When it comes to eating better, most folks worry about the little details:
- “Are potatoes fattening?”
- “If I don’t drink a protein shake after my workout, is it even worth exercising?”
- “Is keto really the best way to lose weight? Or should I be doing Paleo? Or what about the alkaline diet?!”
Yet they eat over the kitchen sink. Or in their car. Or in a daze while in front of the TV.
And who can blame them? We’ve been taught to think about what we eat, not how we eat.
That’s too bad since…
Eating slowly and mindfully can actually be an incredibly powerful habit for driving major transformation.
Instead of having to figure out which foods to eat, in what frequency, and in what portions—all important factors, of course—eating slowly is the simplest way anyone can start eating and feeling better, immediately.
Why?
Two reasons:
- It takes about 20 minutes for your body’s satiety signals to kick in. Slow eating gives the system time to work, allowing you to better sense when you’ve had enough.
- When you slow down, and really try to savor your meal, you tend to feel satisfied with less, and feel less “deprived.”
But…
People struggle with this habit.
(Oh, do they struggle.)
What to do?
Practice at slow eating and know you won’t be perfect. That’s okay.
It’s also why it’s not a bad idea to spend a whole month on just this one habit.
To help you, try one of these tips. You can experiment with them for just one meal, or take on a full “30-day slow-eating challenge,” if you feel up to it.
Take a breath.
Before you eat, pause. Take one breath. Take one bite. Then take another breath. Go one bite and one breath at a time. That’s it.
Add one minute per meal.
At the beginning of a meal, start a clock and see if you can make each meal one minute longer than the meal before.
Do something between bites.
Besides taking a breath (or three), try:
- setting down your utensils
- taking a sip of water
- asking someone at the table a question
Savor your food.
When you eat… eat. Enjoy it. Really taste it. Is it salty? Sweet? Does it coat the roof of your mouth? What’s the texture like? Think about these questions with each bite.
Notice what affects eating speed.
Even something as subtle as silence or background music can trigger you to speed up or slow down, which is why some folks have found success with listening to a 20-minute “slow eating” playlist.
Make Meal Time an Event.
One of the most effective strategies I have ever used to improve my special needs child’s ability to sit still and eat more slowly and mindfully was including the entire family to participate in some part of the whole process. From preparing the meal itself, to setting the table, (vary the setting from casual to formal according to the occasion), use a fabric table cloth and dinner napkins (this alone was a huge game changer) choosing background music. (we use music themed to the ethnicity of the food.) These details not only improve mindfulness, they create opportunities for bonding, instill music appreciation, cultural awareness, dining etiquette, help the environment, there is something for everyone to contribute, regardless of ability, and best of all, it has helped EVERYONE become more mindful and present at meal time.
And finally…
Try to remember: Don’t put food on your fork... if there’s food in your mouth!