One of the things I think being in this lockdown has helped alot of people do is slow down.Most of us are not rushing from one place to another, trying to fit as much as possible into our schedules anymore.But at the same time our eating behaviours and habits seemed to take a big nose dive. We are feeling more and more disconnected from our bodies and our plates. This is why this is the best time to practice the art of mindful eating and reap the incredible benefits it provides us.

Several studies show that fast eaters gain more weight overtime than slow eaters (references below) and people who suffer with compulsive eating can learn to practice this habit to help them derail a binge or over-eating episode.

When we eat too quickly, we eat more than we actually need and we never TRULY enjoy everything the meal gives us. The textures, the depth of flavours and the smell… even if all you ate was a deli sandwich.

Learning how to eat slowly is one of the most simplest yet most valuable habits we can do to improve our overall health.

4 BENEFITS OF SLOW EATING:

  1. feeling more satisfied with your meal
  2. better digestion/less bloating
  3. reduces chances of overeating
  4. easier weight loss/maintenance

Here are my top tips to help you slow down your eating speed that you can start implementing today!

  1. find a calm environment with minimal distractions where you can sit down to eat
  2. take one long, deep belly breath before your first bite
  3. choose foods high in fibre that take longer to chew
  4. place your utensils down between bites
  5. set a minimum number of chews per bite
  6. use a smaller plate or different utensils (like chopsticks)
  7. set a timer on your phone to track your pace (20-30 minutes)
  8. find another slow eater to match their pace

Comment below and let me know what you will start doing first to help you slow down your eating speed 🙂

References:
PMID: 14574353, 16710080, 21802566
mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/8/891