eating slower

harmony · Post by **harmony** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:44 pm

I am on Day 7 of doing No-S. I have been noticing a strange new mindset developing (at least strange for me). Today at lunch I was so hungry I was shaking. I prepared my plate and sat down and had a moment of concern that this one plate might not be enough. But, I told myself that was all I was going to have, so I ate it SLOWLY and enjoyed every bite (because the slower I eat, the later I will finish my meal and that will be just a few less minutes I have to wait before the next one. lol.) Then I chased it with a cup of milk. Guess what? It was just right. This has been working for other meals, too. If I know that I only have this one plate, I am more likely to take my time and actually chew my food. haha.

StrawberryRoan · Post by **StrawberryRoan** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:51 pm

Sadly I haven't developed that habit.

I eat way too fast - I literally could make another meal and eat it by the time my husband finishes his plate.

And yes, he is naturally very lean.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:55 pm

I've noticed that even when I still feel slightly hungry at the end of a meal, if I wait a few minutes that feeling passes.

vmelo · Post by **vmelo** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 10:28 pm

StrawberryRoan wrote:Sadly I haven't developed that habit.

I eat way too fast - I literally could make another meal and eat it by the time my husband finishes his plate.

And yes, he is naturally very lean.

Me too, Strawberry! I have always been an "efficient" eater. I've tried many, many times to slow down, but it seems as if I don't enjoy my food as much if I eat it slower. I know that's opposite from conventional wisdom that says the slower you eat the more you enjoy it.

I've analyzed this problem, and I've realized that I eat fast for a couple of reasons: 1) I seem to want that taste of food in my mouth continually during my meal. If I set my fork down and take a sip of water or whatever and then take another bite, I don't feel as if I have the taste in my mouth. Maybe my taste buds are defective! 2) I like my food hot. The longer it sits, the more I think "It won't be as good." So, I eat it fast.

Funny thing is, I have four siblings, and my older brother is the only one who eats as fast as I do. And, again, against conventional wisdom that says you'll lose weight if you eat more slowly, he has never had a serious weight problem.

However, I do realize that eating slower would fill me up and probably make me eat less because when I go out to eat and eat course (e.g., salad, then entree), I rarely finish my entree because some time has elapsed and I'm not so hungry.

Jammin' Jan · Post by **Jammin' Jan** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:15 am

I used to be really skinny when I was a kid, and it took me f-o-r-e-v-e-r to eat one plate of food. Honestly, by the time I finished, it was time for the next meal. Maybe I was on to something!

harmony · Post by **harmony** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:10 am

I don't know if slow eating will be a regular thing for me, and in reality it would not have made a difference since I only allowed myself one plate whether I ate fast or slow. I did enjoy my food more though.

I was a putsy eater when I was younger (and skinnier). I would nibble the patterns off of cookies and take 5 minutes to eat one Dorito chip. In college, I decided to cast off my childish ways and teach myself to eat more than one chip at once and clean my plate. You know, adult behaviors. That is when I really started to gain weight. Once I had kids, I learned to eat even faster because I didn't have much time.

I have tried to eat slowly before and never could for long before I ran out of patience. That is why I am surprised that I could do it even while ravenously hungry. Because I was so afraid of finishing my one plate and still feeling hungry, I ate slowly out of desperation at first. Then as the hunger faded, I started to enjoy my food more.

My son is an incredibly slow (and stick thin) eater. I think the poor kid practically starved at school his whole 1st grade year because he couldn't eat the food he needed in the tiny amount of time they give for lunchtime.

My husband, who is also skinny, is a fast eater, but he tends to have strange rituals when it comes to food. He will only put one kind of food on his plate at a time. He starts with meat and works his way to the bread/starch last. It's incredibly annoying, yet fascinating at the same time. He will also go days at a time where he only eats one meal. Probably not the best model of normal eating habits. lol.

BigE · Post by **BigE** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 4:44 am

I was a slow eater as a child. At my elementary school, you ate lunch and then you got to go to recess after you were finished. I have vivid memories of my friends coaxing me to hurry up so that I could have recess with them. Many times, I'd eat so slowly that I'd miss recess entirely. I also remember "ritualistic" slow eating of my snacks, which I guess I still have . . . M & Ms one color at a time (browns are always last), pretzels by saltiness (divided into three parts).

