Question:
Does anyone Chew up their food and then spit it into a napkin?
I was truelly depressed after WLS, to help me cope, I decided to chew up my food for the taste, then spit it out. That way, I am not swallowing it. My therapists says that this is okay. I was wondering if anyone else does this. — [Anonymous] (posted on February 19, 2002)
February 19, 2002
What you're doing sounds truly frightening, reminiscent of what anorexic
girls do. Remember, you must eat to live, and if you go into a starvation
mode your body is going to quit losing altogether, and you run the risk of
losing your health. I think what you're doing is truly dangerous if it is
carried too far.
— scottiemaam O.
February 19, 2002
You know, I don't respond to these very often, but I take offense to the
last post from someone. When I was newly post-op and couldn't eat
anything. In fact I was on liquids for close to 2 months due to a
stricture. There was more than once that I chewed something up and spit it
out. Honey, you didn't invent the practice. A lot of new post-ops have
done it, and a lot will do it. I wouldn't do it everyday, and I wouldn't
keep it up after you are back on regular food. I am not going to tell you
to do it when you are craving a taste, but I will tell you that it's
normal. How far out are you?
— John M.
February 19, 2002
Let me tell you, when I was first post-op, I did this often. But not into a
napkin, necessarily. For me, I had to be around people that were eating
fast food and good food allllll the time. And I was on the liquid diet for
_SIX_ weeks!!! So I would get a bite of a hamburger and chew it up, then
spit it out when it got gross. Same with pizza. Just a bite or two to get
the taste. Believe it or not, it really helped kill the craving because you
realized what you were smelling or tasting in your mind wasn't all it was
meant to be. I am now 4 months out and don't do it anymore, because a
little serving of a food will do just fine. hang in there--I have talked to
a bunch of folks that do the chewing/spitting, but not for a long period of
time.
— Craig A.
February 19, 2002
Spitting is a trigger for both anorexia and bulemia, but you need to know
why you're doing it. You are doing it to get a little flavor, relieve the
boredom and perhaps some cravings and that, in my opinion, is just fine. A
few weeks out I was chewing and spitting steak. I just had to have some
steak, my full liquids and puree was getting very very old, and it really
satisfied me. When I needed to crunch I ate celery and spit it, I really
chomped on that stuff to get my teeth and mouth on something that went
crunch. There is a big difference in spitting for these reasons, and in
spitting as a weight control device with other food issues. Personally I
think chewing and spitting after surgery is pretty darn normal. Take care
— Becky K.
February 19, 2002
My surgeon's nurse actually recommended this practice. She said if I got
real desparate and could be very disciplined not to swallow, that it was
fine to take a bite of something, chew it and spit it out.
— Gigi H.
February 19, 2002
I don't understand how any professional could advise such a
counter productive practice. Please do not become addicted to
this practice. You will only regret it. Sure, you spit the food
out now...but in 6 months when you can hold more food and your
desire for more food returns, you won't spit it out! Now is the time
to make those lifestyle changes. to accept that what you eat, how you
eat and when you eat has changed....forever. You are experiencing (I
believe..) food grief. We all go through this, to some extent. You
must develop coping mechanisms....they differ for each person. I need
sweets in my life; so I always have several sugar free, low carb treats
in my fridge and I always have one of the Atkins sugar free chocolate
bars in my purse. Sometimes, getting on my treadmill, when I start
craving cookies works. Fifteen minutes on the treadmill and those
cravings
vanish. Find out what works for you. And find a new therapist!
— [Anonymous]
February 19, 2002
I'll admit, I did this myself a few times within the first two months
post-op. I think, as long as you don't get into a habit, it's probably not
a big deal. Sometimes head hunger definitely gets the best of us!
— Terissa R.
February 19, 2002
I agree with anon 2 posts down. This is a potentially dangerous practice.
What you're doing is telling yourself that it is ok to have the food you
want as long as you don't swallow it. Bulemics say it is ok to binge on
the food they want as long as they purge. There really is no difference
between the two. I don't care how you want to justify it. Take the time
to develop the good habits that will help you to MAINTAIN the weight loss
after it is no longer easy to come off. Good luck and God Bless!
— Kimberly L.
February 19, 2002
This has got to be the most ridiculus thing I have ever heard,, it's like
saying I smoke but don't inhale!! it's still doing you harm...
— bikerchic
February 19, 2002
Go for it, at first it was the best way for me to cope
around all the smells, and the flavor was great But, like someone
else posted after a while you relise its not all its cracked up
to be and you relise you are not missing anything and you get
over it Good luck :)
— Rho
February 19, 2002
You are doing nothing wrong. As you can see many people have done this
including me. I was a couple months post op and wanted Chinese food. I knew
I could not eat that much but wanted sweet and sour pork so I had 2 pieces
chewed it up, satisfied my taste buds and spit it up in a napkin. I was
then able to have a couple bits of rice and that was that:)
— [Anonymous]
February 19, 2002
I did it all the time once I got the taste for food again.--
Neci
— Nynese W.
February 19, 2002
I've done it twice. My husband was having a delicious steak and I just
wanted a taste, but knew I couldn't handle digesting it. It tasted
delicious, one bite made me happy and I don't think it did any harm at all.
On the other hand, if this is an everyday thing I think I might be
concerned. It would be a good indication that you are still having
"food issues" and being contolled by food. I think that the
frequency of your doing this would be the indication of whether it is a
problem or not.
— Bobbie B.
February 20, 2002
I think the differences is peoples responses below are because they dont
know the whole story. Are you doing this for every meal? Or are you doing
this just every so often when you having a craving for something you are
not supposed to have? If you are doing this for every meal then I will
agree that this could become quite unhealthy for you
mentally/emotionally/physically. If you only do this when you eat something
you shouldn't and its just to get the taste I dont see the big deal. If it
is satisfying your cravings, then chew/spit to your hearts content!
— [Anonymous]
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