I was wondering how long does it take you to eat an average meal? According to the books I have read it "should" take around 30 minutes to eat your meal. I want to know what the average is.

Prior to being banded I would wolf down my food quickly. I don't time myself now but it takes long enough that my food is getting cold. I'd say at least 15-20 minutes.

I voted under five minutes because I can eat very little since my last fill and after a few bites I'm full. I have learned not to push myself and make myself eat more when my alien baby (band) tells me I'm full.

I put 15-20 but to call what I eat a meal is a bit of an exag. I can't eat even a small amount fast anymore, boy did that take getting used to. Pain IS a wonderful teacher. hahahaha.

Losingjusme

Do you find that exercise really helps to lessen the "slow down"? I am thinking about joining the Gym again and start weight training, and wondered what your experience has been, or anyone else's, before I commit.

I generally take about 20 minutes to eat. Even when I have a protein shake in the morning will take me about 15 minutes.

I used to inhale my food. Now I just woof it down. If I'm eating alone, its really hard to stretch it out to 10 min, unless I'm working on the computer, and get absorbed in between bites. If I'm eating with someone, I do eat slower, cause I'm usually talking in between bites.

I am learning to chew more, which is a big improvement.

i put 30 - 45 min. Sometimes, when i eat a salad, it can take me up to an hour to finish because of all the chewing that it takes to get the veggies down successfully. HA!

At work - we get 30 minutes - I'll be lucky if I can even get a 1/2 cup down in that time. At home, it takes me an hour - if I have a burger or a sandwich on flatbread - it takes me a good hour to get it down. That is with nothing wlse to eat.

It depends... sometimes only 5-10 minutes, other times about an hour. It depends what I'm eating.

I said 30-45 minutes, which normally it does. But yesterday at lunch it took an hour! Sunday evening I made a noodleless lasagna. Instead of noodles, I used zucchini cut lengthwise. It had lots of veggies in addition to the meat sauce I made.

By the time I was done eating it, my jaw hurt, because it required so much chewing! I've found that meats like sausage does require a bit more chewing.

I asked my doc if I should time myself when eating and he said no, just to eat until I feel the fullness. And again, it depends on what I'm eating. If I'm having quite a few veggies, I can eat more, than if I have a ton of meat but few veggies.

Typically a meal lasts 20-25 minutes. Like someone else said after that the band is starting to empty so could over eat.

Doc said that after 25 minutes it is grazing not just eating a meal. I stick to that.