# How do I stop from eating so much? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 5, 2023, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592 "2023-05-05T04:42:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/81 "2023-05-20T16:27:50Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Could be the very reality of being properly hydrated reduces those cravings. I think that’s a big part of it. Consider drinking a full glass of water before eating a meal; you may find that you are less ravenous for food when eating. I also think that cravings are reduced by eating a well rounded diet. If you finish you meal with some fresh fruit, I don’t think you’ll feel as eager to consume candy or dessert later on. (and if you eat the whole fruit - not just the juice - you get the fiber benefit that should offset any worry about consuming sugar) ---
**Author:** ![knavette57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knavette57/32/3871_2.png) [@knavette57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knavette57)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/82 "2023-05-20T16:38:11Z")
How true about the medications! My appetite increases, and suddenly, I eat like a truck driver at the truck stop buffet. I have had to just be mindful of this fact, and eat slowly. Someone mentioned consulting with your care team, and that is what I have done, too. Drinking plenty of water can help, too, bc it fills your stomach and in my case, that does dull my appetite. I have kept my weight reasonable, but only bc I am older and of average height for a female and a few pounds pudges me up, makes me uncomfortable. All this gives me incentive, and I have been thin, so I don’t like how draggy I feel, but I am working on losing just the 10 lbs I have gained. It is a challenge, losing weight, whether it is 10lbs or 110. Good Luck to you! ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/83 "2023-05-21T18:22:44Z")
Two things I’ve started doing since the OP: When eating I take a bite, put down my fork, and fully chew and swallow the food in my mouth before picking the fork back up. Fully stopped drinking all pop, diet or otherwise, and learned to enjoy plain, sparkling water. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2023, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/84 "2023-05-21T19:28:42Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Fully stopped drinking all pop, diet or otherwise, This, I need to learn to do. I stopped the diet pop, which is a good thing, but I switched to sugared because without the caffiene, I feel run down. I do drink hot and iced tea but then I miss the carbonation. And I don’t like sparking water unless I’m really thirsty. Working on it. Suggestions welcome. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2023, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/85 "2023-05-21T19:32:44Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Lose the soda. Soda is syrup and sugar. It’s garbage. I discovered that what I actually liked about soda was the “bubbly”, so I drink one carbonated water a day. Zero calories, but plenty of “bubbly”. I really disliked carbonated water but I decided to try to focus on the “bubbly” and I found that it only took me a couple of days to begin to quite enjoy it. Another bonus is you can still drink it after you’ve brushed your teeth! ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/86 "2023-05-22T01:06:08Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Two things I’ve started doing since the OP: > > When eating I take a bite, put down my fork, and fully chew and swallow the food in my mouth before picking the fork back up. > > Fully stopped drinking all pop, diet or otherwise, and learned to enjoy plain, sparkling water. Well done you! I’m sure that, on top of hopefully upping your exertions even a little with help you. > [@carnut](#): > > I stopped the diet pop, which is a good thing, but I switched to sugared because without the caffiene, I feel run down. I do drink hot and iced tea but then I miss the carbonation. And I don’t like sparking water unless I’m really thirsty. Working on it. Suggestions welcome. Half coffee, half carbonated water? ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/87 "2023-05-22T11:02:42Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Another bonus is you can still drink it after you’ve brushed your teeth! Ah! Exactly! LOL ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/88 "2023-05-22T12:22:26Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Another bonus is you can still drink it after you’ve brushed your teeth! This is not a good idea. C02 reacts with water to form Carbolic Acid, which is pretty bad for teeth. When you put a tooth in Coke and it dissolves disgustingly, a lot of that work is being done by the acid from the C02, not from the sugar. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/89 "2023-05-22T13:24:13Z")
Thanks for the effort, but I don’t do coffee. I wish I could get past the taste, ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/90 "2023-05-22T13:26:11Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > When eating I take a bite, put down my fork, and fully chew and swallow the food in my mouth before picking the fork back up. Smart move! There is research to show that it takes a little while for brain to catch up to your stomach and register that you’re full. > [@](#): > > It takes approximately 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your [brain](https://www.webmd.com/brain/picture-of-the-brain-vue3) to send out signals of fullness. Leisurely eating allows ample time to trigger the signal from your [brain](https://www.webmd.com/brain/ss/slideshow-concussions-brain-injuries) that you are full. And feeling full translates into eating less. > **[Slow Down, You Eat Too Fast](https://www.webmd.com/obesity/features/slow-down-you-eat-too-fast)** > > Eat less and enjoy it more with mindful eating In fact, for those who are obese, the delay is even more pronounced. > [@](#): > > …for those who are obese, it may take almost twice as long for their brains to get the message, according to researchers at the University of Florida’s Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute… > > The responses to food in the hypothalamic region of the obese patients’ brains were not only weaker but also significantly delayed, taking four to nine minutes longer to occur. [https://news.ufl.edu/archive/2003/02/obese-people-experience-delay-in-feeling-full-uf-researchers-find.html](https://news.ufl.edu/archive/2003/02/obese-people-experience-delay-in-feeling-full-uf-researchers-find.html) ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/91 "2023-05-22T15:22:27Z")
