Eating too quickly

SaltNBurnBoys

Does anyone else have this problem? I've gotten pretty good at finding low calorie, filling foods, and even when I'm starving I manage to go for them instead of something greasier. But I have a serious problem with scarfing down my food. I was told in school that the nerves in your stomach are ten minutes behind the ones in your brain- i.e. you're full ten minutes before you feel full- so eating quickly is an issue. I'll finish my low calorie meal (which even if I'm hungry is more than enough to fill me) but I do it so fast that I think I'm still hungry afterwards.

Does anyone have tips for how not to do this? I can't be the only one with this issue.

_John_

I have this problem...I've learned all sorts of nice information about myself in the process...

for instance, I had no idea that my body has as much trouble digesting strawberries as it does corn kernels...

darkguardian419

My wife thought she would be sneaky and buy smaller silverware. She didn't realize the "shovel and plow" method still works.

If you have table manners, smaller utensils might help...


Try counting, or taking a sip of water between bites

futurestarz

I have this problem!! I'm always the first to finish my food, especially when it's something messy like a sandwich. It's embarassing. I'll be checking back for tips!

TheGirlsATimeBomb

bump. need help with this.

latewinterwolf

or chew a certain amount of times before swallowing

climbing_trees

Put your food on two separate plates, leave one in the kitchen and take one to the table. Eat the first as if it were your only plate, then drink a full glass of water. Then get up and bring the second plate.

I live alone so it might be strange to do this out or with others, but I find it works well for me!

janeite1990

Drink lots of water as you eat. It will help fill you up and slow you down.

newmanthereasa

I absolutely have this problem! I still haven't quite gotten the part down about going for healthier snacks. I am hypoglycemic so I have learned the hard way that if I don't have smaller, more frequent good snacks(an apple, an orange, ff yogurt, nuts and dried berrie) I will at suppertime go for the first thing I see and shovel it all in my mouth because I am STARVING! This helps somewhat but I still eat too fast. I have tried slowing down and talking more at dinner--like I tell my 3yr old, cant eat and talk at the same time. My mother suggested instead of going for seconds after wolfing down the first healthy sized serving to drink a glass of milk. So...I don't know! I'd be very interested in more tips!

superfox12082

I have the same problem and often end up over full. I'm getting better at chugging water say, after I finish one taco or after I finish half a cheeseburger. It helps and I usually don't go for seconds.

mccindy72

Does anyone else have this problem? I've gotten pretty good at finding low calorie, filling foods, and even when I'm starving I manage to go for them instead of something greasier. But I have a serious problem with scarfing down my food. I was told in school that the nerves in your stomach are ten minutes behind the ones in your brain- i.e. you're full ten minutes before you feel full- so eating quickly is an issue. I'll finish my low calorie meal (which even if I'm hungry is more than enough to fill me) but I do it so fast that I think I'm still hungry afterwards.

Does anyone have tips for how not to do this? I can't be the only one with this issue.

My son and I have always been the last ones done at the table because we talk so much during dinner. If I'm eating alone, I'll read while eating, that slows me down. Also, try to think about carefully chewing each bite completely before swallowing. Then you are conscious of keeping the food in your mouth and swallowing before putting any more in there.

HappyStack

I eat too fast sometimes.

The only thing that works is consciously telling myself to eat more slowly and savour the flavour. That might seem obvious, but it soon becomes second nature.

sweetmelissa222

I blame elementary school and high school for this. I only had 30 minutes in elementary and 25 in high school to get from class to the caf, get my lunch, get to our seating area (about a five minute walk away from the cafeteria) and eat lunch. Goodness me if I had something else to get accomplished during lunch. After all of those years eating quickly I still eat way too fast unless I'm really thinking about slowing down. When I do think about it, I put down my fork after every bite, chew completely, swallow and then take one or two sips of water. Talking can help, but I find I get distracted sometimes and before I know it, my plate is empty.

bloggymomx

I've always been the same. I think it stemmed from when I was a kid first, I had to eat quickly in school and I was so busy after school that I would eat quickly to get to the activity I had to get to on time. Now that I have time as an adult, I still eat so quickly that I want more and more food. I've learned that when I finish my meal, even if I feel hungry, I'm not. If I'm out to eat I portion half and ask for a take home box RIGHT AWAY so I don't eat half and then think I'm still hungry and go to eat the other half. It works out. I also drink a full, cold glass of water after my meal.

Mr_Starr

I have this problem !
And it is indeed embarrassing. I will be checking back for tips!

I did find an interesting article on the topic...
http://summertomato.com/how-to-become-a-slow-eater/

aimelee

I do this too! I am ALWAYS the first one finished, and it is quite embarrassing! I have started trying to be more aware of slowing down a bit, but it is definitely a struggle sometimes since it is just something i do out of habit without thinking.

