I know it must sound very strange and is certainly a psychological component of my obesity, but I actually miss having a great big mouth full of food! How weird is that??? Having to eat small bites, chew very well before each swallow and then wait to take another tiny bite is definitely not as satisifying. Hmmm....maybe that's the point!! If eating doesn't povide the same stimulation/comfort/whatever it is to you that it did before, it will become less powerful to you....

Has anyone else felt this way?

It is very common. I think many feel the same way and totally relate to what you are saying.

Just give it time, it's a new habit to learn. It will happen.

Another thing that can help, although some people find the concept a bit weird: Take a big mouthful of food, chew it up, and spit it out. Now, of course, if you do that with chocolate mousse or ice cream you are going to find that there is not much left to spit out after you chew it, so it does not work well with some things. But with steak or a sandwich or something, it can really help with the problem you are describing.

that huge mouthful of food is no longer availabloe to push that problem/emotion down with the food.....but while we a busy eating we don't have time or dsire to deal w/the problem--only to sooth with food...which I see from my 40/40 hindsight only adds another problem or two..like lack of respect from others, immobility...just to mention a couple. For me over 100lbs gone and so are a few people in my life who found that they could'nt run my life to their benefit!! It is a wonderful feeling not to be trapped in a body that would not and could not move...and to be free from meds!! There seems to so much more time in my life now that I am not a constant slave to shopping/planing/cooking/eating/cleaning up after meals...OH HAPPY DAY

Yes, definitely. I tend to eat a reasonable mouthfull at a time and depending what it is, I might swallow it in little bits, but have more in my mouth, golly that sounds disgusting doesnt it?

But with a lot of my previous binge foods, its not worth it. Who wants to eat a cooky in teeny tiny bites? If I cant shove em in my mouth one after another I cant be bothered. So its a good thing.

i'm with Jachut. i take a mouth full of food, chew, swallow, chew, swallow, etc... then another 'bite' ...

it just doesnt work for me to take small bites.

you have to be really careful towards the end of your meal though or you could have to end up spitting a tad out, but you learn when to take a small bite vs a large bite.

Yes I felt this way too.

Like I have written before, when I slid into my size 18 jeans, my "problems" went away. Along with my size 20 jeans.

I used to think about eating a big ol sandwich. It passed. I am sure time and my new habits helped.

I just consider one of my stages. My first one was missing pigging out on a big plate of mexican food.

The latest stage has been having self esteem. I really hadn't felt self esteem for so long... I started describing these feeling to my husband and he said "honey , that is self esteem". Wow. I didn't even know what to call it.

So just think of a big ol mouth full of food as being a stage.

My hardest stage to go thru was doughnuts. I would pass my fav shop on the way to gym. It was a long stage. 3 weeks I think.

edie

I started describing these feeling to my husband and he said "honey , that is self esteem". Wow. I didn't even know to call it.

*sniff* That made me tear up a little. I hope that self esteem starts sneaking in on me someday!

I am certain when I am banded that I will miss the full mouth, stuffed to the gills feeling. You'll get there!

I TOTALLY relate! I just said that to my husband the other day. I ended up taking a HUGE bite of chicken thinking I would just chew, chew, chew but ended up spitting it out because I was scared I'd get stuck. I can't wait for this phase to be over!

Just Remember What Doesn"t Kill You Makes You Stronger!!!

I'm glad you posted this because it helped me to realize that although I miss the big ol' mouthful of food, I don't think about it much anymore. I have bites about the size of 1/2 tsp. almost as a matter of habit now. Hmmm. I guess I'm making progress! (And you will, too!)

Sometimes I miss that too. I do take bigger mouthfuls sometimes and swallow a little at a time, but that's kinda risky cause if I don't pay close attention, too big of an amount will go down and that hurts. I have spit things out before if the previous bite is starting to get a little uncomfortable and I think I might have additional problems if swallowing the current one. So you're definitely not alone in this.

I miss being able to eat sandwiches. I can typically only eat 3 bites and it sucks. I also miss eating a ton of sushi. I can typically only take 3 pieces in.

I think that's what I'm gonna miss most, sushi. I LOVE LOVE LOVE sushi. Well, California rolls, actually.

I used to be able to eat two or three rolls. I really enjoyed going to a bar with friends and us all getting a couple different rolls and sharing pieces of them. Some night I'd have 10 or 12 different pieces of sushi. The symphony of flavors was amazing. I know that's what I'm going to mourn most.

Faithmd, I hear ya. I use to be able to pig out on it. I can have it, just not much of it. I typically can eat 1/2 of a roll now. I really miss it. That and sandwiches.

I miss big gulps of liquid too! Little sips stink!