Eat Less, Enjoy More

I'm determined to start trying to eat more slowly and "savor the flavor," as I used to tell my daughter when I only let her have one piece of candy. I've always been a fast eater, and have blamed it on my father. He's a fast eater too, and when I was a kid I always sat across the dinner table from him. (My sister sat across from my mother and they're both slow eaters.) As a parent, it seems like you often end up wolfing down your food—either you have a limited window of time before someone has a meltdown or you're just famished by the time you finally sit down to dinner. This recent article in the Wall Street Journal reminded me about the benefits of eating mindfully—slowly chewing and enjoying each bite, rather than just focusing on the next one. It takes a while for your food to make its way down to your stomach and for your brain to realize that you're full—and by that time, you've usually finished your meal. But if you eat slowly and thoughtfully, you'll feel full faster and it'll be easier to eat smaller, healthier portions—and two bites of a cookie might be completely satisfying. Researchers at Duke University are studying the benefits of mindful eating for weight loss, and have found that its particularly helpful for binge eaters.

Comments

[Tara]

My grandmother is a super slow eater, always has been. She's also thin and always has been. Makes me wonder if they're connected. This article would lead me to believe they are.

[Daniel]

I have to believe you on this, slow eaters have slim body structure because my brother is a super slow eater.