6 Tips to Slow Down Your Eating & Lose Weight

It’s not just eating fast food that can make you fat, eating fast can also cause you to pile on the pounds. A study carried out by scientists at the Osaka University in Japan, found that those who ate their meals the fastest and those who ate until they were full, were three times as likely to be overweight.

The research which was published in the British Medical Journal Online First, detailed the investigation into whether eating quickly was linked to a high body mass index (BMI). Out of 3,287 Japanese men and women aged between 30 to 69 years, one third of men were overweight and just under a quarter of the women were overweight.

All participants were given a diet history questionnaire and asked to answer questions regarding whether they ate until full, meaning they generally ate a large quantity of food at one sitting, and the speed they ate their meals. This also had to be verified by a friend.

After analysing the results, researchers found that those who both ate quickly and ate until they were full, had a higher BMI than those who didn’t eat this way. Unsurprisingly, they also consumed more calories than the slower eaters.

Nutritionists often advise on the importance of eating slowly. This not only helps with your digestion, but the longer you chew your food, the fuller you’ll feel. You don’t need to go as far as following the Chew Chew diet, however, if you are gaining weight and are not sure why, think about your eating style and maybe try changing it.

6 Tips To Slow Down Your Eating

---

1. Eat slowly and chew each mouthful at least twenty times;

2. Savour each mouthful of food and take time to really smell it and taste it;

3. Concentrate on what you’re eating rather than chatting or watching television at the same time. Doing other things while you’re eating stops your brain from properly registering all the food you’re consuming;

4. Since it takes around 20 minutes for your stomach to register it’s full, have a drink after your meal then wait a while before going onto the next course;

5. Choose food which needs lots of chewing such as high fibre foods, vegetables or lean meat;

6. Eat cereal and desserts with a teaspoon instead of a dessert spoon and put less food onto your fork before each mouthful.

Teaching yourself to slow down the rate you eat takes time and practice, especially if you're used to eating on the run or gulping food down without really thinking about it. If you have difficulty sticking to a regular diet because you're hungry all the time, making your meals last longer can make a big difference to how hungry or full you feel at the end of the meal.


© Diets and Calories