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A Simple Way to Lose Weight
Health | September 13, 2016
What should I eat if I want to lose weight?
The above question is one we’ve been asking for forever. The answer you get can depend on which decade you asked and what diet fad was in vogue. The 80s said fat was the enemy, the 90s said we should eat nothing but cabbage soup, and the early aughts said we should exist on meat and cheese and douse all our desserts in mounds of sucralose. Today people are into vegan diets and juice cleanses and who know what-all. And it can be so hard to know what to do!
I believe in keeping it uncomplicated. I like to base my diet on whole, unprocessed foods. I eat tons of veggies, protein, and healthy fats. I also enjoy limited portions of fruit and carbs. I do try to avoid processed grains and sugars.
But let’s get back to that first questions: What should I eat if I want to lose weight? Actually, I think the answer lies in re-wording that question. Instead of asking what, ask how. How should I eat if I want to lose weight?
And the answer is: slowly.
Yup, it’s that simple. The slower you eat, the fewer calories you ingest, the more water you drink, and the more satisfied you feel. I know this technique works for me from personal experience. But it’s been proven in numerous studies as well.
In a 2011 New Zealand study, researchers asked 2,500 middle aged women to describe their eating rate and also list their BMIs (among other factors). The researchers discovered that the faster the women ate, the higher their BMIs were.
BTW, BMI means Body Mass Index and is a number that reflects body fat quantity based on height and weight. It’s thought to be a better measure of obesity than just a simple weight measurement. A low BMI means low body fat and a high BMI means high body fat.
A 2006 Japanese study examined over 5000 subjects and got the same results as the New Zealand researchers. The faster people ate, the higher their BMI’s were. Additionally, since the researchers asked the subjects (both male and female) to report how their BMIs and eating habits had changed over time, they were able to draw a direct correlation between an increase in obesity and an increase in eating rates as people age. The subjects whose eating rates had not increased over time had lower BMIs overall.
This 2008 University of Rhode Island study had similar results (faster eating rates rates = higher BMIs) but also discovered that when people eat more slowly, they tend to drink a lot more water. These researchers also asked their subjects (all women this time) to report how satisfied and full they felt after eating. The people who wolfed down their food reported feeling unsatisfied and still hungry, even though they actually consumed more calories than the slow eaters. But the slow eating rate group said they felt full and satisfied.
So if you’re looking to lose some body fat, try taking your time and grabbing a bigger glass of water.
It’s my experience that when you slow down and enjoy your food you get more than just a reductions of calories. When we eat, we should nourish more than our bodies. As often as I possibly can, I like to take meals as a time to reflect on what I’ve done today, what lies ahead, and how to have more gratitude about it all. I also relish sharing my meals with loved ones and growing those relationships as well.
This whole post has been about what you can lose if you eat more slowly but it’s just occurring to me that what really matters is how much there is to gain.
Private Member |
switzerland/, france
My MIL is the slowest person to eat on earth, but she is overweight still.
Private Member |
Ha ha ha!
Private Member |
uk
I have a friend who eats so slowly it drives me crazy. One toast for like 15 minutes! Still she weighs around 100 kg. They need to do a study on her and explain this theory 🙂
Private Member |
I’m the fastest eater ever, and I have a really hard time gaining weight.
Private Member |
uk
They say it takes 20-30 mins for your brain to register if u feeling full so it makes sense that people who play with their food would eat less overall and those who eat fast would carry on eating before the brain would register fullness. But in terms of fat loss it would only happen if you ingest less calories. Otherwise you can eat super slow but if you still eating the same amount…
For me personally drinking water while eating doesn’t work. I just feel bloated and not digesting food very well. Apparently water dilutes digestive enzymes and makes digestion harder. I don’t know if its true or not but I stay away from liquids while eating. But water is a great appetite suppressant so if you are on a diet and trying to eat as little as possible it will work.
Private Member |
toronto, canada
Hey Katarina!
My nutritionist friend advises that you can drink a large glass of water 10-15 minutes before eating, but wait about an hour after eating before drinking another glass. Small sips are fine with food, but can disrupt digestion as you said. If you really want to get the enzymes going, add some apple cider vinegar to that pre-meal glass of water. I think it’s placebo, but I feel like that helps me to not eat too much when I’m extra hungry before dinner.
Private Member |
uk
That advice makes sense. If I’m really thirsty I take few sips during meals but other than that no water drinking for me. I am a fan of ACV and use it on my meals as a seasoning. Thanks Claire 🙂
Private Member |
ohio, united states
I have heard that about water while eating. Maybe a sip or two while you are eating. I like to drink water before or after. Hot tea is even better afterwards
Private Member |
Soy una chica delgada desde siempre ,pero años atras tenia grasa localizada,ahora desde que cambie mi alimentacion totalmente no tengo grasa y mi cuerpo esta mas bonito incluso despues de tener mellizas que cuando era mas joven.Tenia colesterol alto y siempre comia hamburguesas y cuaquier cosa que pillaba, actualmente no me salto mi comida,como 7 veces al dia y me baso en verduras,proteinas y grasas con 2 o 3 porciones de carbohidratos todo depende del ejercicio y mi vida actual se la debo a zuzana que la vi hace 5 o 6 años en un video y me enamore de su forma de hacer ejercicio diferente alo que la gente hace normalmente,divertido,practico y efectivo.Te quiero zuzana eres impresionante.Hay que disfrutar y amar este estilo de vida si no no sirve para nada.
Private Member |
Que me alegro que hayas logrado tu meta Zuzka es un buen modelo a seguir.
Private Member |
kyjov, czech republic
I agree.
When I eat fast I just don´t feel full and eat much more. Or have hunger much sooner. So I try to eat very slow and drink a lot of water or tea during my meal. I have no problems with feeling bloated because I drink a lot of water during whole day. My stomach used to have water insinde ;).
I can also confirm that when I eat wheat (roll, bread) I feel less fullfil than when I eat rye (knackerbrot). I know that Zuzka do not recommended pastry at all, but I just like it and my boyfriend “needs” it for dinner every day, so I don´t fight him and eat it as well in small amount :).
Private Member |
naples, fl, usa
I am going to work on this. I eat too fast.
Private Member |
Same here. I have to try very hard to eat slower. 🙁
Private Member |
vancouver, british columbia, canada
I definitely eat too fast – usually when I’m too hungry because I’ve waited too long too eat. I used to eat really slow when I was a kid! I remember people making fun of me about it hehe
Private Member |
bulgaria
You can not lie down only on eating! Must working out to have progress. And of course it is matter what you are eating! I want to learn eating slower. Have a lot of progress with the ZGYM, but that fast eating is killing me sometimes 😀 :))) Thank you, Zuzka!
Private Member |
My father in law eats super slow and he is really thin as well.
Private Member |
medicine hat, alberta, canada
Is this you in the photo Zuzka, if so; how do you keep your nails and cuticles so nice.? Please and thank you for the helpful post.