Slowing down my eating speed?

hougt

I have always been a fast eater ever since being a kid. I would either rus to get back out and play, or rush to get seconds.

Now I am grown up I still hoover up my food, not giving myself time to realise I am full. Ideal for a eating competition, but rubbish for losing weight.

Does anyone have any tips to slow down my eating pace? I have found eating foods that take some chewing (turkey for example) help but trying to count my chews is sending me round the bend

StrawberrySprinkles

I'm wondering if people who eat too fast actually taste the flavor of the food? My hub is a fast eater too. I often wonder if he even tastes it.

I guess you could just slow down by trying to identify all the flavors in the food? Appreciate it for it's finer points?

teally13

I heard the tip that you should put down your cutlery (or if using your fingers put down the food) between bites and don't pick it up until you have swallowed the food you are eating.

justiningham

There are a few methods, Here are a couple;
1. Counting your chews
2. Putting your knife and fork down and not preparing your next mouthful until you have finished your last
3. Putting less food in your mouth
4. Making sure you sit at a table and try to slow down

Hope these help - I know there are more and maybe someone else can add to them.

boboette1

I try to put my utencil I am eating with down in-between bites. I also eat fast and drink fast.. It's a hard habit to break. It take 20 min for your stomach to signal you are full. I chew longer and try to totally enjoy what I am eating. Keep working at it, we will never be perfect at this but we can sure give it a good try. Good luck, keep on trucking!!! haha

hougt

I'm wondering if people who eat too fast actually taste the flavor of the food?

Surprisingly yes, I am big on taste so love my food

Cheers for the tips so far, it is so hard to slow down but I will manage it

LoyalAngel16

Sometimes I think I eat too fast as well. I think a lot of started in schools when you were given about 10 minutes to eat your lunch. Lunch was only 20 minutes long but by the time you got out of line and sat down, you only had 10 minutes left if that. Now when my stepson comes to visit, he eats even faster than me. He almost inhales his food. Sometimes I don't even think he is chewing his food because he has his next bite in his mouth before he even swallows the last. I try to tell him to slow down and makes me more conscious on how I am eating as well. He is really skinny like his dad, but I try to tell him in the long run it isn't good for him. I think most times he is just in a hurry to get done so he can get back on him computer. Plus he also gives the excuse that its the schools fault.

lacewitch

I am really bad at this too
my approach to try and get better
1. set aside time for eating with no distractions
2. set a place. eat at the table set a place with knife, fork ,and a glass of water
3. approach each meal as if it were a wine tasting. - savour the food in your mouth, taste it , try and identify flavours, ingredients
chew to get all the flavors

good luck

teally13

1. set aside time for eating with no distractions

This is an important one. Don't eat while watching TV, on you laptop etc as you tend not to notice what you have eaten or how much.

jen_bd6

The technique I use is this.. I log my food while I am eating it at home. I have my ipad right there. Take a bite, log a part of the meal, rinse repeat. It takes me almost twice as long as it used to take me to eat my meal... Or I will only serve myself so much and just make sure to do something while I eat. It has really helped because now I notice it has carried over into other meals as well. I am not naturally slower from just sidetracking myself for so long.

jen_bd6

1. set aside time for eating with no distractions

This is an important one. Don't eat while watching TV, on you laptop etc as you tend not to notice what you have eaten or how much.

This doesn't work for me.. lol if I am left to my own thoughts while eating, I will just keep going I only make so much food for dinner and then what I have on my plate is it... no excuses or substitutions. I have to distract myself with something while I eat to keep myself from eating so much... but if it works for you, then I say stick with it

lacewitch

also put the fork DOWN!
i realised i have the next forkful ready to shove in before i have finished chewing the first. so putting the fork down is critical

Sherbog

Use your other hand when eating. If your right handed use your left hand. Vice versa worked for me.

Tilran

Use your other hand when eating. If your right handed use your left hand. Vice versa worked for me.

OooOOoooO...I have never heard of this idea....I am going to try it.

Karen98100

Taking a sip of water in between most bites helps me. Also, use utensils for almost all foods. I find when I use utensils for most foods that some just eat with their hands, it takes longer to eat and it's more enjoyable. Never eat while doing something else, like watching tv, being on the computer, etc. If you're distracted, you might chow down the meal without noticing.

tabinmaine

If it's not a family sit down meal I will make my lunch, and leave it on the counter, empty part of the dishwasher, take a bite, empty some more, take another bite etc..... so I multi task, I also fold laundry, I take a bite between 4 shirts folded etc...

For me sitting and counting bites or chewing slowly with no distractions only makes me perseverate more on my food, if I do things while I am eating a laid out meal or already serving sized then it takes me longer to eat and I don't over eat because my meal is already portioned out on my plate.

hougt

Use your other hand when eating. If your right handed use your left hand. Vice versa worked for me.

