Overcoming Overeating - Part II

Experts say there are things you can do to make yourself more likely to stop eating when you are comfortable. They include:

Eat slowly. This isn't a new concept; remember all those familiar dieting tips like "sip water between bites" and "chew thoroughly before swallowing"? These were all aimed at slowing us down when we eat.

Research led by Mark Gold, MD, at the University of Florida at Gainesville has shown it takes 12 or more minutes for food satisfaction signals to reach the brain of a thin person, but 20 or more minutes for an obese person (*). Eating slowly ensures that these important messages have time to reach the brain.

Be aware. "Be more attentive about the whole eating experience; don't eat when you are driving or at the computer or watching TV," advises Bacon.

When we're distracted or hurried the food (and calories) we eat tend not to register well in our brains. Jean Kristeller, PhD, a psychologist and Indiana State University researcher, suggests a brief premeal meditation to get centered before eating so you can more easily derive pleasure from your food, give the meal your full attention, and notice when you've had enough.

Make the first bites count. Bacon believes that maximum food enjoyment comes in the initial bites. "After a few bites, taste buds start to lose their sensitivity to the chemicals in food that make it taste good," she explains. Satisfying your taste buds by really savoring those first few bites may help you stop eating when you're physically comfortable.

Keep up appearances. Using a smaller plate and paying attention to the presentation of a meal can increase your awareness of the food in front of you and help you stop eating when you are comfortable. "The brain looks at the plate and decides if the portion is adequate," says Gold. "It takes some time, but the smaller the plate, the smaller the portion."

Choose satisfying foods. Steer away from foods that give you a lot of calories for very little volume, such as milk shakes, cheese, and chocolate, Gold recommends. The higher the fiber, protein, and/or water content of a food or meal, the more likely it is to be satisfying in your stomach without going overboard on calories.

(Concluded in next Post)
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(*) Jacques' notes:

In my S.L.I.M. For Life Trainings, I suggest that,if you are particularly enjoying a dish (whether because it tastes soooo gooood that your taste buds are reaching climaxes :o)...or you were starving and "can't get enough")...once you have finished that plateful, instead of anxiously rushing to the pot or pan to refill and load up seconds...
...WAIT 20 or more minutes before so doing!

Find something, anything to distract you, something mundane to occupy your attention...and BE SURE NOT to think of, or obsess about that second plateful while you do it....

Then, if after 20-30 minutes, you truly still experience the yearning for that second serving: Go For It!...Enjoy...Savor...and guiltlessly satisfy your desire!

Of course, S.L.I.M. For Life participants benefit from melting away excess calories, weight and fats by practicing daily our amazing Modulations...It's like doing "The Biggest Loser" heavy duty exercises, but without the physical strain: strictly letting your Subconscious brain take care of the dynamics...Super-charging the metabolism while depressing the hunger cravings/pleasure centers...

Best always,

Jacques