At my old school (I'm an elementary school teacher) I had 15 minutes for lunch, so I developed a habit of eating very quickly.

I'm sorry that I'm forgetting the person's name at the moment (way too tired

but someone on this discussion board gave me a tip that's actually been working very well for the past couple of weeks -- putting the fork down after every bite. Even if it's "handheld" food I'll still put the sandwich down on the plate and actually swallow before taking another bite.

I'm hoping at my new job in which I have a relatively luxurious 45 minute lunch that I'll keep up the slow eating -- I know I'll be tempted to squeeze in lesson plan time.

Really I think you're right that part of my incentive for slow eating is the full enjoyment of the meal. It feels like such a nice reward to sit down and eat.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:02 pm

vmelo wrote: I like my food hot. The longer it sits, the more I think "It won't be as good." So, I eat it fast.

However, I do realize that eating slower would fill me up and probably make me eat less because when I go out to eat and eat course (e.g., salad, then entree), I rarely finish my entree because some time has elapsed and I'm not so hungry.

Funny how different people are. I think food that is either really hot or really cold doesn't taste nearly as good as it does when it's closer to room temperature -- with just a few exceptions. I can't stand ice cream that is starting to melt. I want it icy-cold and hard as a rock.

One of the reasons I like the salad before is because I'll eat less of the entree. It's like automatic portion control.

StrawberryRoan · Post by **StrawberryRoan** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:55 pm

Love this board.

I like my ice cream melty (well, if it isn't in a cone

)

Also have to have my food HOT if it is soup or spaghetti or something.

Also am strange I suppose as I can eat a salad right along with a meal - separate dish but bite for bite.

My husband, however, will not allow his entree to be on the table in front of him if he is eating a salad. Such a strange man....

But, he has Paul Newman blue eyes, so I'll keep him...

vmelo · Post by **vmelo** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:20 pm

wosnes wrote:Funny how different people are. I think food that is either really hot or really cold doesn't taste nearly as good as it does when it's closer to room temperature -- with just a few exceptions.

Actually, I guess I agree with you because when I can allow myself to wait, it seems like all the flavors of the food are "melded" more when allowed to settle. Most chefs suggest allowing meat to sit for a few minutes before eating it. It's more of a subconscious reaction on my part (that I've just recently recognized consciously)--"It'll be cold if I don't eat it FAST!"

wosnes wrote:I can't stand ice cream that is starting to melt. I want it icy-cold and hard as a rock.

StrawberryRoan wrote:I like my ice cream melty. (well, if it isn't in a cone ).

Wow--this is so weird---I'm with Strawberry in this preference as well. Strawberry, I wonder if we like it "melty" because we can eat it faster that way

!

StrawberryRoan · Post by **StrawberryRoan** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:44 pm

Yeah, slurping or drinking is faster than eating..

I like to stir chocolate syrup and CoolWhip into melting ice cream - any flavor, I'm not picky!

vmelo · Post by **vmelo** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 4:03 pm

StrawberryRoan wrote:Yeah, slurping or drinking is faster than eating..

I like to stir chocolate syrup and CoolWhip into melting ice cream - any flavor, I'm not picky!

Please---don't give me any ideas!

mimi · Post by **mimi** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:37 am

I like my ice cream melty (well, if it isn't in a cone Shocked )

Also have to have my food HOT if it is soup or spaghetti or something.

Me too!!! LOL!!!!

My children always made fun of me for microwaving my ice cream!

My coffee has to be piping hot too - if not, into the microwave it goes! Sometimes, if I'm particularly distracted or caught up in multitasking, it goes in more than once. Can't stomach lukewarm coffee, but I love all the new iced coffees - go figure!

Soup MUST be hot!

Mimi

Bushranger · Post by **Bushranger** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:47 am

Regarding the slow eating; it definitely does seem to have an affect although I'm not sure what.

I eat much slower than most people I know and I am also leaner than most people I know. I have been told and even read an article or two that supported slower eating due to the extra chewing of the food allowing for easier and more total digestion of the food.

Another interesting thing to note is the French are renowned for their leisurely eating AND being thin.

~reneew · Post by **~reneew** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 4:09 pm

I eat slow, and that alone hasn't worked for me... I highly reccomend making the most of your meal. Make it special. Try to eat together as a family (we have 6)... set a pretty table... maybe cloth napkins (I do that for the earth)...maybe candles... colorful food... Make yourself appreciate it.