new here. i’m about 5 weeks post-op and on soft foods. i’ve always been a semi fast eater. i’m having a hard time with the chewing and waiting for 20-30 seconds before doing another bite. were you able to eat normally again down the road?

I'm 5 months out, and no, I need to chew and swallow carefully still. If I don't I'll feel uncomfortable and sometimes vomit. I'm glad, otherwise I'd probably still be throwing food down my throat without it even touching the sides, which is part of why I ended up needing weight loss surgery.

After transitioning to normal food, i didnt have much of a problem with anything. I did take small bites and chewed well.

It's a hard habit to break. If I don't pay attention, I'll eat too fast and make myself sick. I ended up buying smaller utensils (think appetizer spoons and forks) to help me take smaller bites, and for a little while, I counted chews. Putting your fork or spoon down in between bites helps to slow you down a little too.

You just gotta be careful so you don't overeat and make yourself ill.

thank you for your input!

I can echo what everyone else said. I just celebrated my one-year anniversary. If I eat too quickly, I get nauseous and/or dump--which i consider a good thing, because it helps to keep me on track.

I've gotten much better about eating slowly and chewing carefully. I will admit that I don't take as long to eat as I did within a few months after surgery, but much more slowly than I did pre-surgery. I tend to do well at home, but I sometimes forget when I'm out with friends and engaged in conversation. In that case, my pouch always reminds me. ?

Edited March 4, 20206 yr by Recidivist

Love this thread - EATING IS A PAIN IN THE ASTERICK! To this day i still try and eat fast, and No for me it has not changed, I screw up at least 4 times a week and eat to fast. I have seen this post 100s of times but this is one hard habbit to change, I do the pick all day at food method, I have a heat lamp and put out food for me to just pick at all day, Helps a little but if i get a meal in front of me I eat to fast

When you find the solution let me know, same boat as you

For better or worse, I never got the slow eating down. I still eat too fast. I have a sleeve. I could eat normally, just smaller amounts, after about four months.

It's a process and journey. We all have to work at building new skills in this area. We are different people with new anatomies. So the old ways will not work, but changing the habits of a lifetime doesn't happen magically or overnight.

But, I can reassure you that for most of us, this phase passes. You will still "have those days."

But that's also why you should embrace this time and use it to your advantage to practice and develop new healthy habits. I call them Bari Healthy Life habits. You will never again have an opportunity as prime as your virgin WLS voyage where the restriction will be as strong as now, and your food aversions as high.

Practice:

1. Pre-cut all your food into pencil eraser size pieces.

2. Use a small fork or baby spoon to eat. (I use an old shrimp cocktail fork when we're home eating. It's tiny!)

3. Only eat one pencil eraser size bite at a time.

4. Put your fork down and tuck your hands under your thighs. (Glance at a timer.)

5. Count your chews. Chew to a paste consistency.

6. Swallow. Wait 2-3 minutes.

7. Rinse and repeat.

8. Stop when you STOP feeling HUNGRY--not when you're full. Don't chase the full feeling. Eat ONLY the portion volume appropriate for your stage as provided by your doctor and RD. Don't exceed 1 cup of food volume on your BFD (Bariatric Forever Diet).

*It's always better to try to do this at a dining table so you can really focus on how your food tastes, how it feels in your mouth, how full you are as you eat...it helps you develop mindfulness prompts. It also gives your body time to get the message to your brain, "Hey, dummeh, you've had enough."

I second EVERYTHING @FluffyChix said.

I'm quickly approaching 2 years out and just last night, I had a conversation with my husband to the point that I have to remember to chew better and go slower. If I don't, I can feel that bite going down and it's not pleasant.

Old habits are hard to break and even when you thought you'd conquered them, they sneak back up on you when you least expect it.

4 minutes ago, S@ssen@ch said:

I second EVERYTHING @FluffyChix said.

I'm quickly approaching 2 years out and just last night, I had a conversation with my husband to the point that I have to remember to chew better and go slower. If I don't, I can feel that bite going down and it's not pleasant.

Old habits are hard to break and even when you thought you'd conquered them, they sneak back up on you when you least expect it.

Gosh they sneak back so STEALTH!!! ((hugs))

I think I was conditioned into being a slow eater during weight loss phase. If I ate too fast, my chest and throat would hurt/burn and feel like it was going to explode. And I prefer NOT to feel like that way, so I learned quickly.

I'm a 1yr, 4mnths out and I naturally eat (very) slowly now....I don't even have to think about it anymore. Its my new normal.