I was sitting across from this awesome individual who I had the special privilege of doing a podcast with in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia while sucking down some Nandos, and he told me about eating slowly can help reduce binging. While this could’ve been true, I was very apprehensive until I saw the stats. I couldn’t BELIEVE that this was actually true. Here’s a breakdown from his blog, which I provided in the link down below.
Most of the research on this topic suggests that eating slowly helps you to eat less. That’s especially useful information if you’re trying to lose or maintain weight.
- When eating quickly the women consumed 646 calories in 9 minutes.
- When eating slowly the women consumed 579 calories in 29 minutes.
That is 67 less calories in 20 more minutes!
Now you will say that 67 calories is not that much? Imagine if you eat 4 meals a day. That is 268 calories!
What you want to do now?
You want to practice eating slowly and mindfully. Start small, in a day choose one meal, and spend 20 minutes to finish that meal. Practice this until it become your habit.
- Sit down to eat in a calm environment with minimal distractions. Don’t eat while driving, while watching TV, while texting, etc. Pay attention to your food.
- Choose high-fiber foods that take more time to chew, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Put down your utensils between bites. Take a moment. Breathe. If you’re eating with other people, enjoy making witty conversation for a few minutes.
- Try setting a minimum number of chews per bite. This will feel strange at first, but give it a try and see what you discover.
- Use smaller plates or different utensils (such as chopsticks).
- If you find yourself rushing, that’s OK. Put your utensils down and take a minute to re-focus. If slow eating isn’t habitual for you, this will take practice.
- Find another slow eater and pace yourselves to them. Picky little kids and chatty dinner companions who hardly stop talking long enough to take a bite are often ideal for this.
- Set aside time to eat – at least 20-30 minutes for each meal, and preferably even longer at dinner. Don’t just eat “whenever you get around to it” or treat it as an inconvenience. You’re fueling your body and maybe spending quality time with friends and family. That’s important. It deserves an appointment.
Hakeem Khan’s Links
1) YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVZnrSCZIVEWFnhTUCHenQA
2) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hakeeemkhan/?hl=en
3) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barbellnationmy/
4) Website: http://barbellnation.com.my/
Article: http://barbellnation.com.my/why-you-need-to-eat-slowly/
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