I am working on my goals before surgery and I've gotten down not drinking while eating and waiting 30 minutes. Ive also gotten the chewing down as well. My problem is I can't seem to slow down the eating. I feel like im failing, like I have to have everything perfected before surgery. Just needed to vent...

21 minutes ago, lroever said:

I feel like im failing, like I have to have everything perfected before surgery.

Maybe this is what you should be curious about? Maybe there's a key there (lots of overeaters and people with eating disorders in general see the world in black/white).

Oh, and btw. Almost no sane medical professional would have you do all of this for any extended period of time before surgery. Interventions like not drinking with food and the chewing can be learned and tried, sure, but the brain-body connection actually loses a lot of power when you do the intervention without the physical necessity (the surgery having actually, you know, happened) for it to click.

In America, however ...

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Btw, coffee doesn't dehydrate you and there's zero reason to live with caffeine headaches on top of dieting and being anxious about surgery. Except that it's another fun way to torture people suffering for obesity on the chance we get to deny them life-saving surgery and talk down to them, again.

Just thinking if your program has you doing the above, they probably told you to ermergerd stop drinking coffee because reasons.

Edited March 26, 20224 yr by Guest

Thats what I'm thinking that maybe once the surgery happens and I wont want to eat I will learn that skill of slow eating.

2 minutes ago, lroever said:

Thats what I'm thinking that maybe once the surgery happens and I wont want to eat I will learn that skill of slow eating.

Yeah, just chillax. Focus on the diet, that'll actually make a difference (liver shrinking). And focus on really listening to your body, that's where the power is.

Smile and wave when the happy nurse, speaking in uptalk and vocal fry, asks you if you've been real good about eating slooooowly, ok?

dont worry about, I am still a fast eater nothing dreadful has happened

dont worry about, I am still a fast eater nothing dreadful has happened

I figure as long as I'm chewing good thats a plus!

Yea I tried a couple times to slow eating pre surgery with no luck so I just waited till post surgery and literally had to use a clock. I did this during the purée and soft food phases but by the regular food phase I realized I wasn’t really eating slow and nothing happened. Granted I alway measure out my portions and never eat too close to feeling full so maybe that’s why?? Not sure but you will be more able to do it immediately post op when your body is healing and you know you can possibly hurt yourself if you don’t. And your body will tell you if you have to continue eating slow. I should say adain that the purpose of eating slow is to give you body a chance to catch up and tell you your full so that you don’t overeat so measuring food and eating less than your pouch is very important if you don’t eat much slower.

Edited March 26, 20224 yr by ShoppGirl

2 hours ago, lroever said:

I figure as long as I'm chewing good thats a plus!

Yes chewing your food is very important especially in the beginning. I think you will find in the early stages you will be forced to eat slower simply because you cant eat fast, at 8 months out I have the occasional ooops i ate to fast but that depends mostly on the food but I pretty much eat the same way I did prior to surgery, I find it happens more with drinks especially sodas and when that happens you take the next mouthful a bit more carefully

I still eat fast but with WLS I fill up quick my restriction kicks right in. Unfortunately those of us who are lifetime fast eaters still tend to be . Don't worry too much about it.

On 3/26/2022 at 5:19 PM, lroever said:

I am working on my goals before surgery and I've gotten down not drinking while eating and waiting 30 minutes. Ive also gotten the chewing down as well. My problem is I can't seem to slow down the eating. I feel like im failing, like I have to have everything perfected before surgery. Just needed to vent...

I didn’t try (nor was i advised) to practice post-op behaviours pre-op. While is may be helpful to get into the habit, it’s probably difficult to do without the physical feedback-response one would get AFTER the surgery.

In any case, this is what *i* did after surgery:

I used a timer (on my watch) to time my bites. I’d take one, maybe 2 bites, put my utensil down and set my timer to go off in 2-3 mins. At the buzzer if i felt like taking another bite or two, i would, if not, i’d time another 2-3 mins. If I didn’t want another bite after that, i called it and put my food back in the fridge for later.

Yes, it took me FOREVER to eat in the first few few months (or was it a year?) but I learned very early on that if i ate too fast or too much, i would be barfing in the toilet in no time. Not pretty.

I also learned early on that i could not drink about 30-45 mins after eating solids, or yep, cue more barfing (but i had zero problems drinking right up to the moment i ate solids).

But everyone is different and you may find that it wont affect you as much, or maybe it will affect you more. As someone mentioned above, listen to your body, and act accordingly.

You’ll know when you know.

Good Luck! ❤️

Edited March 28, 20224 yr by ms.sss

You are not failing it sounds like you're trying to do to much to soon in that you're thinking you are eating to fast perhaps you are , my wife had gastric bypass years ago and she told me when she catches herself eating to fast she puts the fork down so that literally stops her from eating all together and it makes her aware what she's doing , she also told me in between bites even if she is not eating to fast she still puts' her fork down to get her in the habit of stopping herself from doing this , am i making sense, i cant say i know how you feel but i can tell you i eat fast and at times she watches me eat she says to me " if i ate as fast as you do i would get sick" i, i can only imagine how you must feel i can sense that you might be putting pressure on yourself to do it "perfect" there is no way to do it "perfect" there is only one way and that is your way and that's to try and slow down and remember its not a race therefore slow down the good thing is you are aware of it and that's huge some people never make that connection you did so you're a step ahead of the diet be gentle with yourself you will be ok i promise coming here and venting is so ok that's what we are here for , i am here if you want to talk and if we become friend who knows i wish you well truly i do just relax the rest will fall into place.?

Coop

You are not failing it sounds like you're trying to do to much to soon in that you're thinking you are eating to fast perhaps you are , my wife had gastric bypass years ago and she told me when she catches herself eating to fast she puts the fork down so that literally stops her from eating all together and it makes her aware what she's doing , she also told me in between bites even if she is not eating to fast she still puts' her fork down to get her in the habit of stopping herself from doing this , am i making sense, i cant say i know how you feel but i can tell you i eat fast and at times she watches me eat she says to me " if i ate as fast as you do i would get sick" i, i can only imagine how you must feel i can sense that you might be putting pressure on yourself to do it "perfect" there is no way to do it "perfect" there is only one way and that is your way and that's to try and slow down and remember its not a race therefore slow down the good thing is you are aware of it and that's huge some people never make that connection you did so you're a step ahead of the diet be gentle with yourself you will be ok i promise coming here and venting is so ok that's what we are here for , i am here if you want to talk and if we become friend who knows i wish you well truly i do just relax the rest will fall into place.[emoji4]

Coop

Thanks for your comment. You are probably right about me doing things too soon and trying to be perfect. It will all fall into place and things will be well!