SLOW EATING AND A WORD ON HABITS 

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SLOW EATING AND A WORD ON HABITS 

BY JESS MULLEN, RD

Benefits of slow eating: 

• Digest your food better (allows time for the digestion chain to be ready) 

• More likely to maintain or lose weight 

• Greater satisfaction with meals (tastes and textures, satisfied but not overstuffed) 

• Really ENJOY your treat for the day! 

• Less stressful 

• Allows cues from body to help eat appropriate amounts naturally 

• Often better hydration (slow down, drink more) 

• May highlight other areas of importance (making meals more of a priority, uncomfortable being alone, stressed out, other emotions) 

Detriments of eating fast: 

• Usually less chewing, bigger chunks, gut not ready yet, poorer digestion = increased indigestion, overstuffed, other GI problems 

• Likely to overeat (weight gain) 

• Perpetuates fight or flight energy (more stress) 

• Less satisfaction because not even experiencing it, the flavors, textures, smells 

• Can foster feeling out of control around food and consumption 

Ok, so how do I slow down? 

• Set utensil down between each bite (or food if using hands) 

• Set a timer, make the meal or snack last that long 

• Ask a question or listen to conversation without eating 

• Set a minimum number of chews per bite 

• Find a slow eater to eat with 

• Change where you eat (less on-the-go or multitasking) 

• Drink water in between bites 

• Actively think about the smells, the tastes, the flavors and textures 

Remember habits can be grounding (so don’t discount the value in them – life is made up of all the little things) 

Which of my current habits is really helping me right now (making life better/easier)? Focus on this habit – make sure it keeps happening. 

Which habit isn’t serving me at all right now? Identify if you have a habit that continues to add stress or negativity to your day – this is the one to tackle (see quote below) 

"Time spent working hard is often better spent identifying where the bottleneck is located. Working hard on the wrong thing leads to frustration, not progress."

Molly Kieland