Nutrition

Eating healthy with Newtopia has never been easier! Explore our delicious recipes, weekly tips and easy ways to stay on plan everyday.

Exercise

Get tips to help you improve your workouts, maintain better fitness, lose weight and see better results from your Newtopia Plan.

Well Being

Information on the latest behavioral health information to stay motivated and inspired.







Posted February 27 2012

How Being Mindful While Eating Can Help You Lose Weight

In order to help improve and control over eating we all must take a step back and slow down the eating process. This will help to improve the mind-body connection when eating say's our Director of phychology Karyn Hood.

Her rationale for this is because when you eat quickly you can end up feeling dissatisfied and you can very easily finish your entire meal before your body recognizes you are full. This can lead to 2nd helpings (overeating-“off plan” eating) or feelings of being deprived. Research suggests that it takes 20 minutes from the time you take that first bite for your brain to recognize feelings of fullness, so it is important to SLOW DOWN the eating process.

We need to start practicing the art of Mindful Eating –Slowing Down your Eating 

Below you will find a great method that helps you to practice eating mindfully. This means taking the time to enjoy your food and the overall eating experience. Slowing down when you eat can also improve your ability to recognize when you are satisfied/full.

Steps/ How to:

  •  Set aside at least 20 minutes to eat a meal. You may want to use a timer or place your watch on the table to judge the time it is taking you to eat.
  • Importance of context. Always sit down to eat. Make sure to eat at least 1 meal/day alone, and sitting down, without distractions (not in front of the TV, PC or while using your phone/blackberry).
  • Take smaller bites (food should not be piled on your fork!) and chew slowly and purposefully.
  • Take a sip of water between bites.
  • Put down your knife and fork between each bite and chew each bite for at least 10 seconds.
  • Make sure you have completely finished chewing and swallowing each bite before putting more food on your fork.
  • Be mindful of the process. Practice enjoying the smell, taste and texture of what you are eating rather than just “wolfing down” your meal.


Category: Well Being | Tags: