Quite possibly a silly question

[SkaPaladin]

I learned a while back, that when someone is eating while distracted, whether by tv, or music, or reading, or what have you... they have a tendency to overeat, because they aren't paying attention to whether they have had enough food yet.

I've also learned that when you stretch out a meal, you can eat more.

And, I have also learned that when you overeat, it's difficult to be active, because your body needs some time to digest some of that food. I'm sure you've all over eaten at least once. If not food, then too much water. We know how Atkins'ers love that H20.

My question is, on Atkin's we eat until we are full. If we were to eat a little faster, more than likely, we might get full faster, right? I mean, if we don't give the food time to settle and make more room for it.

Or is it better to eat the entire portions that you have served yourself?

[Jeudrietr]

Re: Quite possibly a silly question

I have always thought of it as the opposite. It takes 15 minutes or so (just a guess) for your body to 'register' that you're eating or that you're full. If you eat quickly, you can consume a LOT of food before your body realizes what's happening. If you eat slowly, you'll only have eaten half as much before your body realizes it. So, by eating slowly, you're eating less!

[Brook]

Re: Quite possibly a silly question

Generally speaking, I tell newbies the same thing Jeudrietr just told you. They say it takes 15-20 minutes for your brain to figure out your belly isn't hungry anymore.

BUT..LOL

I am someone who can put large amounts of food down if I sit and pick and take my time. I've been known to sit at the table for hours and pick at what's in front of me. Before I know it...I've eaten the whole whatever-it-was. I totally know what you mean.

If eating faster works for you, do it. If eating slower works for you...do it. In the meantime, work on it ya know?

The best thing you can do is eat until your hunger is satisfied.

[LosingItNow]

Re: Quite possibly a silly question

What I have learned is the reason why you are supposed to eat slowly is that it takes 20 minutes (I believe that is the time) for your mind to tell you that you are full. Therefore, if you eat fast, you can overeat before you realize that you are full.

If I am eating and I feel full, I leave what is left. Why eat, if I am not hungry? If I am still hungry while I eat, I finish what I served and get seconds if need be.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Quite possibly a silly question

felling full is a function of the stretch receptors in the stomach sending a siganal to the brain move this food around. We aon Atkins are not using that as hunger.

Distracted eating is because the area in the brain that sends out signals I'm eating when we are doing something else isn't abel to send signals and those we truely don't know we ate theat whole bag of chips while watching TV until our hand hits the bottom of the bag.

the slow eating 20 min is because some of the food is absorbed and triggers a blood sugar increase which tiggers chems that shut off that low blood sugar hunger issues.
As I progressed on my Atkins I discovered eating and then being distracted from the food by something in another room or other place in the room i was eating where I actualy had to get up and leave the plate caused me to realize just how little it took to effect that blood sugar hunger trigger. A few bites and wham I was no longer hungry. I could then cause my belly wasn't full sit and eat more but my hunger was satistied so I covered the plate and did something else. some days yep a few hours later i would get hungry agasin but that is the beauty of Atkins I can eat again the min I am hungry again. other days those few bites woiuld last till the 6 hr rule kicked in and I had to have the small snack Dr Atkins says to have at that point.

I highkly recommend changing your eating habits. Our orginal ones were the ones that got us fat in the fiorst place.
if yi need 20 min eating to stop try having appetizers and courses of your meal

if you need belly muscle activation eat a large bulky low carb food first to activate those the tummy churning and stretch receptors siganls early in your meal a high soluble fiber food will soak up water and stretch your belly even before you get much cals in. that was the theory behind the eating those small fiber crackers before a meal diet a few yrs ago.

[Heather150]

Re: Quite possibly a silly question

Its best to learn what real portion sizes are, and then eat your meal SLOWLY!
It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to send a signal to the brain to say you're full. The slower you eat, the less you will eat, and the more full you will feel. If you scarf your meal down, and go for more because you don't feel "full", then you're overstuffing your body with food IT doesn't need, but with food you think you want.

I use these tricks

I use a sandwich plate for my meals.
I use my fist as a protein portion. It shouldn't be bigger than your fist, or a deck of cards.
I put my fork down in between bites.
I chew my food thoroughly.
I try not to watch TV, read, etc. I sit in my dining room, eat, get up and go back to an activity.
Changing your lifestyle really does work, you just have to do it for it to work.

