I found a new weapon in the weight loss battle!
By dragon54u
@dragon54u (31636)
United States
September 24, 2010 8:42am CST
It's very simple and I learned it from watching thin people eat. You might need a mirror for the first few times. We all know we should eat slowly and take small bites, right? That's hard to do sometimes. I saw that thin people take bites and chew and you'd never know they had food in their mouths because their cheeks don't bulge! Yep, those are really tiny bites! But see how good those people look! 
I finally got the hang of it, too. If my cheek bulges, it's too big of a bite. It's easy for me because I chew only on one side of my mouth due to tooth sensitivity on the other side. So try it.
I get really full and there's even food left on my plate. Eating slowly like this gives your stomach time to know it's filling up instead of shoveling everything down in huge bites--did you know your stomach doesn't know it's full for 20 minutes after you begin eating? The small bites help stretch the time and give your tummy the chance to let you know it's time to stop.
Anyone else got any tips that work painlessly? I really enjoy my food now!
I finally got the hang of it, too. If my cheek bulges, it's too big of a bite. It's easy for me because I chew only on one side of my mouth due to tooth sensitivity on the other side. So try it.
I get really full and there's even food left on my plate. Eating slowly like this gives your stomach time to know it's filling up instead of shoveling everything down in huge bites--did you know your stomach doesn't know it's full for 20 minutes after you begin eating? The small bites help stretch the time and give your tummy the chance to let you know it's time to stop.
Anyone else got any tips that work painlessly? I really enjoy my food now!3 people like this
10 responses
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
24 Sep 10
The one I'm really trying to work on is drinking 2 glasses of water shortly before dinner. And I like using a smaller bowl, there's a few we have that hold maybe a cup worth so if I have 2 I don't feel guilty as I would with a regular cereal bowl, but in a way still had that 2nd helping *LOL*
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
24 Sep 10
I have no problem with water, I drink it all day! I do the small dishes, too. I use a saucer for lunch and a shallow bowl for dinner. The bowl will hold some chicken, vegetables, etc. but I'm forced to dish out small portions. For casseroles and such I have little dessert bowls. I rarely use my cereal bowls except for oatmeal or cream of wheat, which I love in the winter.
I need to get some smaller cereal bowls. I'm going to visit the thrift shop this weekend and get some. Oats and cream of wheat are good for you but I like to see my bowl filled, not 2/3 empty! 
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
25 Sep 10
Lovinangelsinstead, I love oats with brown sugar, too!! But adding currants makes it doubly delicious and nutritious!
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
24 Sep 10
Hiya dragon,
Oats I love Porridge Oats and I always make big saucepans full of them. Trouble is I´m the only one that eats them.
Well I fill my Bowl up to the top too no chance of me being like Oliver Twist in that case asking for second helpings.
I love Porridge with a bit of brown Sugar on the top nothing else.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
25 Sep 10
I agree, I have watched the roomie's family eat and they do that
they take a pork chop, cut the meat out, cut it in half, maybe, and stuff that half in their mouths. I was taught to cut it into many pieces, but since I've been on this diet, I've noticed that I am still eating too big a mouthful, tho I'm doing better...
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
25 Sep 10
Ew! How do they enjoy their food?!
This new way of eating drives my dogs nuts. They always get the last bite of my food if it's something healthy (which it usually is) and now they have to wait much longer! 
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Sep 10
hi dragon54u I havenotice my filippina tablemate takes these tiny bites and wow she has a great figure too. So yes I tried it and found that I was really full and had not ate all the food on my plate. This is a great hint also do drink enough water as our bodies need it and besides a lot ot times I feel like I want to nibble on something when really I am thirsty so I drink a large glass of cool water and the niblle notion goes away.Drinkjng a glass of water an hour before a meal will slow down that ravenous feeling so you just eat moderately instead of stuffing your self.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
26 Sep 10
I found out about the water trick a few years ago. I was really surprised to read that sometimes we think we're hungry when our body actually wants water but isn't dehydrated enough to make us thirsty! The small bites work and besides, we look so much more attractive when we eat when our cheeks aren't doing imitations of chipmunks!
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
25 Sep 10
I always get this advice to eat really slowly. Impatient as I am, I always violate this rule.
It takes a lot of discipline for me but okay, I am willing to take it seriously!
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
25 Sep 10
You'll be glad you did! I'm enjoying my food more, tasting all the flavors and appreciating the textures. Smaller bites and good chewing are good for you!
