Ep 84: WLS Habits | Rapid Eating and Why It's So Important to Manage
This post is a companion to Episode 84 of the Bariatric Nutrition Coach Podcast. Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
This episode is dedicated entirely to one topic: rapid eating. Eating quickly. Wolfing food down. It is one of the most common habits I see in people before and after bariatric surgery — and managing it is one of the most important things you can do for your long-term results. If you remember only one thing from this episode, let it be this: rapid eating leads to overeating.
Why So Many People Eat Quickly
Our busy lives set us up for fast eating. We grab food on the go. We eat in front of screens. We rush through meals between other commitments. I would estimate eight out of ten people I worked with at a bariatric centre told me they ate quickly — and often the person next to them (a partner or family member) confirmed it even when they thought they ate normally. It is not a character flaw. It is a deeply ingrained habit, shaped by decades of lifestyle.
Why It Matters So Much After Surgery
When you eat quickly, food goes into your stomach faster than your body can register fullness. Your satiety hormones need time to communicate with your brain — around 15-20 minutes for the signal to arrive. If you eat fast, you have consumed well beyond your comfortable capacity before that signal comes. After bariatric surgery, where the goal is to eat a small amount slowly and stop when satisfied, rapid eating actively works against everything we are trying to achieve.
The outcomes go beyond just feeling uncomfortable after a meal. Over time, consistently overeating through rapid eating means consuming more energy than your body needs — which slows and eventually stops weight loss, and contributes to weight regain.
How to Eat More Slowly
It is easy to understand. Much harder to do. A few strategies that help: put your cutlery down between bites, take smaller bites than feel natural, chew each bite thoroughly before swallowing, eat without screens so you can pay attention to your food and your body, and find the slowest eater at any table and pace yourself with them. It is not about perfection — it is about practice. The more you practise, the more natural it becomes.
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Listen to the full conversation on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and subscribe so you never miss a new episode every Monday!