When it comes to what’s on your fork, we love to over-complicate the process
We’re all about the nitty-gritty:
- “Will potatoes make me fat?”
- “Do I absolutely need a protein shake post-workout, or was that training session for nothing?”
- “Should I go full keto or is Paleo where it’s at and what’s this alkaline thing now?”
Meanwhile, we’re shovelling food down our throats over the kitchen sink, behind the driver’s wheel, or zoned out in front of Netflix. Because, well who has time to eat?
Seriously, who trained us to fixate solely on the what and completely ignore the how of eating?
Here’s the kicker:
Taking your sweet @$$ time to eat can be a game-changer for your health journey.
Instead of obsessing over which food groups to juggle and portion sizes to measure – sure, those are crucial too – eating slowly is like an instant upgrade to your mealtime experience. No extra charge.
Why does this work? Two big reasons:
- Your body takes around 20 minutes to go, “Hey, I’m good here!” Eating at a turtle’s pace lets those fullness cues do their thing. We’re aiming to stop when we’re feeling about 80% full.
- Eating slowly lets you savour every bite, so you’re content with less. Less food, zero FOMO.
Still, people stumble over this simple habit. Big time. They want their nutrition to be complicated because, how the hell did I end up where I am if it’s not complicated?
So what’s the game plan?
Let’s ease into slow eating and ditch the idea of overnight perfection. Honestly, you could spend a whole month mastering this one habit alone, and it would be time well-spent.
Wanna give it a go? Try these hacks:
Inhale. Exhale.
Pause before that first bite. One breath in, one breath out, one bite down. Rinse and repeat.
Beat the Clock.
Time your meal. Then aim to stretch the next one by just 60 seconds. Yep, that’s it.
Break up the Bites.
In between bites, you’ve got options:
- Drop that knife and fork or spoon. Yep, put it down and chew.
- Hydrate with a sip of water.
- Spark up a convo with your dining company.
Taste the Rainbow.
When you’re eating, actually taste the food. Is it salty, sweet, sour? Does it have a kick? Is it creamy or crunchy? Let those taste buds go to town.
Feel the Vibe.
Notice what’s going on around you. Even background noise can mess with your eating speed. Some folks swear by a slow-eating playlist that lasts 20 minutes.
One last thing:
If you’ve still got food in your mouth, keep that fork on standby!