Isn’t life more hectic than it used to be? Why is eating now another chore instead of something pleasurable? We are no longer paying attention to what we eat as our minds are constantly busy and in overdrive.
Let’s all put a little more effort into the beautiful act of eating and enjoying a meal by following some of these few simple measures…
1. Switch Hands
Need to be conscious of what hand you are using while you eat. Once you learn which hand you mainly use, try to switch it up a little. If you’re a righty, try eating with your left hand and in the start it will be a little difficult for you to manage the hand and mouth coordination but it will also help you slow down and concentrate on what you are doing.
2. Turn Your Fork Upside Down
Go British with this method. Don’t try to use your fork as a spoon but go harder with it instead. A fork is for you to pick food with, poke it and then eat. Don’t just scoop food up, once you get in the habit of poking you will always be aware of what you are eating instead of just mindless munching.
3. Take One Bite at a Time
Don’t just stuff food down; try to be orderly about eating with smaller portions chewing slowly. Then if your first mouthful hasn’t gone down your throat, don’t start with the next bite mindlessly.
4. Pace Yourself
Eating isn’t a race and there are no prizes for the first to finish. Are you always the first on the table to finish? If yes, then you better slow down. The faster you eat the less attention you give to your food. That’s gulping food not eating, try to eat slower – look at the slowest eater on the table and try to match up to their speed.
5. Try Chopsticks
Chopsticks are another way of slowing down your gulping habits by helping you pay more attention to the process of eating and bringing your mind to actually seeing what you are eating.
6. Eat, Don’t Multitask
The new norm for us to be eating while we are engaged in other activities. Less time on our hands means less time to sit down and enjoy our food. There is no longer a one-on-one connection with food and we often eat while we are either watching TV or working.
7. Take Advantage of the Pistachio Effect
Another researched fact is that people who put effort in preparing their food eat less and digest better. When we have to put in work to prepare our food such as peeling and chopping it tends to cause us to eat much less. Moreover when u can see ruminants of what you cooked such as shells, peelings or bones your mind tricks you into eating less – It suggests that you have already eaten a lot and even though you consciously hungry you will eat less.
8. Wake Up, Smell Coffee
Who loves the smell of coffee? Well, who doesn’t?
Don’t we all love walking into coffee shops smelling the invigorating aroma of coffee beans. So start your day with the smell of coffee to clear your palette while enjoying the aroma.
9. Study How to Finish a Meal
Your body has a great indication system and it will let you know when to stop or when it needs more. Whenever you sit down for a meal observe why you stop eating and what are the reasons, is it the external issues going on around you? Like the waiter taking your plate away or lunch time being over. Try to go for your internal indicators instead.
10. Crunch an Apple
An apple a day does keep the doctor away but also minimises your hunger pains. Studies have shown that eating fruit is high in fibre and reduces your food intake by 15 per cent.
11. Chew Gum
You didn’t see that one coming, eh? But yes chewing gum can be good. It helps you fool your brain into thinking that you are full and that you have been eating. Thus, no calories gained and your stomach feels full too.
12. Snack Regularly
Snacking is not a bad thing if you do it the right way. Keep your snacks small and healthy, add fruits and berries. Portion size matters as well, keep it full of fibre and minerals. Add nuts to whatever you eat and make it yummier.
13. Get Smart about Leftovers
Aren’t midnight hunger pains the worst? Yes, they are. Eating after your dinner meal will mean that your digestive system has to work all over again. After a long day, your system gets tired too and it needs rest. Stop eating after dinner and give your stomach some time to digest all the food before your body switches into sleep mode.
14. Use a Slow Cooker
Most people are hungry by the time they get home from work so often end up picking while cooking dinner, so try cooking your meal with a slow cooker so that you limit picking in between.
