One of the weight loss tips we all have available to us and that can best serve our efforts is slower eating. Reducing the speed at which we consume our meals gives us a spectacular range of weight loss benefits.
That said, eating more slowly is easier said than done. It seems as though this should be one of the simplest weight loss techniques to implement. It’s something that we can all technically do, and it’s something many of us try. However, when those of us who do give it a try begin our efforts, it doesn’t take long before we discover that the speed at which we eat seems to be relatively automatic. It isn’t something we control.
It isn’t, that is, unless we know the right tricks. Eating more slowly isn’t necessarily a matter of chewing more slowly or more times before swallowing. Instead, it involves knowing the right tips and techniques to slow down the process as a whole. You may not be able to slow down the length of time the food is in your mouth, but you can lengthen the amount of total time it takes you to consume what is on your plate.
This is worthwhile because one study after the next have shown that eating more slowly gives your stomach and brain the opportunity to exchange the necessary signals to let you know that you are full. If you eat too fast, you’ll have eaten far more by the time your brain realizes your stomach is full. By eating more slowly, you give the chance for your brain to figure it out before you’ve eaten too much,
Use the following tips to slow down your rate of eating to make it easier for you to avoid overeating:
• Sip your water – Instead of taking larger gulps of water to quench your thirst as you eat, sip regularly throughout the meal. This will require you to set your fork down and to do something between bites of your food. These small pauses will add up and will cause you to slow down.
• Use chopsticks – For the majority of us, using chopsticks will force us to take smaller bites. Even if you’re very good at using them, the odds are that you’ll be able to pick up less food with your chopsticks than you would with a fork.
• Use the other hand – If you find that you’ve become too quick with chopsticks or you can’t use them because you’re eating at a restaurant or a friend’s house, use your non-dominant hand. This will feel slightly awkward at first but even when you get the hang of it, you’ll be slower than you would with your dominant hand.
