When I was waiting for insurance to approve my lap band surgery, I started trying to stretch my meals out to 20 minutes. I despaired of ever managing it on a regular basis. Then, once I was banded, I thought I would never learn to chew slowly. Well, I think I have managed it. Since my meals easily take 30-40 minutes. Sometimes longer.
Today, for lunch, I timed myself. I ate 3 oz. of grilled chicken and a 1/3 cup of pinto beans. It took me 37 minutes.
So, I'm curious. How long does it take you to eat? Do you stop after a certain time? Does your surgeon have max time rules? Do your ears hang low? Do they wobble to-and-fro?
I can't wait to hear others weigh in on this. I am still learning to slow down to eat. After years working in the service industry, where we took bites when we had a chance, I am a very fast eater. I have experienced some discomfort and that has definitely been a catalyst for slowing down. I did notice it took me about 30 minutes to eat a couple egg muffins today.
ReplyDeleteIt takes me about 30 minutes to eat egg muffins too. That seems like a good length.
DeleteI eat very slowly. I am always the last one finished. I don't eat breakfast and at lunch I only have about 25 minutes...if that (welcome to the world of a teacher). So, for lunch I eat what I can in that time frame. For dinner I don't put a time limit on myself because if I did I wouldn't get in all the protein I needed to for a day.
ReplyDeleteI could probably use a lunch time limit. I eat at my desk and could easily sit here and pick at my food for an hour!
DeleteI am working at making each meal last 30 minutes. I have no restriction right now in my band, and my meals are about 6-8 ounces pureed food. :-/ I take 20-25 minutes usually, sometimes I make it 30. I feel like I could eat anything though - and I do chug my water lately (shhh) so I may be slower, more easily, when I have restriction. I've always been by far the slowest eater in my family, before I was banded, but I have two teenagers. The eat scary fast. I think school conditions that.
ReplyDeleteIt's true! My husband had a ridiculously short lunch period in high school, and as a result, still eats like he's in a race. Drives me crazy.
DeleteAs you get more restriction in the band, it will naturally force you to start slowing down and taking smaller bites and sips.