need to learn to slow dow

[johnedward 3]

I suppose part of the problem is the nature of my work. For 26 years, there has never really been time to sit and eat, and so I don't....even at home, I often stand with my food and scarf it down. I have yet to learn to budget the actual time to spend 30 minutes on a couple ounces of food.

Oh...and here's the other problem - sugar doesn't make me sick. I was told over and over again that sugar would cause dumping, and I have - to my regret - discovered that it doesn't, and now I'm falling into some old, bad, pre-op habits. I guess I just have to muscle myself out of that one on my own, but darn it, I was counting on the dumping to keep me in line!

[Pink_Ninja 22]

I just downloaded the Baritastic app and it has a chew timer as well as a timer for the 30 mins without drinking before and after eating... Maybe try that?

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[TipTop in TX 81]

I also had a problem preop of eating too fast. The tips from VSGAnn2014 and Pink Ninja will be very helpful. I'll get that barista app. I have also noticed (I'm 4 weeks post op VSG), that I was having a hard time with the "feeling full" cue. I felt blah yesterday and realized I am overeaten. I think if I remember to slow down, I WOULD feel the cue sooner. This is something I am working on and hope to get better at because I do want to maintain my weight once I get to goal.

I've noticed if I stop when I am about halfway done and wait for about 10 minutes, I get that full feeling.

P.S. I Still am not getting in my 64 ounces in, more like 40 even with the Protein shakes.

[Barry W 336]

Oh...and here's the other problem - sugar doesn't make me sick. I was told over and over again that sugar would cause dumping, and I have - to my regret - discovered that it doesn't, and now I'm falling into some old, bad, pre-op habits. I guess I just have to muscle myself out of that one on my own, but darn it, I was counting on the dumping to keep me in line!

Don't buy sweets - it's much easier to have willpower in the supermarket than it is in the pantry.

[4MRB4PHOTO 3,900]

sometimes in those early days when I was relearning my body's signals I would hand my plate to my husband after a few bites. he would put it on the other side of him until I asked for it back. It helped me to slow down. We do not normally eat in front of the TV, but back then it took me so long to get through my meal, with breaks of eating of 5 minutes or so that we did eat with the TV back then.

It won't always be this way.

Handing the plate over, that is a great idea; I'll give that a try. The only problem is it will take me many hours to drive to Tennessee to hand my plate over to your husband.

[hyggelieg 43]

I am 4.5 months out and have just started to eat slower. I still have to weigh my total amt. of food to 4 oz. It is almost comical how much my eyes alone think is 4 oz. I weighed what I portioned out once- it was almost 8 oz!

[Ryan TN 348]

I take a bite, set the fork down, chew chew chew, repeat. This works especially well when you are out I think. It takes a while to become a habit, but it's now pretty much become one for me.

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[miss_smiles 192]

I am 4.5 months out and have just started to eat slower. I still have to weigh my total amt. of food to 4 oz. It is almost comical how much my eyes alone think is 4 oz. I weighed what I portioned out once- it was almost 8 oz!

I am 2.5 weeks post op and I do the exact same thing! I eye it, and then measure only to realize what I think is 4oz is really 8oz!! I started to measure religiously now because when I just "eyed" it, I over "ate" and got sick. =/

[bevewhite 25]

I think the mug warmer is a great idea. One reason why I might be eating faster than what i should is because i do not like " just warm" food. Maybe the mug warmer would be a good tool to try. Thanks for the idea

[LipstickLady 25,682]

When I was a porker, I wolfed my food town because I preferred it hot. Now, with my sleeve, I am forced to eat slowly and usually only the first bite or three are so.

You'll get used to it.

Added bonus? It's not as good when it's cold so I eat less.

[tanners_mom 19]

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[Alex Brecher 10,516]

@@bevewhite, It’s hard to slow down! It’s naturally hard for some of us, and even harder when we’re used to decades of eating fast. You can do it, though!

One thing you can do is count your chews. Chew each bite at least 30 times before swallowing, or you can even set a timer and only take a bite every 30 or 60 seconds. And take small bites, too. Maybe think about taking half of what you normally would in a bite. Put your fork down between bites

You can also try to slow down by eating with people, if possible. Talking and listening can give you something to do besides going for the next bite.

A lot of it is practice…you can do it if you keep working at it!

[Squirrelgirl 49]

Baby spoons, n small. Plates, just to get the portion in your mind frame. I'm 6 months post n still go way over portions. I now have containers which help a lot!! It's a new ballgame with food, good luck!

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[Imsojaz 8]

Yesterday, I received the green light to be about to eat al regular food. I was on a puree diets for 6 weeks. i concern,when I am eating I do not feel full right away,. i keep eating what i think will be ok, but at time later i am over filled with food. Does anyone else have delay in feeling full. How do you slow down with eating?

yes, i am one month out and i feel the exact same way. I'm trying to teach my self to eat slow, because if i don't eat super slow i will end up being so full to the point of feeling nauseous. I was told to put down your fork (or spoon) between bites.

[2goldengirl 2,076]

Something I learned yesterday is that eating more slowly and monitoring the difference between "just enough" and "too much" is harder when I'm eating with others.

I went to a conference and to a Seder yesterday. lunch at the conference was at a table of ten colleagues. I had a little salmon and took a couple bites of cooked veg. This was the first meal in six weeks where I wasn't able to weigh my portion. The salmon was just delicious, but I either ate too fast, or a bite or two too much, and I was very, very uncomfortable afterwards.

The Seder was easier - because of the way the story is read, I had breaks in between courses. I was nervous about the charoset, it had nuts and raw fruit in it, but I only had a bite of it, the matzoh I wasn't so worried about. I had one slice of brisket, which was somewhere between 2 and 3 oz. It took a half hour to eat it, but I wasn't uncomfortable afterwards.