How do you do it???

I've been practicing taking teeny bites and chewing really well. I'm not doing so good. I get impatient and get in a hurry. Have any suggestions for slowing down and chewing well?  I hope I can get this down pat before surgery. Thanks Pink

Hi Pink, Trust me you will learn how to do this. I was given a tip to say to yourself the alphabet in your head twice while you chew chew.                                              Annie Your pouch will let you know if your bites are to big

Like Annie just said, the first time you eat too fast or don't chew well enough-- you will learn FAST what to do... You just have to be careful and pay attention to what you are doing... You'll get the hang of it. :)

Hi Pink,

As Annie said, it takes time, but you will get there. I suggest in investing in a set of canape knives, demitasse spoons, and appetizer forks that are small replicas of what you would use for silverware. It really helped me a great deal to keep my bite size small. Also, if you need to you can get a small timer ... you know those sands of time things ... that will give you about 30 seconds or a minute and use that to pace yourself in the beginning. Over time, it will become habit, but in the beginning it takes time to relearn decades of wolfing down whatever we are eating. Your pouch will teach to you to slow down too.

I look forward to seeing you Saturday.

Barb

Keep practicing, you will get there, then after surgery, your pouch will force you to slow down and chew really well.

I know this sounds a bit drastic, but a lot of times I had to eat alone rather than at the table with my family. My whole family likes to inhale their food that sitting at the table with people that eat fast made it very difficult for me to eat slow. I've found that eating at the computer desk while reading something online helps me to slow down and not get caught up in the fast eating of my family. I don't do this always, but when I feel like I need to, I do. It could help you learn how to eat if your family is a fast eater like mine.

Good luck sweetie and keep up the good work!

Pink, After reading Barbs post it reminded me of what I used after surgery. I bought on ebay baby spoons and forks and 2 plate and bowl sets. Also I always use a desert plate for my meal even if I am having 1 slice of thin crust pizza it goes on my small plate and I am happy.                                          Annie

My surgeon/NUT both said to not worry about it until I had surgery - basically you have no consequences at this point.... post-op you will and that will quickly help you to learn to slow down and take smaller bites. Many people suggest the small plates, forks, spoons etc... I didnt do that either and was just fine. Once I was post-op I pre-measured my portion and I would sit and eat without distractions so it was me, food and the clock. I would take one bite and chew well, put down the fork and wait 1-2 minutes before taking the next bite. Not being distracted was the biggest key - when you are watching tv, talking, driving etc you tend to eat much quicker and take bigger bites.

I practiced pre op too, and let me tell you,  I must not have practiced enough, b/c post op I quickly found out my bites were too big.  It is very uncomfortable.  Actually now that I remember, it was funny one time.  I ran to the couch and laid over it trying to put pressure on my chest.  You will learn.  Once it hurts you will be very careful next time.  Just  chew really well.  And also, there will be some foods that you can eat that others can't.  So.....just taking your time and it is a learning experience.  You will do fine.  We all know what is best for us and what our bodies take the best.  Good luck and don't worry yourself too much....It takes time. 

It's not about perfecting it, it's just about getting into the mindset of thoughtful eating.  Just take a small bite and put your fork down between bites.  I only suggest practicing this because it was hard for me, as was not drinking when I ate.  This whole thing is, at least in part, about becoming mindful of what and how you eat.  This is just one small piece of the puzzle.  Don't sweat it, they aren't grading you pre-op.  You will do fine. Take care. Ellen