Are you practicing Mindful Eating?
Did you know there is something that is just as important as WHAT you eat? It's HOW you eat. Too many of us eat quickly while in a distracted state.
Eating slowly seems very simple, but that does not mean it is going to be easy! Most people don’t pay attention to how much time they spend eating their food. It is time to bring your focus to how quickly you're eating because it is a very important step in understanding the fullness cues of our body. Eating slowly also allows you to experience more enjoyment from your food.
❤️ STRATEGIES
⬜ Minimize distractions – Setting up a simple, distraction-free environment will allow you to focus on what you’re doing now: enjoying your food and monitoring how your body feels. Don't sit in front of your computer or TV, don't eat in your car 🚗
⬜ Eat with others – This can also give you some much-needed family time that you might not otherwise get. It can be a luxury these days to get everyone together for a meal. Cherish it and don’t dilute it with having electronics around. Engage in some real conversation and help out your social health in the process.
⬜ Put your utensils down – Taking the time to put your utensil down after each bite is an effective way to take more time between bites. If you pay attention, you will notice many people who shovel bites of food into their mouths even before they have swallowed the previous bite. Instead, take the time to breathe between each bite and make sure you have fully swallowed the previous bites before taking your next bite.
⬜ Use different utensils – Experiment with using different utensils. The first way to do this is to use a smaller spoon or fork. This will not allow you to shovel quite so much food in on every bite. The next way to achieve this is to use chopsticks. This will slow you down, as they are harder to use and require smaller bites.
❤️HOW SLOWLY?
Ideally, you want to aim for a meal to take around Thirty (30) minutes to eat.
❤️STARTING POINT
If the thought of twenty minutes seems overwhelming, you can always modify a habit to fit your starting point. Start with taking ten minutes and work your way gradually up to twenty.
Remember, the goal is not to be perfect but to keep being a little bit better.
Be sure to give yourself a checkmark even if you need to modify the habit to complete it...but remember, checkmarks are neither good nor bad. They are a way for your coach to see if you need help or not.
❤️BENEFITS
It's important to slow down and focus on the meal in front of you. Today, we will talk about the many benefits of eating slowly.
❤️WEIGHT LOSS
While you are slowing down, you might find that you learn to stop eating sooner. You might notice that you are full and don’t need that last bite. Fullness is a complex concept that combines the number of times you chew, the time you spend eating, the appearance of the food on the plate, as well as the actual amount of food you eat. Slow down and you may feel full with less.
It also takes your stomach about 20 minutes to produce the hormones that tell your brain that you are full. This process doesn’t start until your stomach begins to stretch. If you slow down, you give yourself more time to feel full. This gives you a better chance of stopping before you "get stuffed."
❤️TASTE YOUR FOOD
You will taste your food more. If you double the amount of time it takes you to eat a meal, you’ll experience more of the flavors, textures, and smells of the food you eat. Your food will become more interesting.
❤️BETTER CHOICES
When you eat slowly, you pay attention and end up tasting your food more. You will prefer natural, healthy foods. Most factory-produced foods are carefully designed by food engineers to taste great for the first 3 or so bites. After that, the food begins to taste bland.
If you don’t believe this, try eating a name-brand cookie for a minute. You feel an urge to eat another cookie or potato chip after just a few chews. If you slow down and be sure to chew thoroughly, these heavily processed foods will taste pretty disgusting (try chewing a potato chip 25 times...the taste gets quite nasty).
Natural foods, on the other hand, stay interesting as you chew them. A strawberry starts out with a burst of juice but then stays interesting as you chew. Oranges, nuts, and vegetables are the same.
❤️BETTER DIGESTION
Eating more slowly gives your stomach more time to start working on the food. When you send an entire meal down your throat in 5 minutes, you may find yourself suffering from indigestion. Instead, take 20 minutes to eat the same amount of food. Your stomach will have a much easier job. Eating slowly might also result in you chewing more, giving your stomach a head start in the digestive process.
Today's Actions:
✅Practice Mindful Eating
✅Get some exercise & sunshine
✅Choose Supportive Foods
✅Drink your water
Disclaimer: This is not designed for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of diseases, and it should not be considered a substitute for seeking medical treatment or professional guidance. Before initiating any nutrition or physical activity program, it is essential to consult with your physician. The reader assumes sole responsibility for using this program, and the author bears no responsibility or liability for any harm or injury that may arise from the application of the information provided.
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