#3 Fast Food
I know, you thought that I talked about that yesterday, but I am not referring to the roadside food brothels, but me. Sometimes I eat my food FAST, really fast. I hate it. I have two speeds really fast, and really slow. On busy days, I run a million miles a minute - I dash to and fro enjoying my speed, impressing myself with my complete worth as a mother. I instinctively go faster, When I know I have to rush to get someone somewhere, I forget to slow down, I forget that once the child is delivered, I am free. The rush is over, I can let my death grip on the steering wheel go. My tension should be released. Noooo not for me, I rush to the store, I rush to the school, I rush on my errands. It then becomes impossible for me to eat slow. When I eat fast I eat too much. Simple.
Yesterday is a good example, I rushed everywhere, every hour was scheduled. First thing in the morning I reset my odometer for a new route I wanted to run and as the day went on I found that I had driven 31 miles without leaving my city limits, in fact I don't think I went past a 15 mile radius, just up and down my hill, over and over. Instead of lunch I ate everything in my purse, cranberries, almonds, saltines - I had a weeks worth, but I kept refuling a full belly. When I got home I rushed around getting snacks for the teeming masses, while doing so I nervously ate and dramatically thought "would I get to soccer on time??" (of course dummy, it is only a ten minute drive) "How was I going to get my two-year old back into her car seat?? (Little Mermaid dvd, silly) By dinner time I was frantic though I had the rest of the night off, I made dinner at warp speed, I rushed the family to the table, we had the two year old say the prayer (she says the shortest) and I commenced eating. It was a frenzy that I was helpless to stop. Picture Cookie Monster. That was me. I am weak.
So here I am a 39 year old sesamie street character. I have no solutions, no ideas that work, I am a helpless victim of my speed. This is no lie, no dramatization, I could line up my children and get their testimonials. I turn this problem to you the readers of this blog, even the lurkers, I could use ideas for this terminal condition. I am a speed eater. I have no evasive manuvers, I only recognize the problem. Oh that there really was a "chill out" button I could switch on. Help - Anyone?
19 comments:
A realistic schedule and then a willingness to cut things out can help. Sometimes an inability to say no can be the underlying culprit.
Run only as fast as you are able.
These thoughts come from your friendly neighborhood hypocrite.
When you find the answer clue me in!! I vacillate between eating too fast when I'm in a that rushed state or not eating at all.
"..enjoying my speed, impressing myself..." LOL!! High five!! thumbs up!! Booty Bump!!! I feel ya baby!! Why do I feel the most accomplished when I'm the most rushed and pressed for time?? Because I'm the Mom, that's why.
I don't even have the excuse of rushing to things because, so far, I manage to keep things pretty simple around here. But...I still eat fast. It's like I don't enjoy it as much as I think I do and I just want to get it over with. The funny thing is, my seven year old, Seth, shovels his food in and it drives me crazy. I'm always telling him to "slow down" and actually taste his food. A-ha....
I agree with the general.
Fast eating is a big problem for me too. I find I have gotten hungry, so I inhale the food and then realize I hardly tasted it because I ate it so fast, so of course I eat seconds purely for the flavor.
I keep thinking back to that childhood rule of chewing your food 32 times(which still seems a little insane to me)...maybe you should pick a reasonable number of times to chew, and even if you are still chewing very fast, if you are counting, then you will still be taking longer.
Also waiting for 20 minutes between helpings of food to determine if you are really still hungry. For me, I have a hard time determining the difference between hungry and just, not full. We don't need to eat until we feel full...just until we don't feel hungry anymore.
The best help I can think of is the help you are already using. Maybe you should pray for help in slowing down...
On days like that (yesterday for me too!) I have to literally remove myself from my day (and MYSELF!). I lock myself in my room, I take my 15 month old daughter to the park, whatever it takes! I have to consciously s-l-o-w-d-o-w-n... take deep breaths, close your eyes, keep a BOM in the door of your van to refer to, all of these things work. Really! I am a confirmed "speedy gonzales" and have had to find a way to unwind myself. GOOD LUCK!
What a great post--my husband is a Type-A personality and is always moving. Hence, our dinner meals are always eaten in a big hurry. My 16 y.o. has developed the habit, too.
I think most people struggle with feeling there is too little time to get way too much done. I like what G.W. said about running only as fast as you are able and learning to say no. (When you figure out how to do that, let me know)
Here is rule to slow down at the dinner table: first one up has to start the dishes.
When we implemented that we all sat around the table and talked. It made dinner a lot more relaxed.
I love the idea of the first one up starts dishes. I have been thinking about this all day, here is what I have come up with, its not great, but it might help somebody. maybe just making sure you put down your fork in between each bite, and swallowing your food before you pick it up again.
drink a glass of water before you start eating. eat an apple or something hard and crunchy, to make you slow down. because if you eat those too fast you will choke, and it also helps to get rid of the super hungry feeling that might be making you scarf down your food. these things help me, here's hoping they help you too!
good luck.
Thanks general, you got me on the no thing.
Spidermom, I loved the booty bump - but apparently you are a bit younger than I because my hip went out.
Lucy, I get the mom thing, I am horrified when I see my kids eat the way I do, and I tell them about it, no problem, now If I could squash the hypocrite thing life would be good.
