I am guilty of a very unhealthy eating habit and I’m here to confess. I am a ridiculously fast eater. I am especially bad when I’m by myself. This is not good and I am going to commit to slowing down.

When you inhale your food, it doesn’t allow enough time for your stomach to communicate to your brain that you are full.  It takes about 20 minutes for this communication to happen.  Eating too fast can lead to overeating and also it gets you out of the practice of recognizing satiety (fullness) cues. There is a very complicated system involving hormones, nerve signals, and digestive enzymes that our bodies go through every time we eat.

Here’s a quick explanation from Harvard Health Publications if you are interested in the details:
Stretch receptors in the stomach are activated as it fills with food or water; these signal the brain directly through the vagus nerve that connects gut and brainstem. Hormonal signals are released as partially digested food enters the small intestine. One example is cholecystokinin (CCK), released by the intestines in response to food consumed during a meal. Another hormone, leptin, produced by fat cells, is an adiposity signal that communicates with the brain about long-range needs and satiety, based on the body’s energy stores. Research suggests that leptin amplifies the CCK signals, to enhance the feeling of fullness. Other research suggests that leptin also interacts with the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain to produce a feeling of pleasure after eating. The theory is that, by eating too quickly, people may not give this intricate hormonal cross-talk system enough time to work.  (source)

Basically, if you eat slow you may end up eating less which could be a good thing if you are overeating or trying to lose weight.  The goal is to find that sweet spot where you are satisfied but not overly stuffed.  Easier said than done I know.

Since this is a problem of mine, here are the tips I’m going to follow to get myself to slow down:

1. Chew thoroughly.  Seems like a no brainer but if I actually pay attention to how much I’m chewing I realize that I’m not chewing my food as well as I should be.  The digestion process actually starts in the mouth with the secretion of all kinds of digestive enzymes that start to break up the chemical bonds in food.  If you chew too fast, you’re missing out on that process!  If food reaches the stomach that hasn’t been chewed properly, the stomach has to work extra hard and that can lead to stomach cramps, indigestion, and gas (fun!)

You should be able to swallow your food with ease and there really shouldn’t be much sensation as you swallow.  The food should also be a consistent texture before you swallow.  For example, if you are eating a sandwich you shouldn’t be able to distinguish the different foods (bread, veggies, meat) in one bite, it should all be chewed to one homogenous texture.  (Btw, I apologize if this grosses you out!  It does me a little too but it is important to think about.)

2. Put down your fork or spoon between each bite.  Each bite should take some time and if I make an effort to pause after each bite I think I’ll automatically take more time to chew.  Putting down your utensil is a good reminder to slow  down.

3. Be mindful while you eat.  In other words, remove those distractions!  This is definitely a tough one.  I am guilty of eating at my desk at work or coming home after a long day and eating dinner on the couch while watching TV.  Unfortunately, these distractions cause our brains to forget how much we have eaten which can lead to overeating and eating more later in the day.  Not every meal can be a long sit down affair but at least look away from your computer screen or put down your phone while eating.

I hope these tips are a helpful to those other speed eaters out there.

Be Happy, Be Healthy!