@gdesjardin (1918)
• United States
25 Sep 10
Hi Dragon. I think your theory works if what you are putting in your mouth is healthy food, or for people that eat too much in a short period of time. My problem is I don't eat a lot, but I eat all the wrong things. I love vegetables, which are good for you, but I have to lot them with butter...not good! I was also able to eat whatever I wanted when I was younger and never gained a pound. Some where in my middle 20s that all changed. My metabolism I believe was birthed out with my oldest son! LOL I do eat slow (when I am not eating on the run), and take fairly small bites, but I have to learn to eat more healthier things with out all the extra (like butter and stuff). On the other hand, my husband (who looks like a stick figure) can eat and eat and eat and never gains any weight. Sometimes I watch him eat and I can get sick to my stomach the amount that he puts in his mouth.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
25 Sep 10
People like your husband are blessed! But we aren't so we have to make changes. I used to love butter on everything but when I needed to lose 100 pounds I made some drastic changes--you don't want to get where I was, do you? I would still love butter on my vegetables but I use the "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" spray and it's nearly as good! It has no calories, either! A few adjustments like this and you'll be in good shape in no time.
I hope you're enjoying the same great weather we have here in Ohio--yesterday it was in the 90's but for the next 5 days at least the temps won't go over 75!
I hope you're enjoying the same great weather we have here in Ohio--yesterday it was in the 90's but for the next 5 days at least the temps won't go over 75! 1 person likes this
@gdesjardin (1918)
• United States
27 Sep 10
It is actually cold down here in Chattanooga, TN. It is 63, but it is raining and it is a cold rain. I am certainly not complaining, as I enjoy this weather. We are suppose to have a cold front running through it...thank goodness. This summer has been terrible down here. I definitely will enjoy the cooler temps.
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
24 Sep 10
Hiya dragon,
This is a habit we were taught when we were small in our case it was. We always had to "hurry" our Dinners pretty quick. I got to realize that I was eating too fast and I try to slow down as well and it is not easy to kick that habit but I am still working on it every Day. I have to stop myself from rushing the Food and everything I do.
I don´t think that we were the only ones that learned this bad habit either. Seems that where I went to School there were a few others.
Good for you if you have managed to kick that habit.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
25 Sep 10
My mom always tried to make us eat slowly but somehow I never could do it. Small bites works for me but I have to remind myself not to hurry! All those years of being married to a hurried eater, I didn't want to be left at the table by myself, it was lonely and made me feel sad, I think that is still there. But creating a new, healthier habit takes some time. This habit, at least, is beneficial and enjoyable!
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
25 Sep 10
Hiya dragon,
The other Post has vanished. However I thought about you yesterday and have stopped eating so fast today and have learned to be thankful also for what I have eaten. I feel good about that as I never take anything like food or House for granted something that I have learned over a long time. So I combine the two things and I enjoy my food much better.
See if I can convert these lot to stop bolting their food all the time.
The other Post has vanished. However I thought about you yesterday and have stopped eating so fast today and have learned to be thankful also for what I have eaten. I feel good about that as I never take anything like food or House for granted something that I have learned over a long time. So I combine the two things and I enjoy my food much better.
See if I can convert these lot to stop bolting their food all the time.
@GardenGerty (157552)
• United States
24 Sep 10
That goes along with some stuff I did one time, only eating when hungry and stopping with full. Never said anything about the size of bites, though, but I am sure that would make things better for me. I know I eat much more slowly when I have someone to talk to during the meal. I will have to be sure to try a mirror. I have also learned not to let my husband serve my food. He knows I need to lose weight, and he wants me to be healthy, but he also wants to make sure I get enough to eat. I do much better with lots of small meals or snacks during the day. I usually eat four times while the guys are at work, then a pretty good size meal at supper. Today I ate more for the first meal (at 6:00 a.m.) and may not want anything now. I am also working on more fiber in my diet.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
24 Sep 10
Fiber is a problem for me because I dislike vegetables and fruit. I'll eat them but I'd much rather have something sweet and/or fattening. I solved that by making muffins from egg substitute, blueberries, oat bran, raisins or currants and a heaping pile of Fiber One cereal! Each serving of that cereal has 14g of fiber, more than half of what they say we need each day. I also put it in Gus's food bowl and (along with pumpkin and pears) it helps keep his constipation at bay.
You can be really inventive with your food and sneak in stuff you don't like. That's how I have to do it--no matter how much they tout behavior modification, I will never enjoy eating what's good for me so I have to work around it!
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
25 Sep 10
I've heard all that you wrote, but the reminder was needed. Thank you.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
25 Sep 10
We sometimes need reminders, don't we? My mom raised us to eat slowly and chew well but adulthood introduced me to a lot of bad habits!
Someone else brought up another good habit, drinking at least one glass of water before a meal.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
24 Sep 10
It sure piles on fast, doesn't it?! I would not imagine that you would be even a pound overweight, with all the work you have to do on your property!
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
25 Sep 10
Yes, it does make us fat because our stomach doesn't know it's fed for about 20 minutes. If we can make our food last at least that long before we go for the second portion we can make some progress in weight loss.
Relax, enjoy your food and you'll see the pounds melt away. I'm way too fat, it makes me uncomfortable, so I hope this works!
