If you're trying to lose weight, eating slowly and mindfully can help you eat less and lose weight. Recent research shows that it takes the brain time to realize that the body is not hungry. If you eat food quickly, maybe your brain will not be able to record the amount of food you have eaten which can eventually make you overeat. Various studies have shown that eating food more slowly and attentively can help you eat less and manage your weight. Include some easy ways you can eat slowly to help manage your weight more effectively.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Eat Food Slowly
Step 1. Take 20 to 30 minutes to eat your meal
Research shows that spending at least 20 to 30 minutes eating a meal can help you eat less. Hormones released from the intestines have enough time to tell the brain that you are full.
- If you're used to eating quickly, you may benefit from taking extra time to eat your food. You may find that the slower you eat, the more full you will be.
- Place a spoon and fork in each bite. This can be useful for forcing you to eat slowly and to spend more time when you eat food.
- Talk to family members or friends while eating. Instead of just focusing on eating food, you can chat with family and friends, and engage in conversation to make your mealtime longer.
Step 2. Take small bites
We often eat in large mouthfuls and immediately fill the spoon with the next bite. This can increase the speed of eating and the amount of food we eat at that time.
- Take small bites as you eat. Pay attention to the amount of food you put in the spoon for each bite. Try reducing the amount of food in half.
- Also make sure to chew your food well. It can also force you to eat slowly. Also, spending more time chewing can help you to taste and enjoy food better.
Step 3. Drink water when eating
Drinking water when eating can provide various positive benefits for the duration of your meal and your waistline.
- When you put a spoon and fork at each bite to help slow down your meal, drink water.
- The more water you drink when eating, you will feel fuller by consuming fluids that contain no calories at all.
- In addition, the more water you drink with each meal, the more water you consume in total throughout the day. This can help you to achieve the target of water intake in a day which is 8 to 13 glasses of water.
Part 2 of 3: Eat Food Mindfully
Step 1. Stop eating when you are satisfied
One of the uses of eating slowly is to help you understand the difference between when you are satisfied and when you are full. This is also known as "intuitive eating," which is a state in which you listen to your body and eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. This can help you to lose weight.
- When you eat more slowly, you are more likely to eat less overall. This is because the brain and gut communicate with each other when you have eaten enough food to feel satisfied. If you eat very quickly, you will tend to eat until you are full.
- Stop eating when you feel satisfied, not when you feel full. This can help you to eliminate unnecessary calories in your diet.
- Satisfaction is the feeling of feeling less hungry, less interested in food, or knowing that you can still eat a few more bites but will then feel full.
- Fullness is the feeling when the stomach feels stretched and full. As much as possible try not to eat until it reaches this point.
Step 2. Eliminate distractions
In addition to trying to slow down your mealtime, eliminate distractions around you when you eat. This can help you to concentrate and focus on your eating and eating speed.
- As with eating slowly, research shows that when you're distracted, you're more likely to eat larger amounts, which can lead to weight gain in the long run.
- Try to take 20 to 30 minutes to eat your food without any distractions. Turn off cell phones, computers, laptops, and TVs.
Step 3. Don't starve yourself before eating
If you've been practicing slow eating, note that when you're really hungry or feeling hungry, you'll have a hard time controlling your eating speed. Manage hunger so you can eat slowly.
- Study your hunger signals. If you feel irritable, dizzy or slightly nauseous when you're hungry, watch out for these symptoms. This is a signal that your body craves fuel to help you avoid overeating at the next meal.
- Also pay attention to your meal times. For example, if you eat lunch at 12 o'clock and dinner no later than eight-thirty, then that time is more likely to make you less hungry.
- Plan to eat snacks or small meals between meals, if the intervals are too long so you can better manage your hunger levels.
Step 4. Eat food mindfully
Many people eat like robots when they eat. You'll have a hard time losing weight if you don't pay attention, grab your food, and eat everywhere.
- Eating like a robot and not paying attention to food can make you overeat and not feel satisfied with the food you eat. Your brain is never signaled to food.
- Try not to eat in the car or while watching TV. This type of distraction can make it more difficult for you to pay attention to food.
- Also force yourself to concentrate on food. Think about what the food you're eating tastes like: What's the texture? How does it feel? How do you feel about the food?
Part 3 of 3: Supporting Weight Loss Efforts
Step 1. Stay physically active
Food does have a big role to lose weight. However, if you're not just focusing on eating slowly and mindfully, adding some physical activity can help support weight loss.
- Most health professionals recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week.
- The time duration can also be increased to 300 minutes a week. You can lose a greater amount of weight if you do more physical activity.
- Include a day or two of strength training to work each of the major muscle groups. Endurance training helps complement the workout you're doing.
Step 2. Always pay attention to your overall diet
Even if you've been eating slowly and may have eaten less, it's still important to eat a balanced diet. This can help support weight loss.
- Eating a balanced diet rich in lean protein, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains in addition to eating slowly can help with weight loss.
- Eat each food group in appropriate portions throughout the day. Also, choose a variety of foods within each food group.
- Also follow the right portion size. Some serving sizes you can stick to include: 85 to 113 grams of lean protein, 1/2 cup of fruit, 1 cup of vegetables, 2 cups of leafy greens, and 1/2 cup of whole grains.
Step 3. Limit foods that are high in fat, sugar and calories
Even foods that contain lots of calories even in small portions (such as candy or fast food), can derail your efforts to lose weight. These foods contain calories but do not fill you up. Remember that you should eat foods that are high in nutrients, not high in calories.
- You don't have to completely avoid these types of foods (especially if they're your favorite foods), but limit them to help reduce your overall calorie intake.
- Be careful with foods that contain lots of fat such as: fried foods, fast food, fatty meats, and processed meats.
- Also be aware of high-calorie foods that are added with sugar, such as candy, sugary drinks, cakes, pastries, ice cream, and other desserts.
