I just can't stop eating too fast! Everyone suggests waiting 1 minute between bites, but I just can't seem to do that. So many years of only having 20 minutes on my lunch taught me to eat fast and I can't break that habit. I'm just always miserable after I eat because I'm so full!

Any other tips?

Heya!

I initially struggled a lot with this, but I found that setting a 1-minute timer on my FitBit really helped. I haven't budged from it at all since then!

I struggled with this initially, so I used a timer while eating. After taking a bite, I would set a timer to chew for 30 seconds, followed by a timer to wait 60 seconds before the next bite. Get in the habit of putting down your fork between bites. At this point, I have gotten so used to eating slowly that I haven't needed a timer in years.

This might be a little controversial because some people believe it's important to eat mindfully without distractions, but I would go crazy if I had nothing to do between bites. I usually do something else while eating, either working on something for my job or scrolling Facebook or something. I eat lunch at my desk and take bites 3 minutes apart (doing work in between bites). It typically takes me 30-45 minutes to finish my lunch.

56 minutes ago, BigSue said:

I struggled with this initially, so I used a timer while eating. After taking a bite, I would set a timer to chew for 30 seconds, followed by a timer to wait 60 seconds before the next bite. Get in the habit of putting down your fork between bites. At this point, I have gotten so used to eating slowly that I haven't needed a timer in years.

This might be a little controversial because some people believe it's important to eat mindfully without distractions, but I would go crazy if I had nothing to do between bites. I usually do something else while eating, either working on something for my job or scrolling Facebook or something. I eat lunch at my desk and take bites 3 minutes apart (doing work in between bites). It typically takes me 30-45 minutes to finish my lunch.

I also couldn't eat without something to do. I think a timer is the best option. I've had one meeting with a psychologist after my surgery who told us about mindful eating and taking the time to appreciate the food and eat it slowly and really enjoy it, but purees and soft stage foods aren't much to wrote home about so I struggle with that part

well, i sort of had the opposite issue, as i wouldn't eat enough & and needed a reminder to eat.... but my M.O. would work for you as well i think:

i would set a timer on my watch for a certain amount of time (i.e., 2-3 min earlier on, and like 1-2 min as i got further along).

i'd take 1-2 BITES of whatever i had prepared for myself, put my fork down, and set the timer, it goes off, i take 1-2 BITES again. rinse and repeat. yes, it took me FOREVER to eat a meal, in the early months: like 60-90 mins omg.

after a while (like 3-4 months) i was able to do it without the timer.

in your case, if you feel you are eating more and/or faster than you should, i would suggest focusing on putting your fork down, and maybe, if it helps, maybe even physically remove yourself (i.e., walk away) until your timer goes off again. after a few weeks/months, you will form a habit and not need the timer anymore, it will become muscle memory. it may take weeks/months, but if you stick to it, you could totally do it.

❤️

Can’t beat the putting you cutlery down and sitting back from the table (or moving away) advice. I also asked myself if I needed the next bite or wanted it. If I just wanted it, I put the cutlery down again. I know I say that often but it’s still helpful and plays a role in mindful eating,

I found distraction helpful too much like @BigSue. Like I’d read x number of pages between bites, or played a game of solitaire, waited for an ad break or a scene change if watching tv, etc, If I was sitting waiting for a timer I’d just want to eat more because I was bored. I too would take an hour or more to eat. Even now I can easily take 30-45 minutes to eat a meal.

I’d also look at working to a longer break than a minute between bites.

PS - Have you considered returning to the therapist to talk through this more if you aren’t already?

Edited November 7, 20241 yr by Arabesque

12 hours ago, ms.sss said:

well, i sort of had the opposite issue, as i wouldn't eat enough & and needed a reminder to eat.... but my M.O. would work for you as well i think:

i would set a timer on my watch for a certain amount of time (i.e., 2-3 min earlier on, and like 1-2 min as i got further along).

i'd take 1-2 BITES of whatever i had prepared for myself, put my fork down, and set the timer, it goes off, i take 1-2 BITES again. rinse and repeat. yes, it took me FOREVER to eat a meal, in the early months: like 60-90 mins omg.

after a while (like 3-4 months) i was able to do it without the timer.

in your case, if you feel you are eating more and/or faster than you should, i would suggest focusing on putting your fork down, and maybe, if it helps, maybe even physically remove yourself (i.e., walk away) until your timer goes off again. after a few weeks/months, you will form a habit and not need the timer anymore, it will become muscle memory. it may take weeks/months, but if you stick to it, you could totally do it.

❤️

Oh yeah I have to force myself to even eat in the first place. I'm never hungry anymore and I hate eating now.

4 hours ago, Arabesque said:

Can’t beat the putting you cutlery down and sitting back from the table (or moving away) advice. I also asked myself if I needed the next bite or wanted it. If I just wanted it, I put the cutlery down again. I know I say that often but it’s still helpful and plays a role in mindful eating,

I found distraction helpful too much like @BigSue. Like I’d read x number of pages between bites, or played a game of solitaire, waited for an ad break or a scene change if watching tv, etc, If I was sitting waiting for a timer I’d just want to eat more because I was bored. I too would take an hour or more to eat. Even now I can easily take 30-45 minutes to eat a meal.

I’d also look at working to a longer break than a minute between bites.

PS - Have you considered returning to the therapist to talk through this more if you aren’t already?

