How do I slow down my eating?

That may seem like a ridiculous question, but I am only 4 weeks out and I am on soft foods. Yesterday I ate a few bites of food for dinner (half a string cheese and a slice of thin turkey) I ate way too fast and promptly threw up. Tonight I had an egg and felt over full...I think I am eating too fast for my brain/stomach to realize I have had enough and then by the time I realize I've had enough I feel sick :( I don't want to stretch my stomach. Any suggestions as to how I can slow myself down? Thank you!!

Set a timer.  Use a metronome set very slowly to encourage you to chew in time with it.  

Here is what I do.  I sit back in my chair and put the knife and fork down between bites.  I also enter what I'm eating in MYFITNESSPAL between bites.  It helps me eat more slowly, give it a shot.

There are also apps you can get for your phone.  I have one called "Eat Slower" but haven't had to use it.  I know it should take me 30 mins to eat so I divide my food in half and try to eat a half in 15 mins.  If I finish too fast, I still wait until it's time to start the second half.  Little bites and chewing lots also help :)

An easy thing you can try is to only eat pencil eraser sized bites of anything. Then chew, chew, chew, until that tiny bite is liquid. Swallow and repeat! This will invariably slow you down. It was the only thing that really worked for me.

Thank you!

Try doing word find or sudoku puzzles while you eat.

Years ago I remember reading "chew each bite 22 times before you swallow".  Never used it pre surgery...now use it.  It works!

(btw.. I am 21 days post op)

Whenever you can, eat with someone and have a pleasant conversation. When I have lunch with a friend, we talk so much that it takes a half-hour or more till I finish my tiny meal. Doesn't work so well with my husband. After 42 years of marriage, it's sometimes challenging to find something new to talk about!

psychoticparrot

Eat with a baby spoon so your bites are small.  Wait 30 seconds or more between bites and savor everything you eat.  It's really hard to get over our previous bad habits, but this is our time and we need to do our best for ourselves.