10 Strategies to Slow Down and Slim Down
The Big Secret to Slim Down That Doesn’t Involve Diet or Exercise
by JJ Virgin
I was doing some research recently and stumbled across an interesting article in the Washington Post that revealed some “secrets” of highly obese people. What researchers discovered provided a primer about what not to do for fat loss and fast metabolism.
For instance, obese people begin eating sooner, devour larger portions, skip breakfast, and eat faster than their lean counterparts. That last one really got my attention because I see it far too often.
Welcome to fast food nation, where we engulf double cheeseburgers driving 80 miles an hour on the freeway and mindlessly devour half a pint of double chocolate chip in the kitchen while flipping through gossip magazines.
It All Starts with that First Bite…
If you stayed awake during high school or college anatomy and physiology class, you might recall how amazingly your digestive system performs. Regardless, allow me to recap the highlights.
Digestion begins in your mouth, when that first taste of wild-caught salmon saturates your taste buds. Chewing well helps your tongue recognize the food, alerting your brain to signal your digestive system to release the right juices to break down that food.
Are you with me so far?
Breaking down your food optimally also helps your digestive juices in your stomach coat the food, and consequently your body more effectively assimilate those nutrients.
Except when you engulf your food, your brain doesn’t get that message to stop eating. That’s because it takes about 20 minutes before a hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK) tells your brain to stop eating. Devouring your food doesn’t give CCK enough time to relay the message to your brain, and you eat too much.
If I’ve lost you here, just remember these five words: Slow down when you eat.
Slow Down to Slim Down
In our fast-faster society, I know how challenging slowing down and savoring your meals can become. I find it becomes easier when you employ these 10 strategies to optimize digestion, reduce food intolerances, meet your fat-loss goals, and actually enjoy your food:
10 Strategies to Slow Down and Slim Down
1. Don’t over-drink water during meals. I want you to drink half your body weight in water ounces every day. The one time I don’t want you drinking is during meals, when too much liquid can dilute stomach enzymes that break down protein.
2. Try a digestive enzyme if you need it. Your body’s digestive enzymes slow down by time you’re in your thirties, which means you have more problems breaking down and assimilating food. Consider a digestive enzyme supplement with hydrochloric acid (HCl) before your meals to eliminate gas, bloating, and other digestive issues.
3. Chew every bite 20 – 25 times. This one might take a little practice!
4. Don’t dashboard dine. Many states ticket you if you’re talking or texting while you drive. Let’s get a similar law for drivers who engulf breakfast burritos on the freeway.
5. Eat during a regularly appointed time at your designated eating area. Eat your almond-crusted chicken and Brussels sprouts at the dining room table at 6 p.m., not while watching Sex and the City reruns on the sofa. Keep the bed for sleep, not an 11 p.m. rendezvous with a jar of almond butter.
6. Be mindful and savor your food. Pretend like you’re dining with monks at a Zen monastery or the Queen of England.
7. Use chopsticks. Good luck slamming your food down with these guys!
8. Shrink your plate to shrink your stomach. Your stomach holds about a quart of food. Can it handle the amount you’ve got piled on your 14-inch plate?
9. Put your fork or chopsticks down between bites and chew. This isn’t a race. There is no prize, only potential indigestion if you’re first to finish eating.
10. Make your dining mantra “smaller bites, increased chewing.” This might require some practice if you’re used to devouring your food like a Coney Island hot dog contest. The effort is worth it.
With an ever-increasing schedule, I know how tempting it can be to dine and dish or multitask during meals. What strategies do you use to slow down, stay mindful, and savor your food? Share your comments below.
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About the Author
Celebrity nutrition and fitness expert JJ Virgin is a bestselling author, public speaker and media personality. Her 25 years in the health and fitness industry, the past 10 in holistic nutrition and functional medicine, have earned JJ recognition as the go-to weight-loss resistance expert who can unlock the door to fast and lasting fat loss by removing hidden food allergies and food sensitivities from the diet. She couples her diet advice with burst training to repeatedly get the results no one else can. JJ is the author of The Virgin Diet and Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy, and was recently the co-star of the TLC reality series Freaky Eaters.
Connect with JJ Virgin at http://jjvirgin.com.
