Check the clock when you take your first bite of dinner. Look at it again when you’re finished eating. How much time has elapsed? Five minutes? Ten? The longer, the better.
Scientists know it takes at least 15 to 20 minutes for nerve endings in the gut to send the signal to the brain that says, “Yup, I’m fed! You can stop eating now!” Wolfing down a meal faster than that can lead to overeating – and that can pack on serious kilos.
In fact, a study published in 2008 in the British Medical Journal found that people who eat quickly and eat until they feel full are more than three times as likely to be overweight than people who take their time and eat slowly.
Make It WorkYou have to teach yourself to eat slower, simple as that. It can be a gradual process of increasing the amount of time you take for meals. “If you’re used to taking three minutes for breakfast,” says Leslie Bonci, author of Run Your Butt Off!, “slow down and take five, then make it 10. If you consume your lunchtime sandwich in front of the computer in five minutes, stretch it out. Eat half, wait a few minutes, have a few sips of water. Then eat the other half.”
The other benefit of slowing down and concentrating on what you’re eating? “You might actually enjoy the experience,” says Bonci. “Chew your food, taste it, and savour it rather than inhaling it and getting on to the next thing.” Try Bonci’s other tips for slowing down your next meal.
SIT DOWN
Don’t eat standing at the counter, which makes it easier to get distracted or quickly refill your plate. Sit down at your kitchen or dining-room table.
AVOID FAMILY-STYLEWhen food is at arm’s length, you’re tempted to refill your plate and eat more than you need. Keep it on the stove or kitchen bench and away from the table.
DON’T EAT ALONEIt takes longer to eat (and is more fun) when you’re talking to other people.
BE WARY OF THE TVIf you’re hungry while watching TV, measure out a finite amount of food and put the bag away before you sit down. Don’t leave the bag open so you can reach for additional handfuls.
Find more articles like this in the May 2011 issue of Runner's World - the world's leading running magazine for the runner who wants to achieve their personal health, fitness and performance goals. Go to the Runner's World website for all the latest news and to subscribe online.
5 Comments
@ df, I used to be over 86kg. Now Im almoast at 70kg. The way I did it was to eat less and move more. Really people that are big do eat more than the average leaner person. You can't really honestly tell me that if I kept eating the crap I did, that I would have been able to lose the weight.
Reply@Alanna theres always a simpleton with the eat less move more comment
Replyumm... how about eat less, move more. Elegant in its simplicity.
Replyeat within half an hour of waking, have 1 pint of ice water as soon as you wake up and dont eat white carbs or cereal, have some eggs and spinach -
ReplyTime everything in life will help you die of stress.
1 Reply