Do you eat your breakfast while navigating morning traffic, snack in front of the T.V. or desktop dine in front of your computer? Most of us would have to plead guilty to at least one of the above.
A study released in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that distracted eating could increase the amount you eat by an average of 10%. It may also make you eat up to 25% more at your next meal. You’re eating but you’re not reaping the benefits of satiety as you would after eating a meal mindfully.
Your Lap Band Is there to help you feel full sooner so you will eat less and lose weight. But even your Lap Band can’t help you if you are eating distracted all the time. As you eat the beginning of satiety is subtle. If you are not paying attention It is easy to miss the cues that you are beginning to feel full and should stop eating.
Eat Mindfully with these steps and see your habits transform.
- Take Smaller Bites Of your meal.
- Chew slowly in order to notice and enjoy every flavor.
- Sit at a table away from distractions like your computer or T.V.
- Give your meal the attention it deserves.
If you’re new to mindful eating, give these strategies a try at your next eating occasion:
Eat only at the kitchen table and not in front of the T.V., computer or another place where you will be distracted.
Ban phones and work from the table and thoroughly enjoy the company of those around you.
Set a timer for 20 minutes, and take that time to eat a normal-sized meal.
Serve yourself in the kitchen instead of at the table.
Try eating with your non-dominant hand; if you’re a righty, hold your fork in your left hand and vice versa.
Use chopsticks if you don’t normally use them.
Eat silently for five minutes, thinking about what it took to produce that meal, from the sun’s rays to the farmer to the grocer to the cook.
Take small bites. Put your fork down between bites and chew well.
After eating, check in with how you feel. Do you feel more comfortably satisfied than normal? Did you eat less than usual? Was eating mindfully more enjoyable than eating distracted? Chances are, the answer to all of these questions is “yes.”