Sadly after a broken right wrist I can do most things with both hands so it wouldn't work

sugboog29

My husband tells me all the time that I eat too fast! Yesterday while eating my salad at lunch he made the comment. I realized I was eating fast and he had hardly eaten...but being a bit pissed because he commented I told him if he talked less and ate more he wouldn't realize I was eating so fast! BUT I did slow it down, took a bite, put my fork down, took a drink. Amazing!

linz1125

I tend to eat fast as well, so I have tried to practice mindful eating - being aware what I am putting in my mouth, which means not being distracted by TV/iPad/phone, etc. Its really hard with a toddler, but it works. I also use smaller forks and spoons. Maybe also try taking a drink between every 3 bites or so.

Gwenski

Thank you soooo much for the reminder! I find myself falling back into my 'fast food' habits. Here's some things that have helped me to slow down in the past:
Cut up all food into tiny bits BEFORE stating to eat anything
Try using very small utensils., like a shrimp fork or children's utensils
All the best!

hougt

Thank you soooo much for the reminder! I find myself falling back into my 'fast food' habits. Here's some things that have helped me to slow down in the past:
Cut up all food into tiny bits BEFORE stating to eat anything
Try using very small utensils., like a shrimp fork or children's utensils
All the best!

The small utensils could be a good shout actually. Cutting my food up before eating it will just make it easier to shovel it in :P

AnninStPaul

There are a few methods, Here are a couple;
1. Counting your chews
2. Putting your knife and fork down and not preparing your next mouthful until you have finished your last
3. Putting less food in your mouth
4. Making sure you sit at a table and try to slow down

Hope these help - I know there are more and maybe someone else can add to them.

These are great - I have also found that if I am too hungry I eat fast, I eat crap, and I eat a lot.

verptwerp

Use your other hand when eating. If your right handed use your left hand. Vice versa worked for me.

OooOOoooO...I have never heard of this idea....I am going to try it.

Then you'd better wear a bib ...... and spread newspaper under your chair :laugh:

I was once at a yoga retreat where lunch was held in a "quiet room" for ""mindful eating ........ no talking, no distractions ........ well, I can appreciate the fact that the chicken or chickpeas or lettuce leaves gave up their lives to feed me ....... but it was far from "quiet" ...... all I heard was chewing & chomping & crunching ROFL

My tip ...... chew everything REALLY well before you swallow ...... your stomach will thank you !

nxd10

I have to count chews to get in the habit.

(BTW, yes I taste and LOVE my food even when I eat fast!)

A speech therapist working with my dad on swallowing issues actually makes him put his fork down between each bite. That seems a bit much to me, but you could try putting it down after every two or three bites.

You can also sip a drink between bites. It clears your pallete as well.

msiamjan

Being mindful, putting down your fork between bites and taking a drink of water between bites are the things I try to do, but it takes effort to remember. I do know people who have had some success by eating with chopsticks. I'm good enough with chopsticks that it doesn't have that much impact, but if you are clumsy with them, it could work.

FunandFitMom

One of the strategies I have found helpful is to put down my fork and take a drink in between bites (my mom always told me to chew every bite 28 times - but that's enough to drive me buggy!)

lacewitch

i was reading about this on t'internet and one thing that came up was eating with chopsticks!

chissa710

Working in a hospital I have the same problem... I wolf down my food because I never know if i'm going to have to run to a code and not get to eat. Unfortunately now I eat really fast ALL the time, even if I'm at home or out to eat! It doesn't help that my fiance is also a fast eater. I think I'm going to have to impliment some of these ideas!

JenniferNoll

Some time ago, I watched a documentary about the super obese, people weighing 500 pounds and more. It was done very respectfully and sympathetically, and I did not feel it was exploitive. As I watched, I noticed that when they showed footage of the subjects eating, their forks were overloaded. Huge forkfulls, so overfull that the subjects had to open their mouths extremely wide in order to eat.

I began to wonder if this particular habit was something that contributed to weight gain. I concluded that it was likely, since eating faster inevitably leads to consuming more calories. I also decided to slow down my own eating. I had begun eating much faster due to the fact that I had babies who never allowed me much time to eat. Now I cut off each bite as I eat small bits of food. It takes me longer to eat a meal, I feel more satisfied with what I eat, and I actually get to enjoy the flavors more. I can't help but feel that it is contributing to my weight loss.

ladyark

1. set aside time for eating with no distractions

This is an important one. Don't eat while watching TV, on you laptop etc as you tend not to notice what you have eaten or how much.

I find that if i am looking at a magazine ( fitness related helps ) or a book i tend to eat much slower. Plus putting down your utensils and i try to take a sip of water between bites....ive been known to sit at the kitchen table for 45 minutes just to eat.

saraann4

I eat really fast when it comes to my favorite foods. Get a nice, big glass of water. Take a bite. Put fork down. Drink. Take another bite. Drink. Actually helps me a lot.