Does spitting and chewing cause weight gain??

I recently started a diet, it only allows 500 calories a day. I really miss my sweets. So on occasion, I will chew and spit, but only a small amount of food. I didn't pick this habit up from anyone else, no one recommended this behavior to me, I just found it to be a way to satisfy my cravings. So I researched the topic on the Internet, and I ended up here. It is funny reading some of the misconceptions in this thread. Some people have said that "you can absorb calories through your mouth." But this goes against our simple understanding of the digestive process. When learning about how the body digests food, when have you ever read that calories are actually absorbed through the mouth? This is ridiculous. And requires some scientific backing.

I started chewing and spitting food about 2 years ago, when I first was going away to college and unhappy about it. I have had weeks where I can't stop doing it, and weeks where I haven't done it at all. I workout and have a very small appetite with high amounts of cravings, hence where this all started.

I find that my weight is higher when I chew and spit, versus actually eating some food. I could chew and spit all day without actually eating anything, and I will weigh more than days where I've eaten some actual food. I can't say for certain that the chewing and spitting can be attributed to this, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was a correlation, especially after all of the research I've done.

It's unhealthy. It will make you look bloated, give you chipmunk cheeks, destroy your teeth, caiuse ulcers, mouth sores, stomach aches. It will likely cause weight gain if it gets out of hand. It's also going to make you feel depressed and horrible. Your energy levels will decrease drastically and you will be very unhappy and stressed, which will only make things worse.

I totally get you. I like the taste, not the actual product! It's a bit like when I decided to give up meat - very often I thought about what it was that I loved so much about a meal and always it was just the taste - swallowing meat is an abhor to me and I have been successfully satisfied for the past 3yrs making food that tastes just the same or even better now-and I'm getting way more veggies than I used to. But quit the spit - really it can't be ggod for you long termX

I did this for years and the only way it stopped was my higher power through over eaters anonymous. I tried therapy, and meds, religion ( maybe God will just remove it from you if you ask Him, I have heard stories like this, but I am grateful the He took me through the steps as a means of recovery), but this is all that helped. You can go to Oa.org . There are lots of ppl online struggling with this. You are absolutely not alone. This is a curable illness.

I had to reply....I was reading everyones writings and just thought to myself...all of us who struggle with this disorder just want to feel that their is a way out....and I want to tell you first hand, there is. I have chewed and spit for over 8 years. It started out so easy, I will never forget the first day it started. At a work/office bday gathering. They brought in huge triple chocolate torte, and all I could do was stare at is, as I just had worked out that morning and was trying to maintain a new healthy lifestyle. My co worker leaned over to me and said  "dont worry, just take a bite and spit it out in your napkin." Well little did I know, that was just the beginning of my new found love and addiction to chewing and spitting. For the next 8  years I would spend hours c&s any sort of candy, chocolate bars and cookies. It actually even became a texture affair for me. I would only buy certain things that felt good in my mouth.  I spent thousands of dollars on just food for my habit, I would only eat certain healthy things through the day in very small amounts, as I knew my mind had other plans for later. This was like a secret affair, I couldnt wait to get alone so I could partake in this behavior until I was satisfied or at least until I was sooo thirsty I couldnt do it anymore until the next day. I did lose quite a bit of weight, actually ended up in treated for anorexia due to this behavior. Needless to say I went through treatment and followed a healthy diet for a few years, and still relapsed from time to time with c&s. You have to understand this isnt a quick fix, although I know you want to stop and that feeling to stop feels so out of reach, but for me I found my comfort. I now buy organic dark chocolate and comitt to myself each day, that if I get through the day of my normal diet, then I can be rewarded with my piece of dark chocolate. Just my own technique that has helped me. I know that their are days and moments that I feel like I would give anything to go back into not feeling and indulging in my old ways, but I have to stay focused and know that it didnt get me any further in life nor did it make me happy, and as we all know happiness is what makes the world go round. I truly wish all of you success and by all means if you feel like you ever want to vent, or just reply I would love to hear from you...best wishes at conquering this disorder, its in you to beat this!!!

Hi, just to let everyone know, food is not absorbed in the mouth, the only thing that happens is that complex sugars are broken down into smaller sugars. If you don't actually swallow anything, you do not take in any calories.

While I'm certain it was very fulfilling to offer a warning or personal testimony, does anyone have a factual answer to this question?

Hey , I dont know if you will see this reply, but i really need help. I have been chewing and spitting food for almost 18 months now and i have gained almost 10KGS! It costs alot of money, but i crave all the food i cut out my diet like chocolate especially and now i have resorted to locking myself away and binging on the food..but spitting it out. I need help, its making my life miserable! Can't talk to anyone about it becuase i am so embarrassed. I feel so sneaky binging behind everyones back and pretending to eat healthily. How can I stop? Have you had therapy? I know will power but its almost like a sick sense - urge that takes over me and i end up C&S before i know what i am doing. HABIT is a terrible thing.