> [@tofor](#): > > This is not a good idea. C02 reacts with water to form Carbolic Acid, which is pretty bad for teeth. When you put a tooth in Coke and it dissolves disgustingly, a lot of that work is being done by the acid from the C02, not from the sugar. I didn’t even think about that! After reading it I went to do some research and found this article which says carbonated water does little harm to your teeth/enamel. > **[Is Carbonated Water Bad for Your Teeth?｜Calgary｜Ti Dental](https://tidental.ca/is-carbonated-water-bad-for-your-teeth/)** > > It's known that carbonated soft drinks can harm your teeth, but what about carbonated water? Learn how it affects your teeth, plus tips to protect your smile. I guess what I’ll do if I have sparkling water in the evening, is have a bit of plain water before I call it a night. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/92 "2023-05-22T15:25:55Z")
> [@tofor](#): > > When you put a tooth in Coke and it dissolves disgustingly, a lot of that work is being done by the acid from the C02, not from the sugar. This has been debunked. [Snopes](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/coke-dissolves-teeth/) > - Coca-Cola will not dissolve a tooth (or a nail, or a penny, or a piece of meat) overnight. [BBC Science Focus](https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/can-a-tooth-left-in-cola-overnight-dissolve/) > With its sugar, carbonic and phosphoric acids, cola would seem well able to dissolve teeth. But so can many acidic drinks, including orange juice: there’s nothing especially nasty about cola. The idea that it can destroy teeth literally overnight appears to be an urban myth with its origins in misquoted statements made by a Cornell University professor in 1950. [The Hmmmm… Schooling Mom](https://thehmmmschoolingmom.com/coke-experiments/) > Talk about discolored. And yucky. But soft? Gooey? Dissolved? Cratered? > > **Not. At. All.** ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/93 "2023-05-22T15:37:44Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > > [@tofor](#): > > > > When you put a tooth in Coke and it dissolves disgustingly, a lot of that work is being done by the acid from the C02, not from the sugar. > > This has been debunked. I’m confused. Neither of your first two cites says the tooth doesn’t dissolve, but rather, “it’s the acid that does the work” which is literally what I said. Though they are mostly talking about Phosphoric Acid which is added, not Carbolic Acid which is generated from the C02. I said nothing about the speed at which it works. The third says it didn’t work after a week, but the tooth was pretty gross. I mean, ok, maybe I was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/94 "2023-05-23T06:37:43Z")
The articles say that phosphoric acid will dissolve teeth just fine, just not at the concentration it is present in coke. Furthermore you’re not supposed to hold the coke in your mouth for days on end. Coke/OJ/etc. is bad for you because it has ridiculous amounts of sugar in, not because it is uniquely bad for your teeth. The carbonation is the least of your problems. [sugar residue is a fertile basis for bacteria that will produce acids that damage your teeth - the damage is mostly done by prolonged exposure. A sip of carbonated water will not leave such sugary residue and your saliva will soon neutralize any acidity] ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2023, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592/95 "2023-05-29T14:24:10Z")
In January, 2020, Mr VOW had a “Widowmaker” heart attack. A few months later, my kidneys, which had been chugging along for years at Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), Stage 2, decided to move to CKD 3/4. I guess they couldn’t make up their minds. POW! Mr VOW was determined to have Congestive Heart Failure accompanying the heart attack, so the bottom line for both of us was “Goodbye, Salt!” I compiled a large array of no-salt seasonings at The Daughter’s house, and EVERYTHING I cook there is made without salt. The Daughter and her family are free to salt my cooking to their personal tastes. When Mr VOW was cleared for travel, and we could return to AZ, I cleared out the refrigerator, the freezers, and the pantry. No more convenience foods! Most canned goods, gone! All those easy-to-fix side dishes, gone! Frozen dinners, gone! IQF frozen chicken pieces, bye-bye! No more pickles, cheese, soy sauce. I read the labels of EVERYTHING. You would be amazed at how salt is put into almost any food there is. We donated the huge bags of culled foods to a neighbor. When COVID hit, many of her grown children came home to mama, and she had lots mouths to feed. Once you get rid of all that CRAP, you won’t have the temptation of food that isn’t good for you. Don’t buy soda and bring it into the house. If it isn’t there, you won’t drink it! We have occasional treats. We will splurge on fast food every now and again. But the salt we taste in fast food is overpowering. Mr VOW sneaks his Cokes. But now he also drinks club soda. All the above advice is good: talk to your doctor about side effects of your medications. Walk more. And don’t bring food and drink into your house that you shouldn’t have around. ~VOW [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-from-eating-so-much/983592.md?page=4)