[chrisie_20]

Re: Quite possibly a silly question

felling full is a function of the stretch receptors in the stomach sending a siganal to the brain move this food around. We aon Atkins are not using that as hunger.

Distracted eating is because the area in the brain that sends out signals I'm eating when we are doing something else isn't abel to send signals and those we truely don't know we ate theat whole bag of chips while watching TV until our hand hits the bottom of the bag.

the slow eating 20 min is because some of the food is absorbed and triggers a blood sugar increase which tiggers chems that shut off that low blood sugar hunger issues.
As I progressed on my Atkins I discovered eating and then being distracted from the food by something in another room or other place in the room i was eating where I actualy had to get up and leave the plate caused me to realize just how little it took to effect that blood sugar hunger trigger. A few bites and wham I was no longer hungry. I could then cause my belly wasn't full sit and eat more but my hunger was satistied so I covered the plate and did something else. some days yep a few hours later i would get hungry agasin but that is the beauty of Atkins I can eat again the min I am hungry again. other days those few bites woiuld last till the 6 hr rule kicked in and I had to have the small snack Dr Atkins says to have at that point.

I highkly recommend changing your eating habits. Our orginal ones were the ones that got us fat in the fiorst place.
if yi need 20 min eating to stop try having appetizers and courses of your meal

if you need belly muscle activation eat a large bulky low carb food first to activate those the tummy churning and stretch receptors siganls early in your meal a high soluble fiber food will soak up water and stretch your belly even before you get much cals in. that was the theory behind the eating those small fiber crackers before a meal diet a few yrs ago.

I agree completely!
Chrisie 23

Start Date 2-28-06
Goal Date 01-01-07

[not2late]

Re: Quite possibly a silly question

It depends on how long you stretch that meal out. If you eat "Ancient Roman Banquet" style where the meal lasts for hours, and where you take breaks between courses (to watch dancing girls and smooch with your dinner partner), then yes, it's possible to eat "more". But if you stretch your meal out to, say, 30 minutes instead of 10, you'll feel that you will be more satisfied with your meal.

I've found that if I take smaller bites and thoroughly chew my food, I am satisfied with the meal and I don't feel "full" or "bloated" afterwards. I take smaller bites because I learned that if I take huge forkfulls and eat it fast, I don't really taste my food, so I need to eat more in order to taste it better.

[kibskix]

Re: Quite possibly a silly question

There was a show on about this the other night. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that its full. They did a study with two guys eating hot dogs, one eating as fast as he could and the other eating slowly and chewing very well. I believe they both ended up eating 4, were both rather stuffed.

[SkaPaladin]

Re: Quite possibly a silly question

That's what I was thinking. With my work schedule, I don't get to sit and enjoy my meals as I would like. First, I wake up like at 2-3pm. Then, I take my vitamins, and depending on my mood, I eat breakfast, or take a shower. Then, depending on what I did first, I do the other. My first break is at 9:30pm and it's usually 1/2 and hour, to 45 minutes. I use that as my lunch time. My last break is normally at 12:30, and I use that as my dinner time. (I prepare the same thing for lunch and dinner, so it's usually salad and some sort of meat product.) And at the end of the day, 3am normally, I come home, and eat a little something and sleep.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

My thing is, my 15 minute break isn't enough for me to feel full, but I get that full feeling when I eat it kinda fast. Granted, I stay within my portions, because that's all I brought.

Just a thought, though.

[SkaPaladin]

Re: Quite possibly a silly question

Dangit, I did the ticker thing wrong.

[Elizellen]

Re: Quite possibly a silly question

I put my fork down in between bites.
I chew my food thoroughly.

These two 'tricks' are ones I started to use when I noticed that as soon as I was swallowing one forkful I had already loaded my fork again for the next bite
Once I made sure I had chewed and swallowed one mouthful before picking up my knife and fork for the next mouthful I began to notice I felt satisfied earlier in the meal and could leave some on the plate!

Also by allowing my food to linger in my mouth so my tastebuds could get to work it lets me actually taste the different flavours better.