Any chewing tips?

August

August

Cathlete
I work with guys who scarf down their food and I'm afraid over the years I've picked up the nasty habit. Not to blame them or anything. ;-)

I keep trying to remind myself to eat slowly and chew my food well,.....but more than often, I remind myself after I've eaten. :eek:

Does anyone have any tips on how to reteach one's self to chew their food well?






And any of you pesky HATER checkiners who are coming by to just poke fun and give me grief, you better watch out! }(

:*
 
I just recently read "The Maker's Diet" by Jordan Rubin and he talks about the importance of chewing to proper disgestion (especially with carbohydrates which are more difficult for our bodies to digest). He recommends "chewing each bite 25-50 times as needed, especially when eating foods high in carbohydrates such as grains sugars and starches". He says to "always eat sitting down, and avoid watching TV, arguing, or doing something that requires concentration." Since reading this, I have been trying to chew more but I haven't actually counted. It's just another habit I guess I'll have to work on (wolfing down food). The book also says that the goal of chewing our food is to deliver it to our stomach in a liquid state. I know I don't chew enough after reading that. Mr. Rubin attributes wolfing down his food to the development of Crohn's disease in his body (which he no longer has). Maybe this has something to do with so many of us experiencing bloating and other digestive problems.

Ashley
 
Hi, Ashley,

Thanks for taking the trouble to write that info. I've heard the same things. I've heard that if you can identify anything in your mouth with your tongue before you swallow it (like a grain of rice or whatnot), it's not ready to be swallowed.

I should try to find a ring to put on my finger that says CHEW. Maybe that would remind me. :*
 
Hey August! I'm not coming to poke fun or give you grief, I promise...well...maybe just a little grief:p

I have the same problem and it IS a work hazard. I'm sure the nurses here can attest to the fact that you really only get about 5 minutes for lunch because you're just to dang busy.

I'm not sure what the answer is. I can see where counting how many times you chew might work but, wouldn't that take every ounce of enjoyment out of your meal? You would probably have to eat alone, too, because you can't very well carry on a conversation if you're busy counting, for crying out loud. And if you're the least bit obsessive compulsive this method could be a problem. I can see it now -- you would have to chew each bite an even number of times, say 30, and then you'd have to make sure you chewed 15 times on each side of your mouth. I can't go there -- no way. Just...when you see that you're eating too fast just slow down, that's all. Try to be aware of it and make yourself stop. :*
 
Hi August! Sure do miss talking with you at Yoga! Speaking of which, my idea would be to bring yoga back to your eating. :) Try your best to be present and enjoy the flavors to their fullest! You may also want to try to do something every few bites...like take a breath or a sip of water....trust me, I know if the food is good.... slowing down is tough to do! If you like soup, you could try eating that for awhile for one meal just to get you back to normal. It's hard to scarf down hot soup! I think it will help you get back to taking your time. Not to get too deep, but is there some emotion that comes along with the need to eat fast or is it simply a matter of the company you have when you are eating? Are any of these guys cute? Try eating with a cute guy...a cute guy may slow you down...just to keep him at the table with you a little longer! :) Or maybe even someone who makes you laugh....you can't laugh and eat at the same time!

Jen
 
Try eating with a cute guy...a cute guy may slow
>you down...just to keep him at the table with you a little
>longer! :) Or maybe even someone who makes you laugh....you
>can't laugh and eat at the same time!


ROTFLMAO!! This is excellent advice!
 
:7 ROTFLMAO!

Michele - Yeah, counting doesn't sound so pleasant, does it. I've seen little contraptions that are about the size of a pedometer that you push the button every time you take a bite and you chew on the count and swallow when it tells you. That must make for a nice little meal, eh x( ? But I guess it's good to train you. But I don't think I want to be on that road.

