How you actually eat (not the food) does make a difference!

Atlantique

I don't mean to say that food choice isn't important--it is!

But often people who are struggling with their weight also have picked up a few bad habits with 'technique' aka table manners:

-Huge bites. And yes people, I mean huge. If you're eating half an English Muffin in 3 bites--I'm talking to you! And taking such big bites that there are weird noises, as if you are going for the Guinness Book for "Most Food Crammed in a Mouth at One Time-Human".

-Rapid eating. You may have the exact same portion as everyone else at the table, but you're finished waaaaayy ahead of everyone else. It's not a race! The food isn't going to escape, I promise!

-Mindless eating. Even thin people are guilty of this one. Eating while doing something else-driving, watching TV, playing on the computer, at the movie theater, etc. is mindless eating. You don't even taste it, let alone enjoy it. You're also likely to consume more than intended.

It really does pay to slow down and give attention to the food. Eating too quickly (either sheer speed or huge bites, or both) means that there is no possible way that your body can register that you've eaten a thing. You're still hungry even though you ate a decent meal or snack! It takes a good 20 minutes for what you've just eaten to register with your body.

Paying attention to what you're eating also allows you to enjoy it and not feel deprived, as well as being conscious of how much you're actually consuming.

Sorry if this sounds like a rant, but I occasionally have to eat with a family member who practices all three of the 'bad technique' eating habits and it drives me insane. Even when this person is making some effort to lose weight, these habits are defeating those efforts.

grouch201

I think this is a good reminder to take it easy and enjoy your food. I know that I often fall into the 'wolf it down' mode and don't savor my food. Not taking the time to properly chew your food makes it harder to digest. The more you can chew it up, the more of all those awesome enzymes can get to your food to start breaking it down. Even smoothies should be chewed, or so I've heard.

lwyz_smln

Very true and good info... thanks for sharing! ^_^ I always remind my husband and friends too that if they think they need seconds to wait at least 7-10 minutes and see if they're still hungry first. They usually aren't after that much time.

spacecase76

<--mindless eater...always have been, still am....BUT...I have given up eating from the bag. I count out my 15 rice chips, or 39 pretzels and put the bag away..if it isn't "satisfying", I chew gum

Losing2Live69

Who exactly is the "you" and "you're" you are referring to? Is it people who eat like this? Is it fat people? Is it all of us? It addresses "us" as if we all eat that way. I think there would have been a nicer way to word this without sounding so negative and critical. You could have said, "if a person"....or "when some people". I don't know, maybe it is just me, but I try very hard not to address people on here like I am giving them a lecture.

chris0912

This is so true... I've seen and read studies done that prove it. It takes your body about 30 minutes to recognize eaten food, so pacing yourself and eating slower allows your body to trigger the "full" feeling. (Hubby and I argue about this all the time. I have always been a very slow eater/drinker. He wolfs down 2 servings to my 1 and then complains about being "too full.") One study I saw was about the perceived perception of serving sizes. They did this test with soup. Half of the test subjects were given a normal bowl of soup. The other half's bowl was rigged up with a tube connected through a hole in the bottom of the bowl Under the table). As they ate, the soup was constantly being refilled, so the quantity never diminished. Those people ate at least double the amount of the others!

CreamAndSugarPlease

YES! So true. And i think it's helpful in a humorous, encouraging, and very "non-lecturey" way.

JennsLosing

I don't mean to say that food choice isn't important--it is!

But often people who are struggling with their weight also have picked up a few bad habits with 'technique' aka table manners:

-Huge bites. And yes people, I mean huge. If you're eating half an English Muffin in 3 bites--I'm talking to you! And taking such big bites that there are weird noises, as if you are going for the Guinness Book for "Most Food Crammed in a Mouth at One Time-Human".

-Rapid eating. You may have the exact same portion as everyone else at the table, but you're finished waaaaayy ahead of everyone else. It's not a race! The food isn't going to escape, I promise!

these are my 2 struggles...and its habit. ive been doing this since a kid! I remember it was first brought to my attention at a minor league baseball game i went to with my parents, uncle and cousins when i was probably 8 yrs old. ANYWAY, my uncle bought me and my other 2 cousins(one is the same age, the other is 2 yrs older) hotdogs...WELL he gave em to us, and i ate mine. My uncle turned around and said "jennifer wheres your hot dog?" and i looked at him crazy and i said "i ate it" and he laughed because my cousins barely even took like 2 bites out of theirs! my husbands tells me daily...jennifer chew your damn food! i try but its such a hard habit to break! lol