How to eat slower| Benefits of eating slowly | Slowest eater get weight lose

July 27, 2020 6 min read

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WHY YOU SHOULD EAT SLOWLY–OR WHAT IS BAD ABOUT EATING FAST

The speed at which you eat can have a direct relationship not only on your overall health but clinical studies also relate fast eating to being overweight. That is right, numerous studies point to the fact that those that gulp down their food and don’t chew enough are far more likely to: consume more calories, derive less nutritional value from their food and gain weight more rapidly than slow-eaters.

Why Do I Get Full So Fast | Benefits of Eating Slowly

The basic action behind this relationship is found in how our bodies tell us when to stop eating–through the release of substances that suppress the hormone Ghrelin (that is a hormone that increases hunger). When your body needs food, it creates hormones that make you hungry and your appetite increases. As you eat, your body starts to create different substances that tell you that you are full and to stop eating.

It is a simple stop-and-go mechanism our body uses to control how much that we eat.

Simple enough, but the process takes time (usually about 20-30 minutes). So, if you are a rapid eater then you will obviously consume a lot more food (and calories) before your body catches up to tell you to stop. But slowest eater get the message and put down their forks and spoons before overeating.


Eating slowly can decrease calorie intake

Get the idea of two teams filling up a wheelbarrow with dirt. They both have 20-minutes and the same sized shovel. One team takes its time, moving slow, and fills up the wheelbarrow just to the top. The other team shovels much faster and at the 20-minute mark the wheelbarrow is heaped high and overflowing.

And so, over time, it is easy to see how fast eaters pack in more calories and pack on more pounds.

And while optimal body weight is one key factor in creating good health, there are other health benefits for slow-eaters.

 

What Benefits Can I Get as a Slowest Eater - Great Oral Health

 

What Benefits Can I Get as a Slowest Eater 

  • More nutritional value: As the saying goes, “Your mouth is the gateway to your body” and it is designed to process the food that enters your body. The digestive process starts here. Chewing thoroughly does not only break the food down into smaller particles, but chewing stimulates saliva. Saliva is full of enzymes that start breaking food down and digesting it. This leads to higher availability and assimilation of nutrients.
  • Better digestive functioning: Food that has been “prepared” and better processed is more easily digested in the stomach and intestines. Just like top-grade fuel powers your car better, so does food that has been refined and prepped for your stomach.
  • Improved oral health: Slower chewing helps to reduce stomach issues, like acid reflex, and less acid coming back to your mouth means less acid to destroy your teeth. And another really big plus to slower eating is that more chewing produces more saliva. Saliva is one of nature’s best tools for stronger teeth and powerful oral health.
  • Lowered stress: It has been estimated that 90% of all disease is stress-related. That is a big number and not a statistic to be taken lightly. Slowing down your eating pace brings relaxation, reducing stress levels. And this is not just about overall stress reduction. The fact is that stress directly affects how your digestive system absorbs nutrients. So, take it slow, eat calmly and you will support better nutrition and overall health.

 How to Stop Eating Fast| Steps to Eat More Slowly and Be Healthier

While there are a number of steps you could take, let’s keep it simple with just two steps to start. 

  1. Observe your “eating rate,” especially how many times you chew before swallowing. Now try counting out twice as many chews. To make this easier and more conscious, put your utensils down when you start chewing, then pickup when ready for your next bite. (If you just need a number, many people swear by the "chew 32 times" rule)
  2. Set a kitchen timer, or use your smart watch, to 20 minutes and pace your meal. You just might be surprised by how fast you are accustomed to eating and how long 20 minutes is. 

And while weight loss results can vary, there are so many other factors involved, one thing is for sure… you will certainly enjoy your meals more and feel more relaxed as a result. 

 

Does Eating Slowly Help You Lose Weight- Great Oral Health

Does Eating Slowly Help You Lose Weight?

Many people eat their food fast and unintentionally. This can cause weight gain or other health problems. Slow eating could be a better option to take since it can provide many benefits of slow eating.

There are many benefits of eating slowly:

  • Eating slowly helps you eat less  

The number of calories you consume and hormones determine your appetite. After eating, your stomach suppresses the hormone ghrelin, which regulates hunger and releases hormones of fullness. These hormones inform your brain that you've eaten and are reducing your appetite, making you feel full, and assisting you to stop eating.

This process takes around 20 minutes. Slowing down gives your brain the time it needs to receive these signals. Eating too quickly often leads to overeating, as your brain doesn't have enough time to receive fullness signals.

  • Eating slowly can decrease calorie intake.  

As studies show, overweight or normal weight consume food at different paces. Both groups eat less calories when eating at the slowest pace, but the difference was statistically significant for the normal weight group. The participants felt fuller and fuller for longer periods after eating slower and reported feeling less hungry within 60 minutes following eating slower than after the fast meal. This sudden reduction in calorie consumption should result in weight loss over time.

Does eating fast or slow make a difference

Eating too fast can lead to weight gain and decreased enjoyment of food. However, slowing down can increase fullness and promote weight loss.

 

How to Eat Slower | Slow Down You're Doing Fine-Great Oral Health

How to Eat Slower | Slow Down You're Doing Fine

How to slow down and lose weight?

There are some practical tips to slow down and lose weight. Actually, there is. You’re about to read seven tips for how to stop eating fast. They can help you use slower eating to manage your weight. But they might even help your digestion and bring more enjoyment to your meals.

  1. Take smaller bites. Chewing slowly is great. But if you eat your meal in seven or eight huge chunks, your pace will still be too fast. Reducing the size of your bites, combined with purposeful chewing, helps you eat slower.
  2. Engage your senses. Taste is the sense most associated with food. But taking time to really enjoy how your food looks and paying attention to the texture (feeling) can also help slow eating. The most important might be smelling, though. Taste and smell are companions. Getting a good whiff and enjoying the aromas will enhance your eating experience and throttle back your speedy eating.
  3. Break between bites. Intentionally pausing after each bite slows the speed of your meals. Do this by putting down your fork or spoon between bites—or setting down the food if it’s handheld.
  4. Chew with purpose. Chewing each bite more, and doing it slowly, supports properly adjusting your pace. Try chewing each bite at least 20 times. You’ll slow yourself down and prepare your food better for digestion. 
  5. Listen to your body. Hunger is physical. You can feel it. There are signs when you need food and different ones when you’ve had enough. Take time to check in with what your body is saying. And don’t disregard the signs because there’s more on your plate.
  6. Change your food mindset. Food is considered as a different thing. At its most basic, it’s fuel. But food is also emotion and family and wish and intellectual stimulation and much more. So, don’t just treat food like the gas you dump in your car quickly so you can race down the road. Focus on each bite. Savor it. Discuss it. And really embrace and enjoy the full experience of eating.
  7. Be patient. Change takes time, as it takes about 66 days for a new behavior to become a habit.

Is eating fast bad for you

Are you the type of person who eats so fast that you always have to wait for others to finish their meals? Well, you should know that this habit can cause problems for your health! That 5-minute lunch can raise blood glucose levels, increase weight and abdominal circumference, and consequently increase the chances of cardiovascular events. Fast eating increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, that is, the emergence of a set of factors related to diseases that affect the heart, such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels. On the other hand, the slowest eater will stay healthy and satisfied.

 


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