Have you ever considered HOW you eat?

When it comes to eating better, most folks worry about the little details:

• “Are potatoes fattening?”

• “If I don’t drink a protein shake after my workout, is it even worth exercising?”

• “Is keto really the best way to lose weight? Or should I be doing Paleo? Or what about the alkaline diet?!”

Yet they eat over the kitchen sink. Or in their car. Or in a daze while in front of the TV.

And who can blame them? We’ve been taught to think about what we eat, not how we eat.

That’s too bad since…

Eating slowly and mindfully can be an incredibly powerful habit driving major transformation.

Instead of figuring out which foods to eat, in what frequency, and in what portions—all important factors, of course—eating slowly is the simplest way anyone can start eating and feeling better immediately. 

Why? 

Two reasons:

 1. It takes about 20 minutes for your body’s satiety signals to kick in. Slow eating gives the system time to work, making you sense better when you’ve had enough.

2. When you slow down and try to savour your meal, you tend to feel satisfied with less and less “deprived.”

But… 

People struggle with this habit.

(Oh, do they struggle.)

What to do? 

Practice slow eating, and know you won’t be perfect. That’s okay. 

It’s also why spending a month on this habit is not bad. 

To help you, try one of these tips. You can experiment with them for just one meal or take on a whole “30-day slow-eating challenge” if you feel up to it.

▶️ Take a breath.

Before you eat, pause. Take one breath. Take one bite. Then take another breath. Go one bite and one breath at a time. That’s it.

▶️ Add one minute per meal.

Start a clock at the beginning of a meal and see if you can make each meal one minute longer than before.

▶️ Do something between bites. Besides taking a breath (or three), try:

• setting down your utensils
• taking a sip of water
• asking someone at the table a question

▶️ Savour your food.

When you eat… eat. Enjoy it. Really taste it. Is it salty? Sweet? Does it coat the roof of your mouth? What’s the texture like? Think about these questions with each bite.

▶️ Notice what affects eating speed. 

Even something as subtle as silence or background music can trigger you to speed up or slow down, which is why some folks have found success with listening to a 20-minute “slow eating” playlist.

And finally…

Remember: Don’t put food on your fork… if there’s food in your mouth!

Play (or eat) on!

xox Coach Jan

P.S. Whenever you are ready, here are 3 ways I can help you improve your health.

1. Grab a copy of my book – The Play Book: How To Get In The Habit Of Good Health, and NOW ON AUDIBLE 🎉
2. Connect with me on  Instagram and LinkedIn.
3. Is it your time to thrive? I invite you to Book a free 1:1 discovery call with me. I’d love to hear more about your wellness challenges and goals. I’ll tell you more about how I work and answer any questions you have. And, together, we can determine if we’re a good fit for working together.