That's not really an option. It's the NHS so it's just the one appointment through the Bariatric multidisciplinary team. Therapy is really hard to get and the waiting lists are long. Once you get an appointment, you get 12 sessions or about 1 a week for three months.

I'm definitely going to try setting a timer. I'm already putting the fork down, but just not for long enough. I'm also going to try smaller forks which was another suggestion I got.

19 hours ago, NeonRaven8919 said:

That's not really an option. It's the NHS so it's just the one appointment through the Bariatric multidisciplinary team. Therapy is really hard to get and the waiting lists are long. Once you get an appointment, you get 12 sessions or about 1 a week for three months.

Such a shame. Seems long waiting lists to get appointments for specialists are bad everywhere. 4 months at least to see a dermatologist here in Australia and my mum was told TWO YEARS to see a gerontologist - she said she could be dead by then. And this is as private not public patients.

7 hours ago, Arabesque said:

Such a shame. Seems long waiting lists to get appointments for specialists are bad everywhere. 4 months at least to see a dermatologist here in Australia and my mum was told TWO YEARS to see a gerontologist - she said she could be dead by then. And this is as private not public patients.

That's outrageous!

I had to teach myself by literally only giving myself exactly what I'm supposed to eat for each bite. I'd set a timer and when it went off, I would get myself another bite worth of food. Or my hubby would do it. It's drastic, but I ate too fast and too much at first and REALLY paid for it. I had to do this for about 2 weeks until I got used to it. Once I did, I was able to put my full meal's worth of food on the plate or in the bowl. I also used toddler utensils so I couldn't over-eat.

On 11/7/2024 at 2:50 AM, NeonRaven8919 said:

I'm definitely going to try setting a timer. I'm already putting the fork down, but just not for long enough. I'm also going to try smaller forks which was another suggestion I got.

It looks like you've already got some great suggestions! I had my surgery back at the beginning of August, and have since found that I do have to set the timer to pace myself when eating. I also will play a simple game or do a basic activity while I'm eating for those minimum thirty minutes; a crossword on my computer, or a puzzle on my machine, or pick up and flip through photos on my phone - just something to keep my hand busy when I put the fork down. I know we're supposed to eat mindfully but I think my racing brain really needs some form of stimuli to keep me from automatically eating until my food is gone.

I've been guilty more than a few times of putting more on my plate than I should eat, too, so I suggest going back to measuring your food, if you're not doing that, and then eyeballing the amount to split it into sections before you start your timer. A meal is supposed to take at least 20-30 minutes I believe, so I divide what is on my plate into either two or three sections - you could always put most of your protein in one section and then eat that section first over the course of ten minutes in case it ends up filling you up. There are times I can eat more than other times, so I am never really sure how much to get. This post reminds me to be mindful and follow my own advice!

OH - the other thing that helped me was moving up to eating at least every three hours. Even if its just a little bit of a protein after three hours, then wait another hour and a half for a meal - by eating a little bit every three hours I'm not as likely to start eating way too quickly due to hunger. Hope this helps!

10 hours ago, Hiddenroses said:

It looks like you've already got some great suggestions! I had my surgery back at the beginning of August, and have since found that I do have to set the timer to pace myself when eating. I also will play a simple game or do a basic activity while I'm eating for those minimum thirty minutes; a crossword on my computer, or a puzzle on my machine, or pick up and flip through photos on my phone - just something to keep my hand busy when I put the fork down. I know we're supposed to eat mindfully but I think my racing brain really needs some form of stimuli to keep me from automatically eating until my food is gone.

I've been guilty more than a few times of putting more on my plate than I should eat, too, so I suggest going back to measuring your food, if you're not doing that, and then eyeballing the amount to split it into sections before you start your timer. A meal is supposed to take at least 20-30 minutes I believe, so I divide what is on my plate into either two or three sections - you could always put most of your Protein in one section and then eat that section first over the course of ten minutes in case it ends up filling you up. There are times I can eat more than other times, so I am never really sure how much to get. This post reminds me to be mindful and follow my own advice!

OH - the other thing that helped me was moving up to eating at least every three hours. Even if its just a little bit of a protein after three hours, then wait another hour and a half for a meal - by eating a little bit every three hours I'm not as likely to start eating way too quickly due to hunger. Hope this helps!

That's a great suggestion! I'm actually starting to feel hungry again (5 weeks post op now) so I need to nip this behaviour in the bud now.

I too am a fast eater, always have been. When I was at my highest weight I would eat so fast that I would get horrible indigestion pain on the right side of my stomach that would last 4 days. I still struggle with this, not nearly as fast as I used to be but I mentally need to remind myself to eat slower. During my first weeks post op I would set a timer for each bite, it took me ages to finish a meal.

Nowadays if I'm really hungry I'll eat my first two bites really fast then my restriction reminds me to slow down, I almost always end up eating less that what I need to because of it, and then feel hungry again an hour later.

4 hours ago, Lilia_90 said:

I almost always end up eating less that what I need to because of it, and then feel hungry again an hour later.

very good point.

when one eats very fast, which usually goes hand in hand with not chewing enough, they get full faster (i'm specifically talking about a wls patient with a physically smaller stomach).

they end up eating less overall (or throwing it up due to discomfort/pain) had they taken their time.

and like L90 said above, they get hungry sooner.

rinse and repeat.