Do you eat slow or fast??

Hi everyone. I have a question - specifically for further out post-ops. I was always told to eat slow - over 30 minutes - to let your mind know that you are full. So, I have trained myself to eat meals slower. Well now, I am reading posts on other boards that say when you are further out from surgery (like me at a year), that you have to eat fast so you feel full faster and do not eat as much so you can maintain your weight or keep losing. Something about eating slow this far out allows you to eat more? I am so confused. I do not eat as slow anymore but lately I have been trying to eat my food faster and it does seem to work and I do seem to get full faster but then I feel like I am also eating a lot more when I eat faster and a couple of times I have "overeaten" and felt it about 10 minutes later. So I do not know.  Also, what abou****er loading. I am still following the no fluids for at least 30 minutes before and after eating rule. But now I am seeing where I should change over to water loading about 10 minutes before eating? What do you do when eating?? Thanks!

Hi Misty. I have found at being out 17 months that when I eat slower I fill up quicker.  When I eat fast I don't fill full and want more.  My younger son shovels his food in fast without really tasting it. Then he wants more food as he doesn't feel full, then he's over filled.  That's how we got to the point of being obese by eating faster and eating more.  Stick to the eating slow and you will fill up faster.  Supposed to chew until it's mulched and easier to swallow.  Chewing fast doesn't chew the food up properly for the pouch to do it's job.  At 17 months out, I still have to chew slow or be sick.  Best of luck to you.  Love

I still follow the 20 - 30 minutes for a meal rule. If for some reason I do eat faster than that, I usually find that I either overeat or don't chew well enough and wind up feeling bad.  As for the water loading...from what I've read, it only works if you have already been drinking and are well hydrated. Then you drink 8 oz of water about 15 minutes before your meal and it helps keep you feeling full longer. If you are not adequately hydrated before you do this, the fluid is going to run through the small intestine faster and not contribute to that full feeling. Since I tend to drink like a camel between meals, I guess I've been practicing water loading since shortly after surgery.

I eat too fast sometimes, especially if I let myself get too hungry. If I pay attention, then I eat slowly the way I should.