Laughter_Girl

Try one or all of the following:

1. Put your eating utensil down or set the food down (burger, wrap, etc.) on the plate between each bite.
2. Chew your bites at least 20 times before swallowing.
3. Sip water throughout the meal.

Hope this helps!

SaltNBurnBoys

All these suggestions are really great. Thanks for your help, guys!

pursuittofit

Take a bite, put your fork down. Chew, chew, chew, chew, chew and chew even more. Repeat.

agggie550

I tired the whole take a bite put my fork down... doesn't really work for me, because i can do that for about the first 5 bites then i get distracted again, so for me the easiest thing is portion control. I just get a set amount of food, and thats it, if i want to scarf it I scarf it, but i dont eat anymore.... Im sure thats not exactly what you were looking for, but changing the speed at which you eat seems like a much harder task than just control the amount you eat regardless of the time it takes.

CoffeeNBooze

Put down your utensils (or if it's something like a sandwich, get your hands off it and put it down) while you are chewing. Don't pick it up again until you have swallowed. Also, take the time to really savor your food as you chew. This is the most difficult part for me,but well worth it. Give this a try.

carolstartingover

You are supposed to chew each bite 20 times . I try to remember it, but it is not easy. My late husband, who died at 48, told me we should stop eating pizza so fast like we did in college or he did. So, we slowed down most of the time. It was ironic and awful that he died choking on toast. Be careful chewing food and talkng on the phone. It's easy for something to go down wrong.

Bumblebee3441

I have this problem, but found that sipping on water while I eat helps a lot. Also pausing during eating my meal helps as well. Hope this helps.

animatorswearbras

Yep the put down your fork whilst you chew is a good one, it also helps you savour your food a bit, also use chopsticks especially if you aren't very good with them. Oh also don't eat in front of the telly sit down at a table to eat, as the tv distracts you from registering/enjoying your meal so when you finish you end up being disappointed.

I should really practice what I preach though I'm still a scarfer, eat in front of the tv all the time and have got just as good at shoveling with chopsticks as a fork lol, I will try to remember my own and others advise during my next meal

cwolfman13

I'm of no real help here...I'm a total foodie...I enjoy every bite. I'm generally only about 3/4 of the way through my meal while everyone else is clearing the table.

mccindy72

Yep the put down your fork whilst you chew is a good one, it also helps you savour your food a bit, also use chopsticks especially if you aren't very good with them. Oh also don't eat in front of the telly sit down at a table to eat, as the tv distracts you from registering/enjoying your meal so when you finish you end up being disappointed.

I should really practice what I preach though I'm still a scarfer, eat in front of the tv all the time and have got just as good at shoveling with chopsticks as a fork lol, I will try to remember my own and others advise during my next meal

one other thing I've heard is that people should not eat in front of the TV. They don't pay attention to how much they are eating and will consume much more than they would if at a table and undistracted.

GingerLolita

I have the same issue. For me, it's helpful just to be conscious of it and drink water with my meals. Also, I only make/serve myself one portion. Before I eat my portion, I'll serve others theirs and pack away the rest (in pre-portioned containers if needed). This way, even if I feel like I'm hungry when I'm done eating, there's nothing more to eat right away. I'll continue drinking water, and if I'm still hungry in an hour, I'll eat more.

TheWretchedFat

I was the same way until I started taking a slip of water between every bite.

crevices

i'll always have this problem, i've had it since i was a kid. it's just the fatty in me that loves food too much to put down my spoon even for a second. as mentioned before, when im actually trying to eat slower i sip water in between bites and feel much fuller in the process.

livingleanlivingclean

I used to have this problem - it didn't help that I was eating 6-7 times a day and trying to fit meals in where I only had a few minutes to eat. I make sure to pay attention to my food and how I'm eating. I consciously put my cutlery down between bites, chew properly, savour the flavour and enjoy what I'm eating before swallowing. I try as much as possible to eat in a proper setting - not on the run or driving in the car

It's made me more satisfied - the "full" switch gets turned on, and it's also made a huge difference to my digestion. I stopped drinking so much water with my meals because it was having a negative effect on my digestion.

marye2021

This is going to sound weird, but one day as a server I had a table full of elderly customers and all ate slowly, and I attributed it to a couple of reasons:
1. Most of them had great table manners- I.e. they put their forks and knives down between each bite, they also cut up their food into smaller portions (which could also be for choking reasons)
2. They talked throughout the meal, but never with a utensil in their hand
3. They chewed slowly (could be because some items were difficult to chew because of age idk)

So now I try to do those sorts of things, also about halfway through my plate I push it away from me and finish my drink and then get a refill or if I'm at a restaurant I will ask for a box and then box it up and drink more water or get a hot tea or coffee