Mindful Eating Basics: Slow Down And Savor Your Food

[five-minute read]

75% of us eat too fast. Surprised? Yeah, we aren’t either. You can probably look around and see at least one person eating while doing something else, wherever you are. How about now? Is your coworker eating a sandwich in front of her desk? Did a guy just blaze past you on the street while eating a burrito? This is modern life. 

Eating On The Run

But it’s not healthy to always eat in a hurry. Hormones control your appetite, and they need time to do their work well. Ghrelin, the “hunger hormone,” gets suppressed as you eat, and leptin, the “satiety hormone,” increases to let your brain know you are full. But this dynamic duo takes about 20 minutes to do their work. And many of us eat our daily meals in under 20 minutes. So, it’s easy for us to overeat and struggle with the weight control issues that follow.

Slow Down and Savor Each Bite

On the flip side, people who eat slowly tend to think they’ve eaten more than they actually have. Slowing down gives them the chance to savor food, receive the satiety messages their hormones are sending, and stop before becoming overfull. Plus, because eating slower requires us to chew food more thoroughly, it improves digestion and helps absorb nutrients better. Finally, slow eating contributes to a sense of calm and control, which reduces stress levels and the emotional eating that often goes with stress! It’s an all-around win.

Here are some tips to “pump the brakes” at your next meal and actually enjoy it:

1. Commit to turning off all screens and ignoring your phone for the entirety of the meal.

2. Pause before you dig in and take five deep breaths.

3. Engage all five senses as you begin to eat. Listen to the sizzle of meat. Touch the soft bread. Smell the herbs. Take in the rainbow of colors on your plate. And of course: taste the heck out of each morsel!

4. Put your utensils down between each bite and when others at your table are talking to you.

5. Drink water as you eat to cleanse your palate and hydrate.

6. Throughout the meal, cultivate thoughts of gratitude for the gift of food and its power to fuel your body while also delighting your senses.

We know life is rushed and it’s impossible to eat slowly at every meal. But over time, these practices can become more automatic and greatly improve your well-being. Try it at breakfast with your favorite Oats Overnight flavor and set yourself up for a more satisfying day.

Food For Thought

At Oats Overnight we don’t sell magic remedies for weight loss or instant body transformation. We create premium, nutritious food that helps our customers reach attainable goals, one morning at a time. Join us as we journey together towards greater health, success, and joy.

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