Eating Slowly Can Help With Weight Loss
Friday, November 6, 2009 13:35 Perhaps you've heard that eating more slowly can help with weight loss. Here's why: When food enters digestive tract, hormones are released by the gut. These hormones signal the brain that we are full. But this process takes time. When you eat too quickly, by the time your brain gets the signal that you are satisfied, you've eaten way more calories than you actually need. Excess calories lead to weight gain.
A study in an upcoming issue of Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism demonstrates this effect. The researchers found that people who took 30 minutes to finish a serving of ice cream had higher
levels of certain gut hormones and tended to feel fuller than those who ate the same size serving more quickly.
Eating more slowly can allow you to reduce your caloric intake but still leave the table feeling satisfied. It can be hard to slow down in such a fast paced society, but here are some tips to help you slow down:
Don't eat in front of the TV, computer, or while reading
Set up an environment where you feel relaxed while eating
Put your fork down between bites
Chew your food completely
Don't eat in the car or on the run
What tips do you have to help slow down eating?