I previously talked about what I eat, but it turns out there are different eating processes that are needed after surgery.
Speed, or lack thereof: Because my stomach can’t hold much, I want to put only a small amount there at a time. So it’s important to eat slowly to allow my stomach to process food effectively. I typically use teaspoons and salad forks, which helps me take smaller bites.
Chew, chew, chew: By taking away part of my stomach, I don’t have the digestive capability I used to have. Digestion starts in the mouth, so I need to utilize that digestive path more. This means chewing food much more thoroughly than I ever did. This is the hardest for me! But if I don’t, the food will pass through my stomach without me getting optimal nutrition from it.
Small plates: This is purely psychological. A full plate is satisfying, so having a small plate means I can more easily fill it.
Not drinking when eating: Related to chewing, I need to give my stomach a chance to do its work. So I don’t drink while eating, or for 20-30 minutes after, to avoid pushing the food out of my stomach before it can be fully digested. This was a really hard habit to change; I’ve been working on this for months. I do allow myself a tiny swallow to rinse my mouth after finishing, but I don’t drink anything significant until I’ve waited a while.
This one gets weird when eating soup. I am used to sipping the soup while eating the chewy stuff. I need to get used to eating the chewy stuff, and then pausing before finishing up the wet stuff.
