Don't forget to Chew your Food! This can actually help you lose weight
Did you know that something as simple as chewing your food for longer can help you lose weight? It sounds easy enough but in order to chew your food the recommended 30 to 50 times per mouthful you will have to put forward some effort as you adjust your meal times. One of the reasons this can be difficult but also the reason it is an effective strategy for weight loss is that by chewing your food it takes you longer to actually eat your meal. In this busy day and age where time is precious most people will not be patient enough to take the time to eat their normal plateful of food when forced to slow down. Additionally, by slowing down the rate of consumption you actually give your stomach enough time to send signals to the brain when you are full. It usual takes between 20 to 30 minutes for your stomach to recognize when it has had enough nourishment but today most meals have long been devoured within that amount of time.
Chewing your food is a vital first step in the digestive process. During chewing, food is broken down and mixed with saliva which further aids in the digestion and absorption of nutrients into the body. Often times, people who are overweight find themselves with digestive system issues that are a result of eating too quickly and not chewing food properly. This condition can also be seen in the elderly when their automatic digestive processes start to fail due to wear and tear over the years. Chewing reduces the amount of wear on your automatic digestive processes and makes it easier for food to be digested once in the stomach.
The best way that chewing aids in weight loss is by creating consciousness as you eat. You may actually find it difficult at first to sit still and chew the same mouthful of food 30 times but the longer you stick with this practice the more aware you will become during your meal times. Awareness is a key factor in creating change. As you become more aware of your digestive processes you can appreciate just how well they are working for you. Take the time to taste all of the flavors you are biting into, enjoy all of the colors on your plate and be aware of your efforts throughout the process. Over time, you will start to find that you feel better when you are eating healthier foods like fruits and vegetables because of your awareness of how these foods are nourishing your body. You may even find that through the chewing process and with this knowledge, they even start to taste better! Unconscious snacking then becomes less frequent as you are aware of the effort that must go into what you are about to eat in relation to its nutritional content.
So slow down, chew thoroughly and enjoy the process as you start to shed the pounds.
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