Eating too fast after bariatric surgery can be bad for your health. It’s not just about how much you eat, but the pace you eat that can affect your overall diet and weight loss goals. One essential lesson we want patients to know is they need to have a good relationship with food and exercise. That’s why we want to encourage slow eating when it comes to food.
It takes 20 seconds for your brain to know that you are full. Eating too fast won’t allow your body to have the time to tell you what’s going on, so we recommend chewing your food and learning to listen to your body’s cues.
Many studies have shown that people who eat fast have a larger appetite and are more likely to overeat. This results from not spending enough time chewing your food, which creates awareness around eating and alleviates feelings of hunger. Similarly, the longer we chew our food, the more time our brains have to release signals that convey fullness. This is one of the reasons your bariatric surgeon and dietitian will recommend you thoroughly chew your food. Other reasons are to avoid food getting stuck in your smaller pouch and to maximize food breakdown and nutrient absorption.
Consequences of Eating Too Fast after Bariatric Surgery
The body sends many signals back and forth from the stomach to the brain. If you don’t take time enough to listen to those signals, you’re going to overeat or eat the wrong things. You may also fall prey to some classic troubles that will make you gain weight. Other consequences of not listening to your body include diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. Signals from the body can come in one of two significant ways: electrical or hormonal.