Speed and Eating

Speed eating makes us lose our edge. Eating fast ignores our body's natural timing by bypassing enzymes in the mouth. Speed eating is what animals do who fear for their lives. Do you eat fast because you are afraid? Slow down and breathe more. You are stronger than fear.

Speed kills the pleasure of eating. Let's be honest here. Do you really get enough pleasure in your life? If not, then eat slower by chewing more and learn to savor the pleasure of flavor with your tongue. Chewing more has its benefits. When you really taste your food, you eat less! Nice.

There was a diet fad in the late 19th century that promoted chewing more to lose weight. Chewing more slows down how fast we eat, which in our busy lives means we eat less. Studies show "those who chew more consume 12% less food". Research shows that cutting 12% of your calories consumed could result in losing 25 pounds in a year. Not bad.  

Use curiosity and self-respect to protect yourself from speed eating.

Talking more at mealtime is another way to slow down how fast you eat. Be social! We're entering a season of parties where eating slowly and enjoying the experience of taste is an easy way to protect you from putting on pounds.

Everyone is concerned about maintaining health and weight during the party season. Pause between bites and talk more to others to feed emotional and social hunger. Here are some food facts about healthy eating to start conversations. 

Did you know?

Chocolate: dark (at least 60%) is best for health; enjoy a few bites.

Nuts: just a small handful, well chewed, gives us long-term energy.

Pumpkin & Sweet Potatoes:  are mega vitamins for our immune system.

Pomegranate:  is an anti-inflammatory that benefits the nervous system & inhibits tumor cell growth.

Cinnamon: helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels and is also anti-bacterial.

Cranberries: are high in vitamin C; eat in moderation.

Nutmeg:  in small amounts can enhance sleep and regulate anxiety.

Brussels Sprouts: protect against cancer.

#janebernard

Speed-Eating helps you gain weight.

I was sitting next to an overweight man in his 20's who believed it was macho to eat really fast. It isn't. It's self-defeating.  Speed eaters don't taste their food, appreciate their meals or get good nourishment from their food. Speed eaters eat more. This man was convinced it's 'military style' to inhale your food. It's not.

People in the armed forces trust their intuition to stay safe. There's nothing safe or smart about speed-eating.

Intuitive eating means keeping clear about priorities like safety and strength.  When you eat at a moderate rate, you get more nourishment from food and can go longer between meals.

Eating slower lets you connect with your own sensuality which impacts other areas of your life.

It gives your body time to really digest food so that you get energy instead of stuffed. 

Eating slower is an intuitive way of controlling your weight because when you eat slower you eat less.

I just got back from a family vacation and meal-time was a big deal. Every meal is a big deal to your body. Your body only relates to food as a means to produce energy and ensure good health. That's why it's right to stop eating before you feel 'filled up'.

Just like you don't fill a coffee cup or bowl of soup to the very top because it will spill or overflow, don't "top off" your stomach when you eat. When you're on vacation and eating with gusto, think of your stomach and slow down. Chew more. Notice how your body feels.

There is a very thin line between healthy eating and over eating. People who eat really fast cross that line every meal. You know you cross the line when you feel bloated, tired, stuffed or general indigestion. Your stomach is designed to be active digesting food you eat. When you stuff it, there's no room for it to work efficiently. You feel bogged down instead of invigorated by your food.

It takes courage to do the right thing. To respect your body instead of stuffing it, is being tuned into your priorities in a safe, smart way. Chew more and you'll eat less.