# Training myself to eat slower.....tips needed



## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

Sounds easy enough but it is tough. This is one of my microresolutions I am working on. I am giving myself 6 months to work on this until it is hopefully an automatic thing.

I can scarf down two plates of food in 10 minutes on average...they say you should take 20 minutes to eat a plateful of food...I am embarrassed by how fast I can shovel food in

Any tips from any reformed "fast eaters"?

I figure that by working on this it will save me a couple of hundred calories per day leading to weight loss over time. 

All I know it is tough as I have to constantly be thinking while eating to slow it down......

On a side note...for those wanting to instill new habits, etc. please read a book called "Small moves, big changes" by Caroline Arnold. Wonderful book and changed my life in regards to how to slowly incorporate positive changes/habits, etc.


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## SecondTime'Round (Jan 15, 2015)

I don't have this problem, but I'd recommend using small plates and don't do anything else while you're eating except eat. And eat at the table. Not in front of the TV. Just totally concentrate on enjoying the taste of what you're eating and commit to chewing each mouthful X amount of times.


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## arbitrator (Feb 13, 2012)

*Try drinking about 16-24 oz.of a good quality bottled water about 15 minutes prior to sitting down for your meal.*


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

Be aware of your needs. If you go out during the day, take some snacks with you. If go a long time without food, I will eat very fast and regret it about a half hour later. These days, I regular keep nuts and seeds (I'm a low carber) with me on days when I am out for long periods.

Good idea to drink water regularly as well. Keep a bottle with you.


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## Cooper (Apr 18, 2008)

I have always been a fast eater, when I started having digestive problems I really started focusing on slowing down my eating habits.

What really worked for me was a little hour glass that came from a board game, but you could use an egg timer for the same effect. Take a bite and chew until time expires, swallow. Repeat. Also never eat in front of the TV, your brain shuts off and you just keep shoveling food in your mouth, you're not really even tasting it.


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## Anonymous07 (Aug 4, 2012)

SecondTime'Round said:


> I don't have this problem, but I'd recommend using small plates and don't do anything else while you're eating except eat. And eat at the table. Not in front of the TV. Just totally concentrate on enjoying the taste of what you're eating and commit to chewing each mouthful X amount of times.


:iagree:

The above is great advice. Sit at the table and eat with your husband/family. You can train yourself to eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full. Try your best to avoid mindless eating.


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## Fozzy (Jul 20, 2013)

Put your fork down between bites. Then chew slowly and enjoy the flavor.


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## SamuraiJack (May 30, 2014)

Smaller fork actually works well.
Try using a lobster fork for a bit to slow you down , then move to a regular fork using the spacing techniques given here.


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## whatslovegottodowithit? (Jan 6, 2013)

Try taking 32 chews per bite of food.


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## lifeistooshort (Mar 17, 2013)

I too use small plates with the understanding that I don't get a refill for at least 10 minutes after I'm done. That way it doesn't matter so much how fast I eat. 

Also, try to remember that your plate isn't going anywhere.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Green Eyes (Nov 20, 2014)

You've gotten some good advice. What is your carbohydrate consumption like? I ask because my husband always ate very quickly. About 2 years ago at his doctor's urging we changed over to a low carb lifestyle.

A benefit of that I didn't anticipate is that my husband now eats much more slowly and therefore is less inclined to over-eat. I think for a lot of people, particularly those like my husband who have a family history of Diabetes, eating carbs makes us crave more food in general and especially carbohydrate rich foods.


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## Wolf1974 (Feb 19, 2014)

Yep. I'm a big guy and have the same issue. Because of my given career you learn to eat really fast or you don't eat. So like you I could blow through two chipotle burritos before I ever felt full. So some tricks I learned is

Healthy snacks during the day that keep you full feeling....some of my favorites are string cheese, almonds, or small amounts of protein

Before every meal I try and drink one full glass of water....I attempt to time this out 10 min before eating.

This is my favorite tip. Buy several iceberg lettuce heads. They are virtually calories free. Chop it up and eat that prior to your meal. If you must use a dressing use the lowest calorie one you can find. This will make you feel full

Finally the meal. Portion your food out the correct way take it to table and eat. Once done get up and walk away. Don't go back, don't clean up, just leave the room and let everything settle. People like us over eat because we eat too quickly. 

Someone years ago invented this 15 min diet plan. I'm paraphrasing but the gist was it takes about 15 min for your stomach to let your head know you are full. Fast eaters don't give thier body a chance to catch up.

So per his theory you could get a pizza of which I can eat an insane amount. You portion out how much you are allowed to eat. So let's say you are only suppose to have 3 pieces but you really want 5. You eat your three pieces then you start the clock. After 15 minutes if you still want the other two go for it. But when I tried this I found that after 15 I really didn't want them anymore.

Hope some of this helps


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

They say that 15 to 20 minutes is how long it takes....I am not sure how or why I started eating fast...maybe it was when I was younger just to ensure that I got my fill of what was on the table who knows. All I know is that if I slow it down I will eat less calories which in turn will lead to slow weight loss. I am not interested in not eating that or this and going on some extreme diet. 

Another thing I have stopped doing is putitng pressure on myself to not eat 3 hours prior to bedtime because what would often happen is I would almost panic if shortly after supper for whatever reason I was not satisifed and I would stuff myself with something else....i.e. a sandwich etc. becuase I would think better eat it right away because after 6 or 7 you can't eat.


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## Wolf1974 (Feb 19, 2014)

I forgot one but thought of it while I was at work. For many people when they eat thier calories is important as well. They say that most people benefit from eating like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a pauper for dinner. But American culture is almost reverse this and we consume most our calories after work at night.

For myself I notice a big difference in how hungry I am later in the day based on what kinda breakfast I had. So don't neglect brekfast and see if that curbs some appetite later in the day.


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## Satya (Jun 22, 2012)

Use chopsticks. 

They force you to eat slowly (as long as you aren't using them with a plate/bowl tilted to shovel food in).


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## Adeline (Jan 24, 2014)

heres one that might work for ya, as I do it myself. I live alone the majority of the time, so I sort of have a phobia of choking, therefore I eat my meals at home slowly and chew every bite thoroughly. Hearing of this happening one too many times, even if surrounded by a crowd of people, and they end up dying has really made me eat food more mindfully.


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## Middle of Everything (Feb 19, 2012)

Use a really small fork and spoon?


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## VermisciousKnid (Dec 27, 2011)

Are you ravenous when you sit down to eat? Or does your fast eating occur at all meals?


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## Rowan (Apr 3, 2012)

Try putting your utensils down between bites of food. You can also train yourself to take a sip of your drink between bites. Those two things will force you to consume your food more slowly. Many people naturally do some variation of this when they're dining with others, because they are conversing between bites. Eating this way when you're alone can take more focus, but it should become more habitual if you stick with it for a few weeks.


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## Mr. Nail (Apr 26, 2011)

Middle of Everything said:


> Use a really small fork and spoon?


Some experts recommend chopsticks


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