Jen - Hey, you! It's good to see you! No, I can't imagine my fast eating is emotional eating (although in general I'm a go-go-go person so I guess I can't say it's totally not related). My dinner companions (I eat with my work partners 90% of the time) literally DRINK their meals. I didn't always eat this way, and it's really only in the last couple years that I've noticed - or rather that my friends and family have noticed and pester me ;-) . "Wow, you're so fast!" That's really brought it to my attention lately. (No duh. LOL.)

Ah yes! Find a cute guy to hot soup with. I think that's very good advice. I'm going to look into this. This sounds much better than a machine telling me when to swallow.

That last paragraph taken out of context would be a bit risque. :eek:

>I would be shocked if there weren't cute guys trying to keep her at the table longer!

That's a sweet thing to say. Of course, though, my dinner companions chew less than I, so they end up leaving the dinner table before I do anyway, cute or not. :*
 
I forgot to mention that I have a friend who has the same issue that you do, but she's been dealing with it longer. Her mom was not exactly the doting kind and was a very fast eater. Once her mom was finished with her own meal, she would clear the table of everyone's dishes, regardless of whether anyone else was finished or not. I eat lunch with her and see the results of this. She is one speed eater, I tell ya'.

I was also wondering if you are doing less yoga these days. If you've been around these guys the whole time, but only recently started to eat fast....you may want to give more yoga a try for awhile.

Well, good luck with everything! If it doesn't work to go slower, then try to go faster....maybe you can become a competitive eater! :)

Jen
 
>If it doesn't work to go slower, then try to go faster....maybe you can become a competitive eater!

LMAO. And it wouldn't take much effort, let me tell you! :)

I feel for your friend. I know someone who's mom would get up to pay the bill at the restaurant when she (and only she) was finished eating. What a bummer.

What's......"yoga"?

:eek:

Yeah, yoga. Haven't been doing it...at...all. Not fast-paced enough :p , just kidding, just kidding! I just plain out haven't been doing it lately. But I see where you're coming from. Slow down the pace of other things and the chewing will follow.

Hey, that's sort of deep. And yet not. :*

Thanks again for the thoughts. Tonight at dinner (not with the guys) I was mindful of chewing simply because this thread was on my mind, so thank you!
 
Hey August-I have to laugh because your question reminds me of every time at the dinner table I feel the weight of the stare of my husband and look up to notice that once again I am hunched over my plate, with fork hovering 2 inches above with a ravenous snarl coming out of my mouth-he is painstakingly trying to teach our daughters manners at the dinner table and I'm not helping-you see I grew up in a large family and survival instincts kick in-

Michele-you mention working with nurses and when I use to work with respiratory therapists they would come to the lunch table and start talking about body fluids, mucous (sp?) etc until one day they looked up and saw the horrified look on my face-LOL--deb
 
August,
Don't you find that if you eat too fast your tummy gets upset? If I'm feeling rushed or just not calm enough to eat something that requires good digestion, I just eat a larabar. For example, when I'm at work during the day and I'm stressed out, I stick with larabars or lunabars. Then, when I get home and can relax, I sit down at the table with my DH and eat a large, veggie-laden dinner. It's our one quiet time together, and we talk and take our time eating.

If I try to scarf down a real meal for lunch, I wind up with awful gas pains that remind me not to do it again! x( That doesn't happen to you?

Nancy
 
I've read the saying "drink your solids and eat your liquids," that is, chew your solids to a point where they are liquified (since digestion starts in the mouth) and work your liquids around in your mouth a while before swallowing.

Though counting every bite may not sound like fun, it can be somewhat meditative. And you don't have to do it for every mouthful, just the first few, until you get the idea of what well-chewed food feels like (I've often seen the recommendation to chew each mouthful 50 times). Then just take your time with your meal.
 
Deb - Your post totally cracked me up. :7

Nancy - I guess any tummy upset and the such hasn't deterred me enough to remind me to chew better. Actually, more than anything, this thread has been the most help in the last couple days LOL.

Kathryn - Yes, thanks for the info. I do know the info, it's just the remembering to follow it at meal times that eludes me!


I really need to tie a string on my finger or something.

Or else post on this thread every day LMAO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top