Do you know that you can lose Fat faster by how fast you eat? That’s right, the way you eat also plays a very large role in weight gain! When food enters our stomach, acids in the mouth and stomach break it down. This acid turns the food into mush, so it is easier to enter your intestines and allows for the nutrients to transfer over. When food enters the stomach, a signal is sent to the brain that lets your brain know there is food in there.
The only problem: it takes 20 minutes for your body to let the brain know it is full! This can be a very big problem.
Quick Vs. Slow Eaters
If you are a quick eater, what happens when you are done with your meal? You are still hungry, right? What happens then? You overindulge and take second, or even third, helpings! Recently, it has been proven that eating slower actually may make you skinnier!
The Skinny On Eating Slowly
Researchers from the University of Rhode Island studied the effects of eating speed and energy intake. The results will leave you in awe! The quick eaters took in an average of 645 calories while the slow eaters took in considerably less calories. Slow eaters only took in 579 calories. Quick eaters also decreased their water intake compared to the slow eaters. Quick eaters averaged 289g of water while slow eaters took in 409g! Drinking more water may make you feel fuller, and for longer periods of time! Even though the quick eaters enjoyed a higher energy meal, they were hungrier and left feeling less satisfied than the slow eaters.
Amazing!
And they found their enjoyment and satisfaction of the meal, and eating after the meal, were lower when the participants ate slowly. Now that you know that eating slowly may help you get skinny, here are some tips for slowing down your eating:
• Chew your food – make sure to take your time eating. Chewing slowly slows down your eating habits and may also help you enjoy your food. Try chewing your food 20 to 30 times to slow down your eating.
• Put your fork down – putting your fork down also allows you to chew your food slowly and enjoy your food.
• Drink more water 30 min. before and 60 min. after the meal- being hydrated reduces the amount of food you eat during a meal because you feel full more often.
• Portion Distortion – watch the amount of food you put on your plate. This will help limit the amount of calories available to you, resulting in less calories going in your mouth. Also, stay away from the temptation of going back for seconds or thirds.
The Tortoise Always BEATS The Hare
- Eating slowly may help you lose weight and keep the weight off.
- Eating slowly allows you to enjoy your food more, leaving you feeling full and satisfied.
- Eating may be a pleasurable experience for some; and, eating slowly may INCREASE the pleasure you experience from eating a healthy and nutritious meal.
Include these tips the next time you sit down and eat to help you control your calorie intake and allow for your brain to really know when you are full and speed up your metabolism!
Brien Shamp brings you 22 years of experience as a Body Transformation Expert, Personal Trainer, Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach, Massage Therapist, Strength Coach for College & Pro Athletes and Reiki Practitioner. In 2011 he was nominated one of the top ten trainers in the country. Brien has a degree in Biomechanics from UC Davis and extensive graduate studies in Exercise Physiology from SF State. Brien won first place in the Met-Rx World’s Best Personal Trainer Contest in 1999 and was nominated Best in the Bay by KRON 4 for Weight Loss in 2009. He is an active author in Parenting on the Peninsula, Ms. Fitness Magazine and his FREE Blog with thousands of subscribers at www.BrienShamp.com.
