If you eat while in the company of a keyboard, TV, or steering wheel more than often in the company of others…this story is for you.
Too many of us rush through our meals without taking the time to stop and smell the coffee, literally. Paying closer attention to the aroma, taste, texture, and temperature of the food in front of you will welcome a greater appreciation for that meal and perhaps even boost weight loss efforts.
Eating mindfully helps connect you to your food and enables you to actually feel the food in your stomach. People who eat only with their mouths, and not their minds, often eat greater quantities because once you swallow, you mouth has room for more. Eating with your stomach, however, will give you a clear heads-up when it’s time to step away from the table. Your stomach is only the size of two of your fists, so anything you eat beyond that amount is more than your body needs (even if your mouth begs for more!)
A recent study published in the Journal of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics underscored the importance of taking your time at the plate by concurring that increased meal time, “may also have allowed subjects to eat more mindfully and better sense their feelings of hunger suppression and satiety.”
Here are a few other compelling reasons to S-L-O-W down when you eat:
- It takes around 20 minutes for you body to understand that it has eaten enough. When you eat quickly, you can fuel up past the point of “fullness” before your body has the chance to tell you that it has had enough.
- Your digestive tract will thank you for eating slowly. Scarfing down your food causes you to swallow more air and welcome the painful symptoms of heartburn and reflux, not to mention the addition of uncomfortable intestinal gas and bloat.
- You set an example when you set the table. Studies have shown that families that sit down to a meal together share more than food — sharing meaningful conversations have shown a decrease in smoking, drinking, and drug abuse.
Remember that being mindful is not just about chewing and swallowing slowly…it’s also about cutting back on simultaneous activities while eating, like watching TV, reading emails, or talking on the phone. In fact, to get the biggest bang for your buck, try closing your eyes when you eat (unless, of course, you’re driving!)
Follow Bonnie’s Everyday Health Nutrition Intuition blog!