Want to lose weight? Eat slowly

01/5 The trick to lose weight

Since childhood, we have always been advised to eat slowly and savour every bite. Mindful eating has several proven health benefits including improved digestion, better nutrient absorption and greater satisfaction. Turns out, there is one more reason why you must slow down while eating your meal: To lose weight.

02/5​ How eating fast can lead to weight gain

Studies suggest that people who eat quickly tend to weigh more than those who don’t. Data suggest that fast eaters are 115 per cent more likely to be obese as compared to those who eat slowly and enjoy every bite of their meal. Besides, regularly eating at a faster speed can also lead to weight gain over some time. As per the findings of a study carried out on over 4,000 middle-aged adults, it was revealed that men who tend to finish their meal faster gain the most bodyweight till the time they hit the mark of 20.

03/5 How does slow eating help

Eating slowly helps you lose weight in several ways. First of all, it promotes fullness, a hint which is often missed when eating hurriedly gulping down the food. There are high chances of overeating when you try to finish your meal fast. That’s because our stomach does not get enough time to send the signal to the brain when it is full.

Secondly, chewing food thoroughly before swallowing helps you reduce calorie intake and lose weight. Findings of several studies have found that people with weight problems do not chew their food properly as compared to others. Going by the numbers, an average calorie intake is decreased by 9.5 per cent when people chewed 1.5 times more than normal and nearly 15 per cent when they chewed twice as much as usual.

04/5 How much time should it take to finish your food?

So, how much time should you take to finish your meal? This question is a little bit tricky. According to a study, chewing every bite for 30 seconds can reduce the chances of unhealthy snacking later on but can also reduce meal enjoyment. Surely you do not want that. To be on the safer side, chew your food for 10 and 15 seconds before swallowing it. You should only take 20 minutes to finish your entire meal.

05/5 ​How to slow down

In case you are a faster eater keep a watch in front of you for a few days to track the timing. Here’s some advice to help you start eating more slowly:

Do not starve yourself: It is hard to slow down when you are extremely hungry. So try to eat your food on time and keep snacking in between.

Chew more: Count how many times you normally chew a bite of food. Try to increase the number by chewing more slowly.

Eat fiber-rich food: Adding fiber to your diet has several benefits like it keeps your gut healthy and you also have to chew them more before gulping them.

Drink water: Drink one glass of water before every meal. This will help to reduce your calorie intake.

Do not use any gadgets: Try to eat your meal peacefully without any distractions. When using any gadgets or television people tend to eat more.