C & S does in fact help one lose significant weight. It's just that there are a lot of down sides.

I have done this but i only eat about 80 calories so I do drop some weight but after reading this I will cut out chewing an spitting

:-|

 

 

I have suffered through CS for over a year now. I believe it is a by product of anorexia. I am thankfully now recovered from that part of my life, now I need to get rid of my CS problem and move on with my life. I have so many fitness/diet goals, and none of them can be reached due to CS. I have definitely gained weight, although my diet and fitness levels would allow someone with a "normal" lifestyle to lose weight with ease.

Anyway, now I have done some research into Chewing and Spitting, and in a nutshell this is the information I have gained from it: Chewing/Spitting is directly related to the glycemic index. Your body thinks you are, in fact, eating all of these things that you are really spitting out, and since many of the foods we CS are high in sugars, our body releases glycogen to break down the sugars that it believes are being taken in. I don't quite remember exactly how this all works, but anyway when our body releases glycogen fat storage is then triggered I believe (don't quote me on this very last sentence). But I do know that is more or less the scientific reason behind it. And when we CS, we can often lose a noticeable amount of weight in our faces, arms, upper torso, but our lower bodies (ie thighs, butts, waists, etc) maintain or gain weight.

I hope this helps a bit. Thank you all so much for sharing your stories, the successes have motivated me immensely. Those who are struggling--thank you for sharing and helping me realize that there are others out there with this ugly disorder. 

We can do this. 

Hi, I've read you post and it felt like I was reading about me. I am exactly the same. I eat healthy, and am calorie concious, I should be losing weight. I started chewing and spitting 2 and a half years ago, and at first I lost weight, but now I've gained it back plus more, I can't bare to look at myself, I can't fit in any of my clothes, I cancel any social events which I hate to miss, but I don't want to be seen like this, and I can't stand how I feel. I'm not used to the extra weight, my legs rub together, my hands and arms are puffy, I dress down down in baggy clothes. I can't take much more. I used to exercise daily (I'm a qualified fitness instructor but don't work as one) so fitness is important to me, but I find it so hard to work out now, my muscles ache and I keep getting shin splints, I feel so tired and fatigued, and I'm embarrassed to be seen by anyone, so it's tough being at the gym.

I see your post was over a year ago now, how are you now? Have you recovered? Did you find a way?

I''m 43. I work out everyday. My body is in tip top shape.. almost. I know for a fact that my diet and routine would have me in magazine/ fitness competition shape, however I too c&s! I hate it. After reading this I will stop. I knew it was sabotaging me. Besides it makes me crazy with continued cravings. I can eat a entire loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter and still want more to spit!!! Don't buy trigger foods, just like alcoholics cant have beer and wine in their fridge unfortunately we cannot have our thick pasty's or whatever causes us guilt and shame... Pray and lets conquer our demons. God is much stronger, therefore so are we! I feel blessed to have read all of this. I have a fitness show in May and I will be ready now that I read this and know what I already knew, c&s does detour our weight loss goals! FACT! Throw out our trigger foods and do not buy or obtain any anymore! It's poison to us unfortunate people.

Wow! like you, I am also 41 years old, fabulous shape ..( fitness competitor physique ) and c&s. I have done so for 14 years and HATE it. Not only is it a horrible disgusting, embarrassing habit, it makes me a horrible role model for my two teen daughters. As if the pressures to be thin in our society weren't enough, having a "ripped" mom with an eating disorder is worse!!!! I pray every day for God to give me the strength to do better and be strong ... best of luck to you too.

Hello new friend. I'm sad yet glad to know another who puts extreme perfection upon herself, dang us. I have not been buying bread or c&s foods, still i run into them like pizza at my moms, I took a small piece and snuck off to chew and spit, Sounds so ridiculous, because it is. It's a terrible thing and yet a treat to my strict and clean clean diet. I have to just not have it around or I will engage. I too have a daughter who has watched me for years be a very fit, yet horrible role model with fat burners, diet aids, eating disorders, she is not one of us by God's grace. It is embarrassing..I'm really trying hard it's defiantly and impulsive and compulsive disorder. I can always find ways I can improve physically in my head I'm never good enough, or I could certainly improve. Exausting really but I could not stop this... who would I be to others and myself if I didn't look a certain way .Sad. I will be praying for both of us and I'm glad we connected. We can do this....I no longer take any supplements and haven't for over 4 years (my body improved without them, go figure) now to just conquer the c&s! Wow. wow is right. Thank you.
God Bless.