I tend to just eat over 30-45 min. I am pretty strict on myself with not drinking 10 min before or 30 min after. So with that I just eat then it gives me the time to drink fluids. It also prevents me from grazing all day. I do know their are a lot of people who will take breaks in between meals. Some I think have bought plate warmers so the food still stays warm when you come back to it later. Best of luck and keep up the fantastic progress!

Originally Posted by txredapple79

I tend to just eat over 30-45 min. I am pretty strict on myself with not drinking 10 min before or 30 min after. So with that I just eat then it gives me the time to drink fluids. It also prevents me from grazing all day. I do know their are a lot of people who will take breaks in between meals. Some I think have bought plate warmers so the food still stays warm when you come back to it later. Best of luck and keep up the fantastic progress!

Where did you find a plate warmer?

Amazon has plate warmers.

Amazon.com: plate warmer

I will have a few bites and think about whether or not my hunger has gone away or if my stomach is trying to tell me something. If I am eating alone, I use my iPad as a distraction or spacer to give myself time in between bites. If I am out eating with my wife, we have the server bring all of the food out at the same time should her meal have a salad. That way we can finish around the same time. If I am eating with co-workers (who may not know about my surgery), I eat what I can and ask for a box.

Or, since you are eating such small portions (I haven't dirtied a large dinner plate since surgery I don't think) so I use coffee cup saucers actually, those will easily fit on a coffee cup warmer like one of these. Mr. Coffee Black Mug Warmer : Target I have one for my actual coffee cup that plugs into my USB port on my PC and since I drink tea and coffee all day every day and I work from home I am on the PC nearly all the time.

I don't know that there is anything wrong with what you are doing, but my surgeon and nutritionist are pretty insistent on the 30 minute time frame for eating. The idea is that your stomach digests what it is fed - duh, right? Like drinking too soon after eating, you want to stay full as long as possible. The way you are eating, it sounds like you are never really hitting "full."

I still have trouble eating too fast, so I've been told to set my timer take a bite or two and then work on something else - either grade a paper or do some needlepoint. Then a few minutes of distraction later, I can decide if I need another bite. I do this until my 30 minutes is up and then whatever is left is put away or given to the dog. This keeps me to the 30 minute time frame and hit that full mark all while allowing me regulate how fast I'm eating.

I hope that helps you!

Originally Posted by HGfromOmaha

Amazon has plate warmers.

Amazon.com: plate warmer

I micro the plate hot. Just looking for something to "keep" it hot.

at first I ate alittle several times per day but eventually when you can eat bigger portions we are told to eat 3 meals a day and a snack only if needed.

I tend to do exactly the same thing. Sometimes while I'm eating, I just lose interest and push my plate away or, while waiting in between bites, I've forgotten that I was eating until I look over and see my plate!

I think the big concern with this is you are getting into a habit of grazing all day. This is not a good idea. I was warned by my PCP that the people he knows that have ended up gaining most of their weight back did it by grazing all day. So, try to plan 5 200 calorie meals/snack, eat what you can of each one in 30 minutes, drink 16oz of water between. As you can increase the calories you can eat at a sitting, decrease the calories of the snack, although about the time that happens, you'll be ready to increase your daily calories.

Thank y'all for your comments.... I don't want to graze... It really takes effort to eat now. Who would have thought!