eating slowly tough

I have been out of surgery for the almsot 2 yrs, how time goes fast ,  though I try to take my time its tough for me to eat for a 1/2 hr and chew my food to a cud, I just seem to chew somewhat normal, though I can get to aproxl 20 min to finish, I feel that its to fast, I do stop however the first feel of fulleness sensation that I get,  however i also notice that I have a small little stomacch sticking out,,I excersise regular and do a lot of situps daily, but this seems to be happening with the stomach, and it bothers me and worries me though I feel I should not be so vain,my original weight was 485 pds and now I am weighing at 180 I was in the mid 169's for a long time than kind of shot up 10-15 lbs, I am thinking this gain is just my body settling in....please help with this issues it is starting to play wioht my mind and being a emotional eater in the past I don't want myself to just say oh well thats that and starting gorging for feeling sorry for myself......this past 2 yrs has been a very positive experience and I would hate to start turning back to a negitive a with bad and confusing thoughts....thank you god bless  greg

Congratulations on your awesome weight loss!  You've done a great job.  At two years out we should be eating within normal time limits so you no longer need to eat as slowly as we did in that first year.  Just as a baby begins to eat toddler food and then larger bites and more variety, so can we as we age out of our immediately post op days.  From what I'm told by my nut we should not be taking as long to eat now and should have our meal consumed within twenty minutes. As far as your stomach sticking out, I'm wondering if it could be a little bloating.  Perhaps you can look at what you're eating and see if it's the food types causing some of that.  Broccoli, milk products, carbonation...those types of things that might be causing it.  As well as you sound like you are doing I doubt you are gaining fat.  Your excercise and disciplined diet should counteract that. Keep up the great work!

thanks for the reply,,I do eat my fair share of brockly , thanks for the info,,,,greg

I don't eat all that slow anymore...but I still thoroughly chew my food...and I'm done with a meal in about 15 minutes, unless it's a nice sit down with the family where we take our time and enjoy conversation and eat more slowly... I stopped eating til I am full and rather eat til I am satisfied now...Often times, when I eat til full, after 20 minutes I get that over full feeling and the tummy sticks out where I have to unbutton the top of my pants and let the zipper down a half inch!  Now I can eat and stay full for 3 hours on a decent meal by eating til satisfied.  I weigh my food and that helps too...Then I know I am eating what my nut reccomended I'd eat at 4 years out and the rest of my life. This way I know I am not depriving myself...and I also know what amount  I SHOULD be eating. Sometimes I don't finish my meal and sometimes I eat just a little more... As long as I stay between 7-10 ounces of food...I know I am getting an ample amount of food that should not leave me hungry.  (or sticking out in places!) Calories are a whole other story!! Still, you might ask your surgeon about it next time you visit, just to make sure it's nothing to worry about. You have done a fantastic job losing all your weight!  You don't even resemble the same person!  Just amazing.  Congratulations! 

Greg,  I feel the same way. Sometimes I think I eat too fast but what I do to help my mind and pouch be okay with that is this: I know how much my pouch will hold on which foods (pretty much) and I measure out what my portion is and eat that. If I eat just 1 cup of something, no matter how fast I eat it, it won't make my pouch ache cuz I haven't exceeded the "limit". Now on really hard to digest stuff, beef, pork, raw veggies, I do try and eat slower cuz I don't really know what the limit that day will be. It tends to depend on what I've eaten already and how my pouch's mood is that day.  I have to say that you've done an awesome job with your weight loss. I think you've learned your limits in the last two years and you're doing wonderful...I really respect your losses and achievement...AWESOME job!  I'm afraid to gain too. Afraid to lose control and gain. In my mind that 15 pounds is like 150 pounds so I know what you're going through. Just remember, that 15 pounds is probably muscle and not fat like the previous 300+ pounds (pre surgery) so it essentially just a number on the scale. weight is FAR more than just a number on the scale. muscle weighs more.