Join Me In the “30 Rule” Challenge

I don’t care if you want to do this for one day or the entire week with me, just join in and see what you experience. Post a reply to this message if you are “on board” so I know whose posts I am looking for when we start the challenge… might as well go for April 1st.

You probably want to know more about what I am talking about before volunteering. How smart of you. Last week I was working at a bariatric clinic (more posts coming about my experience). One of the requirements is pre-op weight loss, which is determined by the doctor. I was intrigued by some of the things we told them to do, which are extremely important for them after their surgery. But I got to thinking… I should try this to see how easy or difficult this is since this is what we ask patients to do. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

If you like experimenting on yourself er… learning about your habits… this little project may be for you. It essentially involves eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, and fully participating in eating. If it sounds like a snooze fest, I promise it is not! I did this for one day and I couldn’t believe the differences. I bet you will notice some changes too… and I want to learn from you! So, think about participating, post a comment to sign up.

Here are the rules for participating:

• You must eat three meals a day, no longer than 5 hours between your meals (so come up with your meal schedule and stick to it. I don’t want you to change what you are eating. That’s up to you. Just get your regular food and usual portion.) You can have food on hand as a snack and you should eat a snack if you get hungry. Try to apply as much of the remaining rules to your snacks too.
• You cannot multi-task during any meal. No computer work. No TV. You can eat with a friend or partner and enjoy a conversation.
• Each meal should last 30 minutes. This is actually a long time. Guess how long my dinner lasted the first night of the experiment. 5 minutes! That’s crazy. I’ve always been a fast eater, but it is a real challenge to extend it to 30 minutes. The best I have gotten is 20 minutes. Do what you can and aim for 20-30 minutes.
• Chew your food - very well. Go for at least 30 chews before swallowing. Take more if you need it.
• Take smaller bites. This one just helps with making the meal last longer. It’s more of a tip.
• When you feel satisfied, stop eating. Fork down, game over.
• Aim for 64 non-calorie fluids a day, preferrably water, iced tea, or crystal light.

Here’s how it will work: every day (April 1-7) I will post an entry with the date “30 Rule Challenge: April 1″ then you post your comments. It can be one for the day or one for a meal. Just include some basic info about what you ate then report on the above rules.

• How long did your meal last?
• Did you multitask?
•  Were you able to chew the food longer?
• Did you finish everything or did you stop eating before it was all gone?

Most importantly, give me the juice: what worked well, not so well, what are you noticing? Are you enjoying meals more or less? Is there any benefit in your opinion in slowing down and taking time for a meal? Can you stick to it for another day? Give all your thoughts and opinions.

Please send this post to friends and family and get them to do the challenge with you!