Hi carrot, thanks
Heffalump - I remember reading once about a man named Horace Fletcher (1849–1919) according to wikipedia -"was an American health-food faddist of the Victorian era who earned the nickname "The Great Masticator," by arguing that food should be chewed thirty two times — or, about 100 times per minute — before being swallowed: "Nature will castigate those who don't masticate." He invented elaborate justifications for his claim.
Fletcher and his followers recited and followed his instructions religiously, even claiming that liquids, too, had to be chewed in order to be properly mixed with saliva. Fletcher argued that his mastication method will increase the amount of strength a person could have while actually decreasing the amount of food that they consumed (Fletcher, 1913, 20). Fletcher promised that "Fletcherizing," as it became known, would turn "a pitiable glutton into an intelligent epicurean."
Fletcher also advised against eating before being "Good and Hungry", or while angry or sad. I think I like this guy, except I am wary to chew my drink. Thanks for the remind.
Amy and Heffalump- "smack" that is the sound of me hitting my head. Why did I forget so fast? I love the idea of putting a small bom in my van. THANKYOU! and Of course I need to pray -"duh calamity"
Yvonne, thanks, I have to really get the feel of how fast is reasonable for me, and slow down to that speed.
General - I love that rule, you should have implemented it when you saw me plowing through the corn. I hate dishes. Maybe I should sit across from you instead of beside you.
Davis Family - I love the putting the fork down idea, and I think the water thing could help. I am trying it tonight. Thanks for the tips.
I am going to start everyones ideas tonight! Thanks!
Here's my $.02...
Start with eating something you really like, like chocolate for instance and eat it really slow savoring the flavor in your mouth. (I know you can do that, I read about how you eat a chocolate kiss!). My sister and I were on a road trip this summer and we got a candy bar to share (ok, we got more than one, but we were on a road trip!). There were four pieces so we each took one. She was ready for her second piece before I was halfway through with my first!
When implemented my one treat per day I realized that I needed to really enjoy that one treat, because it was all I was going to get. So I slowed down to make it last longer! It became a habit and I have noticed that it carried over to the other things I was eating as well. I love food! But when I consciencly (sp?) make myself slow down I find I enjoy it so much better and I am more satisfied after the meal.
Mindyluwho - this one treat a day thing has me intrigued. I am going to implement it my life, I am going to start with a lindor ball, the milk chocolate kind. I love your idea! Thanks!
Reading that post made me run out of breath!
You need to watch this video and realize that you sound like the guy in the middle. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9FHn-2a6LM
Marc you caught me at my moonlighting job, but you are mistaken, I am the 110 lb russian girl being bench pressed. Somebody has got to bring home the bacon.
Boy oh boy oh boy! I'm a fast eater, too. I learned from my dad. I remember as a little girl trying to impress him by doing exactly what he was doing--taking big bites and eating as fast as I could so I could be the first one to have seconds. He just got upset with me for taking such big bites! And history repeats itself . . . My biggest motivator to slow down and enjoy my food is watching my kids mirror my actions!
The only other solution to the problem of life being so hectic with a bunch of kids is to wait awhile--they'll all grow up and leave us before you know it. Then you can come over to MY house and we'll take all the time in the world to savor a scrumptious, healthful lunch!
I agree with Tammy, in this world of outside activities with kids, it's only till after they are gone before that part of our lives will slow down...at least that's what I'm hoping for when I am in the middle of my 3pm-8pm carpool! Can I come over for that scrumptious healthful lunch too?!
P.S. If you're talking about Lindt chocolate truffles, those are my very favorite...I love the dark chocolate. I slowly savor the outside and then get to the creamy middle...and then it goes too fast!
Mmmm...that one treat a day thing sounds good. Unfortunately, I can't control myself around good chocolate, so it's staying out of my house.......unless I can count the one teaspoon of dark hot cocoa mix that I add to my Postum! Mocha, anyone? Yummy!!!
I am a fast eater too. The only time I can slow down is if I don't do anything else when I eat but concentrate on my food. If I'm distracted in any way (like reading blogs ;D) My food gets inhaled. I know my eggs that I just ate tasted good, I could tell from the fleeting flavor as they hurtled down my throat!
If I focus on the flavor and texture, I naturally slow down and enjoy it more. I'm enjoying reading these comments. It's embarrassing when I realize that I could practically swallow a naval submarine with only a chew or two.
Tammy maybe we could eat every lunch together and kick eachother under the table if the other even mildly resembles a hoover. and yes Mindy you can come too.
Rebecca - you crack me up. I laughed out loud when I read your comment.
"My food gets inhaled. I know my eggs that I just ate tasted good, I could tell from the fleeting flavor as they hurtled down my throat!
If I focus on the flavor and texture, I naturally slow down and enjoy it more. I'm enjoying reading these comments. It's embarrassing when I realize that I could practically swallow a naval submarine with only a chew or two.I am sure I can"
Amen sister, I will get spidermom to do a booty bump with you!
I'm so happy to have added a laugh to your day! :D
You give us all so much to think about...you're becoming quite the daily inspiration for me.
Thank you!
Post a Comment