Tips for eating slower?

Kiyomoo

A minor setback I have in my weight loss journey is that with most foods, I find it very difficult to take eat slowly. I usually eat food in under 5 minutes. I know that there is a suggestion of chewing 20 times first, but I can't do that, after the third or fourth chew I just have to swallow. Afterwards, I can't even take my time getting to the next bite, I just rush right into it. In the times where I tell myself to be "patient", that patience doesn't last for more than a couple seconds.

I notice I do this with certain foods more than others. Things like sandwiches I can eat in merely 2 minutes. But for something like chips, I usually do take my time chewing them and "savoring" them more. The slowest foods I eat are yogurt and oatmeal. For some reason, I think it's because of the texture maybe, it usually takes me at least 15-20 minutes to eat these things.

I wish I ate more food as slowly as I do oatmeal. I'm not sure what I can do to make that possible. Whenever I eat things too quickly, I end up not being satisfied at all, and it's like a complete waste of calories as the meal did nothing for me.

I am wondering how many other people have experiences similar to this, and if you've been able to find any tricks that help you slow down.

Panini911

i am big on volume eating and can eat very fast. i tend to avoid sandwiches because they get eaten so fast, pack high cals and i get pretty bummed!

So most of my meals include lots of low cal vegetables cut into small slices. i eat each slice one at a time. this keeps me busy and makes meals take longer.

I also tend to eat things "deconstructed" simply as it takes longer to eat.

also, i drink carbonated water. it helps fill me up as i eat.

pierinifitness

Chew your food slowly. Do a Google search for Fletcherism or Horace Fletcher, famous for his saying, ""Nature will castigate those who don't masticate."

talkinghead86

Panini911 wrote: »

i am big on volume eating and can eat very fast. i tend to avoid sandwiches because they get eaten so fast, pack high cals and i get pretty bummed!

So most of my meals include lots of low cal vegetables cut into small slices. i eat each slice one at a time. this keeps me busy and makes meals take longer.

I also tend to eat things "deconstructed" simply as it takes longer to eat.

also, i drink carbonated water. it helps fill me up as i eat.

what about cheese stuffed crust pepperoni pizza?

Panini911

I pre-portion and log my meals and put everythign away before i eat. after eating i will have tea. it helps change things up to get "over" being done eating.

talkinghead86 wrote: »

Panini911 wrote: »

i am big on volume eating and can eat very fast. i tend to avoid sandwiches because they get eaten so fast, pack high cals and i get pretty bummed!

So most of my meals include lots of low cal vegetables cut into small slices. i eat each slice one at a time. this keeps me busy and makes meals take longer.

I also tend to eat things "deconstructed" simply as it takes longer to eat.

also, i drink carbonated water. it helps fill me up as i eat.

what about cheese stuffed crust pepperoni pizza?

Ah now i DO eat pizza. smaller portion to fit in my day with a side of cut up vegtables and carbonated beverage to stay full Definitely not stuffed crust or even deep crust

I did used to pick off the topings to eat first but haven't done that in awhile...

GreenValli

Count as you chew.

Maxxitt

Put the sandwich down between bites. Make the bites smallish if you usually finish a sandwich in 4 or 5 bites. Have a sip of your beverage between bites. Take a breath. Next bite.

SageJJ93

Agree with @maxxitt. I had to do that when I started too. Honestly, it gets so much easier!!! I'll send you a request!

grace42c

Put the fork down between bites and take a breath and think about something that makes you happy. Repeat.

brenn24179

trying using your less dominant hand for eating. I ate with my left hand on a buffet and it really helped, definitely slowed me down.

amusedmonkey

greyhoundwalker wrote: »

Maxxitt wrote: »

Put the sandwich down between bites. Make the bites smallish if you usually finish a sandwich in 4 or 5 bites. Have a sip of your beverage between bites. Take a breath. Next bite.

Would second this. I also find it helps to do something else when I’m eating if I’m alone like reading or watching TV. That’s opposite to a lot of advice for mindful eating but for me I feel uncomfortable if it’s just me and the food with nothing else to focus on so it gets rushed.

Funny. I'm the same. I rush right through it if I'm not doing something else. I found a middle ground between being mindful and being distracted. I take a bite, savor it mindfully, then focus on whatever else I'm doing for a few seconds (usually it's clicking a few things in a mobile game), then take another bite, and so on.

I don't think it's bad (at least for me) when food is not the only focus during a meal. I also don't think it's a "kids these days" kind of thing or morally inferior like some people seem to make it sound. When eating with family or friends it's the conversations that slow us down, so why is this different?

avlucia

I have this issue too and while I haven't resolved it the best thing I've found is to make myself take a drink between bites. This forces me to put my food or utensil down(don't ever hold things in both hands) while still giving me something to put in my mouth. It's a VERY, VERY slow learning process, it's so easy to just forget and shovel it in.

If I'm eating with others I try to eat at their pace, I don't recommend that if you're already self-conscious about eating around people.

The chew twenty times before swallowing is garbage and ruins eating for me.

