Want to slim down? Slow down! Aoife Stuart-Madge reveals how eating on the hop is sabotaging your weight and health
Whether it’s grabbing a bite at your desk between meetings or shovelling breakfast down before work, we’re all guilty of not making enough time for our meals. But while most of us know that eating on the run isn’t the healthiest way to refuel, the full extent of the damage speed-eating can do is shocking.
According to a study from Osaka University in Japan, women double their chances of becoming fat by eating too quickly. The study found eating too quickly overrides the mechanisms in the brain that tell us we’re full. It’s estimated it takes 20 minutes after you start eating for the message to stop eating to reach your brain. So if you finish a meal quicker than that, you risk stuffing your stomach. ‘Rapid, “mindless” eating means food goes down so quickly that by the time the stomach signals to the brain it has had enough, you have overeaten,’ explains Dr David Lewis from Mindlab, who led research into the UK’s lunching habits. ‘The result is we add unnecessary calories and put on weight.’
As well as weight gain – and the discomfort that comes from over-filling your stomach (hello, bloating and indigestion) – you’re also at risk of health complications. Research from the Medical University of South Carolina found gulping down food can raise your risk of acid reflux, which can lead to more serious problems.
So how can you drop your fast-eating habits, which are often developed in childhood? Our experts reveal their top tips for putting on the brakes.
1 Switch off the TV
For your brain to register when you’re full, you’ve got to pay attention. Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition categorised eaters into ‘attentive’ and ‘distracted’ groups, and found the distracted eaters tend to eat more in one sitting. ‘One of the first stages of digestion involves simply thinking about food which literally gets your digestive juices flowing,’ says Nina Omotoso, a nutritional therapist at Revital (revital.com). ‘Rushing meals means you miss this out, which is why bad habits like bolting your food in front of the TV can affect digestive health, leading to indigestion, poor nutrient absorption, pain and bloating.’
2 Make a meal of it
Forget stuffing a sandwich down in five minutes as you check emails at your desk. In order to properly digest your food, Dr Lewis recommends setting aside 15 minutes for a snack, and at least 30 minutes to enjoy a meal. ‘Relax when you are eating. Don’t keep glancing at your watch or thinking about everything you have to do after,’ advises Dr Lewis. ‘Eat with your eyes as much as your mouth. By enjoying the experience of eating you will enhance the pleasure you derive from your mealtimes, and encourage a greater sense of wellbeing. That old adage ‘you are what you eat’ is not quite true. More accurately, you are what you ingest and digest. Both these processes work best when they are allowed to work slowly.’
3 Don’t drink with your meal
Research shows that drinking too much water during a meal can mess with the natural levels of bile and acid in the stomach, slowing digestion. ‘Avoid drinking too much while eating. Fluid distends the stomach and dilutes the digestive enzyme in the mouth and essential acid in the stomach,’ explains Dr Lewis. Try this trick: hydrate yourself 30 minutes before a meal with cucumber water – a natural diuretic that can aid movement through your digestive tract.
4 Put obstacles in your way
The faster you eat, the more air you let into your body, which bloats you and gives you that uncomfortably full feeling. Consciously slow your pace by adopting this habit: put your knife and fork down between bites, or, if you’re eating a hand-held food like a burrito or a sandwich, consciously set it down between mouthfuls. Incorporate foods that are tougher to eat, such as a grapefruit, to slow you down.
5 Taste your food
Research commissioned by food company Glorious found 60 per cent of the UK population admitted to ‘never’ or ‘rarely’ tasting what they ate. Research leader Dr Lewis said, ‘We found that, on average, 79 per cent of people were unable to detect when basic flavours had been swapped. This rose to 88 per cent when people ate while distracted, increasing to 93 per cent for people eating under time pressure.’
The research indicated that office workers in particular consume food simply to refuel. ‘Mastication, the process in which the food in our mouth is broken into smaller fragments and mixed with saliva, represents the first stage of digestion,’ says Dr Lewis. ‘Poor mastication means we fail to savour and appreciate the taste and texture of the meal. It can also result in a range of problems, from indigestion and heartburn to an inadequate uptake of essential nutrients.’
6 Chew properly
Your body can’t digest food if you don’t chew it. ‘Chew your food carefully,’ advises Dr Lewis. ‘Take smaller mouthfuls so the enzyme in saliva is breaking down smaller food morsels, aiding quicker digestion. The larger the portion in your mouth, the less effectively it is chewed.’ Chatterbox? Catch-up over coffee rather than lunch. ‘Talking prevents you paying attention to food, and causes you to swallow air, leading to discomfort,’ Dr Lewis says.
7 Plan your meals
The more hurried your food choices, the more unhealthy the choice you’re likely to make. ‘Being stressed and pressed for time seems to be a common complaint amongst my clients,’ says Nina, ‘so it’s not surprising that “quick and convenient” is a deciding factor in our food choices. The main problem is that leaving it to the last minute limits your options. And if you’re already starving you’re more likely to make poor choices. This usually means more sugar, salt and saturated fat, fewer nutrients, and more expensive, pre-packaged foods.’ The answer, Nina says, is to adopt a mindful attitude. ‘If you’ve got a hectic week, plan ahead – stick an apple or a bag of nuts in your bag. That way you can spend your time eating slowly and listening to hunger signals.’
8 Don’t reward with food
It’s in our make-up to crave reward for hard work, so when you are under pressure it’s natural to reach for sugar. Nutritionists say many women subconsciously associate feeling stressed with speed-eating through the vending machine. Try chewing a piece of gum next time you feel like stress-eating, and reward hard work with a mani instead.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario