Good question. There are three parts to digestion: smell/thought, chewing, in the belly/real digestion. Your acids get going beginning at the smell and thought. But continuously trying food and spitting magnifies this process and add to thy chewing, further gettin your salivary and gastric juices going.

Just what I remember from GI in school. Haha

Wouldn't this be the same as gum? Because your still chewing???

Yes. Both will cause your 'eating' hormones to be released. I try not to chew gum for this reason. I find it makes me hungrier and heartburn worse.