Soft Stop Too Soon

Need input from the veterans---  When I eat, after only about five bites, I have a soft stop.  I hiccup, or my nose starts to run.  Then I wait for a minute or two, and it feels like the food moves on down (instead of being right in the middle of my chest).  Then I can finish my meal.  Should I stop altogether after only five bites?  Should I continue eating?  I'm supposed to get a fill next week, and I don't know if I should or not.  HELP!!!

Hi there.

Not a veteran but I'll give this a shot anyhow :)  I stop at my soft stop.  For me it is usually a burp.  Yes, sometimes I feel like I can eat more, but I don't.  Interestingly enough, about 10-15 minutes later I feel that satisfied feeling and I know I stopped at the right time.

There are times that I can only eat 2 or 3 bites of something, sometimes I can do more, depending on the texture of the food, how dense, etc. etc. etc.

I think for a fill you should determine how long between meals you are staying satisfied.  If you have a gnawing hunger after one hour, perhaps a fill is in order.  Also don't determine you need a fill after being hungry once, or even one day.  I had a day like that on Monday.  I had done some different things over the weekend in terms of drinking a lot more water because I was at the beach.  On Monday I didn't feel I could get full.  I stopped eating at around 1:30 because I had honestly exhausted my calorie intake for the day by that point, odd for me but true.  I can tell you that I was NOT even remotely hungry until 9:30 that night.  I had also made my protein shake in the morning with water which is different for me.  By Tuesday I was back to feeling full.  Odd little thing this band is!!

Good luck!

ETA:  How fast are you eating?  I find that when stuff gets "stuck" in the middle of my chest, I'm going a bit too fast.

IMO, stopping after 5 bites would mean a nutritionally inadequate diet, unless you had lots of meals! I would eat more!

How much can you eat after your pause? Many people find that they have to pause after just one or perhaps a few bites and then continue. It even has a name - first bite syndrome.

People differ and so does official medical advice. I have always been able to eat about a cup of food - except for some fibrous things like braised beef.

Personally I would not have a fill if I could only eat 5 bites and then stop!

But you have to weigh up your own feelings.

Kate

I agree with Kate . If I ever told my doc I could only eat five bites of food he would make me take some out.

I think Kate nailed it, first bite syndrome. I think most of us eat about 1/2 cup to 1 cup per meal you need more than a few bites to get enough nutrition in daily. I had this happen often when I was too tight so you might want to think about a teeny unfil to make it more comfortable. I would definately skip anopther fill untill you get this worked out. Good luck!

I asked about this very same thing not long ago and was told about first bite syndrome.  I don't know about you, but if I wait 3 or so minutes, I can eat again and finish my portions.  At that point, I usually, but not always get left shoulder pain warning me to stop.  Then I have those eating days too when I just can't seem to get satisfied.  Thank goodness they don't happen very often.

I get this often. 5 bites for me would fit inside of a teaspoon -- so I cannot just call 5 bites a meal and be done.  I have to wait a few mintues for things to settle and can continue on without issues.

Even after almost 6 years, I still have first bite syndrome. I would starve if I would only eat four or five bites. Now some days I have to stop on that but not most of the time. If I get up and move around I will be fine, I just had to learn to eat slow, take time between bites. I really do this if I am really hungry or talking and not paying attention to what I am eating.

Thank you all so much for your input.  I feel much better to know some of you go through this as well.  It does usually happen when I am out with friends or family.  I guess it could be because I'm visiting and not concentrating on eating.  I need to slow down and think about my eating more.  But I'm such a chatterbox that it;s hard to not talk.:)

MurphysMom, I notice if I'm talking I eat to fast I actually have to really concentrate when I eat or I will eat to fast.