How To Slow Down Your Eating Habits?

Stop eating so quickly – 6 tips to help you slow down

When you eat fast, you tend to eat more.  If you always finish your meal before everyone else. When you get too hungry, or are presented with really enticing food, you tend to eat more quickly – and to eat more. When you finally do get the chance to eat, you’re likely to shovel it in.  And, when you’re really hungry, you’re more likely to reach for the unhealthy, high-calorie stuff, too.

Do you know your stomach needs time to send signals to your brain to let you know that  you’re full – about 20 minutes or so.  And it is a matter of time, not how much food you eat. Eating more food won’t make the signals travel any faster  – there will always be about a 20 minute delay.  So you can feel full on less food – as long as you can slow your pace enough to give your body time to figure it out. 

Let learn from Herbalife nutritionist, Susan Bowerman, top six tips to help you improve your eating habits by slowing down.

Tips # 1:  Eat in courses

Try eating salad or veggies first, then move on to the higher calorie portions of your meal. If you have limited time to finish your meal all at one time (like on your lunch break at work), then eat the main portion of your meal at lunch and save the rest for a snack, so you don’t feel pressure to eat everything quickly and at once.

Tips # 2:  Take smaller bites

This helps you meal last longer. It gives your stomach time to tell your brain it's full. If you’re eating food that has to be cut up first – like a piece of meat or chicken – cut it as you go.  If you cut it all up into bite-sized pieces and then dig in, it’s too easy to get it all down quickly.

Tips # 3:  Eat more high fiber foods

Foods that are high in fiber are more filling and take longer to eat. Crunchy raw fruits and vegetables and whole grains require more chewing than foods like snack crackers or cookies, which slows you down.

Tips # 4:  Swallow each bite before loading up your fork again

Before loading up your fork for another mouthful take the time to slowly chew. Swallow and fully enjoy your food. It might also help it you put your knife and fork down each time

Tips # 5:  Put utensils and hand-held foods down in between bites

Practice putting it down between bites. “swallow – put down fork – pick up fork – load fork – take another bite”.  And if you’re eating something that doesn’t require utensils, like a burger or a sandwich, try to resist the temptation to simply pick it up and gobble away.

Tips # 6:  Sip on water throughout your meal

Throughout your meal, take a sips of water. This can help slow the pace of your meal and in combination with the food you're eating, help fill you up. 

Eating slower has been shown to lead to weight loss, but maintaining a slower pace is hard for people to do – and just as with other weight loss strategies, it takes a lot of practice.  Set aside time so you can have a leisurely pace to your meals. So, let start practice slow down your eating habis today!

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.