i missed you all

hi everyone, today was the first day i have had a chance to check the Board. My granny passed away last wed on the 2nd. she had battled cancer for a long time and is finally at peace. We were able to keep her at home through it all and she passed with her family all there. I go back to work tomorrow so I am taking this last day of family funeral leave to get my house back in order and relax. hope everyone is doing great. i keep going back and forth between 57 and 60 pounds. i am in a 1X pants (i had to hit the Goodwill over the weekend i have a question that i have put off asking but am getting so irritated with myself i have to ask for help. i notice that i am still eating too fast. i can't eat much at a time. about 2 to 3 oz of meat for dinner and maybe a few green beans or bites of salad BUTTTTT i still inhale everything....i have tried setting a time for 30 minutes and put the fork down between bites but i still get done in 10 to 15 minutes. Does anyone have any other tricks that might work. i know i am eating too fast and not chewing enough. thanks, kelly

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your granny but I'm so glad she was able to be with her family until the very end. I trust you had all the time you needed to tell her how much she was loved. I'm kind of bad about eating quickly too...especially if i'm trying to eat on the run (which is more often than it should be). Fortunately (or unfortunately) I if I try to eat chicken too fast so that MAKES me slow down a bit. My nutritionist said the only reason to encourage you to eat slowly was that it takes a while to get a "full" sensation and you can over eat if you eat too quickly. I don't know about everyone else's opinion, but even if you could get it to 15-20 minutes, I'd think that's okay as long as you're not overeating or having any problems keeping it down. Glad to see you back. Julie

I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother passing. What a blessing that she was able to be home with the family. Sometimes I get up from the table and walk away for a while then come back to eat. 20 to 30 minutes tho for just a few ounces of food sounds pretty normal to me. A lot depends on the texture of the food. Mary

I am glad to be back reading and responding on the boards. it is amazing how much i missed seeing your smiling faces. my sis in law took pictures this weekend since so many family members were in town so i should have a new picture to post as soon as i get them developed. julie, i am like you. i eat on the run a lot and i feel full after just 3 or 4 bites. it is usually about every 3 hours when i feel a little hungry. i still drink usually 2 shakes a day (one in am and one before i go to bed). to my little overeaters mind the shakes are easy for me as they fill me up, take care of the sweet tooth, and i don't have to make a choice of what to eat. i scare myself even saying it but i am almost at 4 months and have not started losing hair yet so maybe the high amount of protein i am getting in is helping in that respect also. the other thing about the texture.....i can eat anything. at least anything i have tried. i have not had a problem getting that stuck feeling since i was about 3 weeks and that was from eating a bite of chicken too fast...i have not tried sugar or pasta. even things that made me a little sick in the beginning....eggs, milk, are fine now. i think that is another reason i try to keep a pretty simple diet of mostly protein with a few vegetables cause i don't want to tempt fate during this high loss period. i tried watermelon over the weekend and it was wonderful! thanks also for you condolences on my grandma.....i miss her terribly but know she is in a much better place now with no pain. kelly

Kelly, I have missed you here. I'm so sorry to hear about your Granny. I'm so glad she was surrounded by her loved ones. You really are a dear to have helped to take care of her. I eat fast too. I always have. I'm finished way before anyone else is, but goodness I eat 1/4 of what I use to. I don't let it bother me, as long as I quit and I feel full. My problem is waiting the 30 minutes to drink. It drives me crazy. I do it, but don't like it. I quit doing protien drinks a long time ago, but I might incorporate them back in as I don't always make wise protien choices. uhum, like right now... I'm eating 1/2 a baked potato. I have been craving one for months. I have only eaten 1/2 of the 1/2, and feeling really full. I imagine I can get the other 1/2 down in anothre 10 15 minutes, but isn't that defeating the purpose? LOL Hugs, Debbie

Debbie.. that's another problem I have too. Can't wait the 30 mins to drink after meals! I guess I'm just not doing this right! Windy/pat

Your picture is so good! Some people are just very photogenic

thank you. i always hated having my pic taken....now i have become a little camera ham!!! of course when all these pics come back if i don't like them then you know where they are going, don't ya!!hehehehhehehehee

Kelly, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your Granny. I'm sure she was peaceful and comfortable at home with her family. I too have to struggle not to eat fast. Often I end up with a knot in my stomach and I think this is the cause. I don't care what I do, I just find it hard to stretch a few bites into a 30 minute meal, no matter how long I chew it. I'm looking for tips on this too... you aren't the only one! Windy/Pat