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Do you eat when you are not hungry? Do you eat while watching your favorite television shows? Are you “present” while you are eating? The busy holiday season is behind you and it’s the perfect time to develop a more normal and healthier relationship with food in the New Year. One of the key factors I’d recommend concentrating on is the concept of “mindful eating”—staying in the moment and not just noshing out of boredom or because the clock says noon or 6 p.m. The following six tactics will help you become a more mindful eater and can also help you lose weight—mindful eaters consume fewer calories.
Rearrange your pantry and refrigerator.
It is easier to change your environment than to change your behavior so set your environment up for success. You are most likely to eat the first foods you see when you look into your pantry or refrigerator. For this reason, you want to put the healthiest foods front and center so you see them most often. Put the less healthy options out of clear view so you won’t be tempted each time you are looking for food. Placing a big bowl of fresh fruit in a highly visible area on your kitchen counter is another great way to encourage eating healthy snacks—and it works with kids, too, who burst through the door at the end of a school day looking for something yummy to grab.
Takeaway: Rearrange all of your foods in your pantry and refrigerator making the healthy foods the easiest to see. Put a fruit bowl on the kitchen counter.
Change the size of your bowls, plates and glasses.
This newer research is truly fascinating and there is an easy solution to the problem. The problem is people eat significantly more when they eat from larger bowls, plates and glasses. In fact, in one study, Nutritional Science Division distinguished professors were given either a 17-ounce bowl or a 34-ounce bowl and then allowed to go through a line to get ice cream. Different scoop sizes were also offered. These were people who have written top research on nutrition so surely they would know better to control their portions, right? No—the people with the big bowls scooped out 31 percent more ice cream than those holding the smaller bowls and a whopping additional 127 calories. Those with the bigger bowl and bigger scoop dished out 57 percent more than those with the smaller bowl and smaller scoop.
The same is also true for plate size. The larger the plates, the more you serve yourself and the more you eat because Americans love to clean their plates. Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating, recently said that he has asked Parisians when they stop eating and they responded when they are full. He asked the same questions to Chicagoans and they said when their plate was clean. Start eating your meals from a salad plate rather than a full-sized dinner plate. You’ll be amazed at how you start reducing your portions, and feel full when you’re finished.
In addition, glass size is very important. You will drink about 25-30 percent more from a short, wide glass as compared to a tall, skinny glass.
Takeaway: The simple yet effective solution is to think smaller when eating and drinking. Use smaller bowls, drink from taller, skinnier glasses and eat from salad-sized plates.
Allow yourself to eat only in your kitchen or at your table.
By limiting your eating to designated parts of your home, you can help prevent the unconscious eating that often accompanies watching television, working on the computer, etc.
Takeaway: Only allow yourself to eat in your kitchen and at the table with no television watching.
Savor the flavor.
Pay attention to the taste, texture and aroma in each bite of your food. Try this exercise: eat a single berry of your choice and pay particular attention to exactly how it tastes and savor it.
Takeaway: Fully savor every bite of food you put into your mouth and always be fully present when you are eating. Give 100 percent of your attention to your food, not your cell phone or other artificial distractions.
Schedule planned indulgences.
If you read my column, you likely know that I absolutely love food. In fact, I don’t “eat to live,” I “live to eat.” I find that planning for small indulgences can help prevent the cravings and overeating. This tactic can also help you develop a normal relationship with food. For example, plan to have a small piece of chocolate every day or have a strawberry frozen pop after dinner.
Takeaway: Since restrictive eating can lead to overeating, plan for small indulgences. It’s okay—don’t feel guilty and make them a part of your life!
Eat more slowly.
I’m sure you have heard it before: slow down when you are eating. New research from the University of Rhode Island confirms that faster eaters consume more calories. The study discovered that individuals who shovel in the food consume about 3.1 ounces of food per minute, versus 2.5 ounces per minute for medium-speed eaters and 2 ounces per minute for slow eaters.
The study also showed that men eat much faster than women. At lunch, men eat about 80 calories per minute while women eat about 52 calories per minute.
Takeaway: Slow down your eating and you ultimately consume fewer calories and can lose weight. It will also give you the time to put Tactic No. 4 into place to savor the flavor and be more present by using your new slow-eating approach.
