“S-L-O-W”
Did you know that eating slowly is one of the hardest yet greatest habits to master in order to affect fat loss?!
Last weekend I was in Boise for districts for tennis and anytime my teammates and I are in Boise the first place we always want to eat is… “The Cheesecake Factory”! Who can pass up the opportunity to eat there?! Amazing food that we don’t have here in Idaho Falls, so jumping on the opportunity is a no-brainer! However, in my previous experiences, leaving the Cheesecake Factory in anything but a food coma with an extremely full belly is just impossible to imagine. Eating slowly has proven to be very difficult for me but this time, luckily, was a little different…
My Precision Nutrition program asked me, “What would it be like to leave the table feeling light, lean, full of energy and yet still satisfied?”
· When people eat fast, they eat more. Sometimes even with more food they still don’t feel satisfied. Ever felt burpy, bloated, regretful, heartburny, or like you ate nothing at all?
How do we change this?
· 20 minutes to full
o From the moment you smell or see food, the body begins working to make enzymes and hormones to digest the food we are about to eat and eventually tell the brain that we have had enough.
o Unfortunately, this process is somewhat slow and we don’t usually get the “I’m full” memo for about 20 minutes. Can you remember the last time your meal lasted 20 minutes?
o Amazingly, your body knows what it needs! You just have to do your part by slowing down and allowing it the opportunity to send the right signals at the right times and not eat so much so quickly that your body hasn’t had a chance to catch up yet.
Some strategies for eating slowing…
· Set aside time to eat.
o I actually have to schedule time in my work schedule to eat. Seems crazy but sometimes if I don’t do it, I won’t eat soon enough and when I wait too long, my hunger overwhelms any good decisions I would have made as well as the amounts I would have chosen.
· Use smaller serving plates.
o I actually really like this one and use it often. I use side plates for my meal plates when I at work and home.
· Put down utensils between bites. Breathe.
o This was an especially useful tool for my “Cheesecake Factory” expedition! When I set down my utensils I would also then sit on my hands (I was partially cold in the restaurant) but it also helped me focus on the mouthful that I had and not rush into the next while visiting with my teammates.
· Become curious about food tastes and textures.
· Set a timer.
o The strategy that has worked best for me…when I remember to set my timer!
· Eat with as few distractions as possible.
o This is a tough one for me!! Anyone else struggle with this? Email me your thoughts!
Just remember, the quickest way to GAIN weight is to eat fast! Just ask Dr. Berardi who gained 70 pounds in 2 years while applying the F-A-S-T principle aka “speed gobbling”. So, SLOW DOWN and focus on PROGRESS not PERFECTION!
Until next time!
Hayley Jones, BS, CSCS, PN1
208-557-2823 O
208-821-2354 C
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