150poundsofme

How about toasting your bread? Maybe the crunch and texture would take you a bit longer to eat.

Rockin_reese

No, covering it in sticky peanut butter

Panini911

greyhoundwalker wrote: »

Maxxitt wrote: »

Put the sandwich down between bites. Make the bites smallish if you usually finish a sandwich in 4 or 5 bites. Have a sip of your beverage between bites. Take a breath. Next bite.

Would second this. I also find it helps to do something else when I’m eating if I’m alone like reading or watching TV. That’s opposite to a lot of advice for mindful eating but for me I feel uncomfortable if it’s just me and the food with nothing else to focus on so it gets rushed.

i do this too. i'm online (often on this board) while i eat so actually end up putting fork down to type a response! I actually put my oatmeal down to type this

Between that and taking lots of breaks to drink (and cutting up my veggies real thin) it really takes longer to eat without trying.

i honestly cannot imagine counting my bites and slow chewing

kshama2001

greyhoundwalker wrote: »

Maxxitt wrote: »

Put the sandwich down between bites. Make the bites smallish if you usually finish a sandwich in 4 or 5 bites. Have a sip of your beverage between bites. Take a breath. Next bite.

Would second this. I also find it helps to do something else when I’m eating if I’m alone like reading or watching TV. That’s opposite to a lot of advice for mindful eating but for me I feel uncomfortable if it’s just me and the food with nothing else to focus on so it gets rushed.

Along these lines, if I am doing DuoLingo (free language learning app) while eating it REALLY slows me down without effort. I don't recommend this for something you really want to savor, like dessert, as it interferes with the experience for me anyway.

I do eat pizza much more slowly now that I am eating less of it, but it is an effort.

RunsWithBees

Eat with chopsticks, or better yet... use chopsticks with your non-dominant hand. That would certainly slow me down

pierinifitness

Look at yourself in the mirror when eating and notice how ridiculous it looks inhaling your food like you’re starving when really you’re not.

1BlueAurora

I eat fast. It's a habit I picked up when I didn't get lunch breaks at my old job. Although I still eat fast, I figure that as long as I eat within my calorie allowance it doesn't matter much how fast my intake is. Not really the answer you were looking for, but I haven't damaged my body and the weight loss still happens and I've forgiven myself for not being perfect.

pierinifitness

1BlueAurora wrote: »

I eat fast. It's a habit I picked up when I didn't get lunch breaks at my old job. Although I still eat fast, I figure that as long as I eat within my calorie allowance it doesn't matter much how fast my intake is. Not really the answer you were looking for, but I haven't damaged my body and the weight loss still happens and I've forgiven myself for not being perfect.

Like your comments and agree. Would like the challenge of competing against you in a fast eating contest one day.

Daisy_Girl2019

Weight loss has nothing to do with eating food fast. I too eats really fast to a point that sometimes it makes me feel self concious whenever I eat out with friends or if I eat with anyone around. I finish right away as soon as my food gets on the table then end up staring at my friends while they eat. Haha!
I manage to lose 43 lbs total not by eating slowly but by eating less and doing calorie deficit. Choose food that are low in calories vs amount, like most fruits and veggies, also choose lean white meat like chicken breast.
From time to time I still eat junk and sweets but very mininal since I have to stay within my daily calorie limit.

Safari_Gal

Savor every bite. Look up mindful eating.

missysippy930

I agree with some of the others, put your utensil, or sandwich (or any food you eat with your fingers) down between bites.) Chew thoroughly before taking another bite.

The other day I heard on some tv show I had on, that the average time it takes to eat a meal is 8 minutes. My husband is a very fast eater. Sometimes it’s really annoying (like holidays and special meals I took a lot of time preparing) to be finished in minutes, but after 43 years of marriage I should be used to it.🤷🏻‍♀️

Kiyomoo

Thanks for all the advice so far! The "putting the food down" and "taking sips of water in-between" seem to help!

monkeefan1974 wrote: »

Eat with chopsticks, or better yet... use chopsticks with your non-dominant hand. That would certainly slow me down

Haha, this is great. I might try that one day. I have been wanting to improve my chopstick skills! I imagine I'll be taking 2 hours to eat if I do this.

Daisy_Girl2019 wrote: »

Weight loss has nothing to do with eating food fast. I manage to lose 43 lbs total not by eating slowly but by eating less and doing calorie deficit.

I wasn't saying that eating faster changes how much weight you lose directly. But for me, it does have an effect on my journey. If I end up eating a sandwich that has, let's say, 350 calories, and I eat it all in under 5 minutes but don't feel satisfied because of how fast I ate it, then that might lead to me eating more food in order to get that "full" feeling. Or even if I don't eat more afterwards, it's still disappointing because it wasn't worth it, it was just a waste of 350 calories for that day. Finding ways to eat slower would could make those 350 calories more worth it, and just overall improve my experience on my weight loss journey.

Not that I'm trying to use "eating too fast" as an excuse for anything - I've lost over 60 pounds myself. So I'm still doing good despite this inconvenience I keep facing.