Are
you snacking on the run, cramming lunch down during a ten-minute break or
mindlessly munching in front of a screen? If so, you’re not alone.
Mindless speed eating
is all too common in our society. But this habit has many unhealthy side
affects: poor digestion, weight gain, discomfort after meals, fatigue.
If
practiced over time, speed eating may lead to obesity and a severe
disconnection with our food, which affects not only our physical but also our
mental and emotion health.
1. Digestion:
When we eat slower,
we give ourselves time to chew our food properly. Digestion begins with the
enzymes in our mouth. As we chew, these enzymes and our teeth begin breaking
down our food into digestible bits. This entry-point is crucial to healthy
digestion.
2. Nutrition:
The nutrients in our
food are released as we chew. Taking the time to chew properly unlocks more
healthful elements of our food, that we may not absorb as well when
quickly swallowing large bites. And in the long run, eating slower creates a
connection to and appreciation of our food. In turn, we make healthier choices
about what we eat.
As we
eat, our body sends signals to our brain about how full we are. If we eat too
fast, the signal for “stop, I’m full!” doesn’t reach our brain in time – so we
over-eat, consuming too many calories, which leads to weight gain. Studies show
that when we eat slower we eat less AND we feel more satisfied.
4. Peace:
Our days are busy, packed with work, errands and socializing. The pace and amount of stimulus in the modern world cause many of us to feel stressed and anxious. These states weigh heavy on our body and are detrimental to our whole well-being. Make meal time an opportunity to slow down. Instead of feeling heavy and lethargic after eating, you can feel renewed, refreshed and appreciative.
Our days are busy, packed with work, errands and socializing. The pace and amount of stimulus in the modern world cause many of us to feel stressed and anxious. These states weigh heavy on our body and are detrimental to our whole well-being. Make meal time an opportunity to slow down. Instead of feeling heavy and lethargic after eating, you can feel renewed, refreshed and appreciative.
Food is delicious! But when’s the
last time you allowed yourself to truly enjoy a meal? We forget that simple
acts like eating, can be extremely pleasurable. Advertisements encourage us to
seek out constant distractions, alcohol or extremes for enjoyment, but these
jolts will always fall short of true, rich, sensation. We can treat all five
senses to joyful bliss during every meal.
Ready
to get started feeling better and enjoying your food more while eating less calories!?
Try these simple tips today and let us know how it goes.
- Set your utensils down in between bites.
- Stop to breathe.
- Chew each bite 20-40 times (start with as many as you can for now, and work your way up).
- Drink water.
- Listen to your body and stop eating once you feel 80% full. This will help avoid over-taxing your digestive system.
- Focus on your food. As other thoughts pop in to your mind, gently set them aside. There is nothing to do right now but eat.
- Carve-out meal times. Plan ahead and set aside thirty minutes to eat your meal.
You will learn many more mindful eating strategies to curb habit of mindless speed eating in my Mindful Eating Coaching program.
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