Slow Down. We’re Moving Too Fast...

...We've got to make the morning last

Just kickin' down the cobblestones, lookin' for fun and feelin' groovy.

OK, that was a short departure from today’s post, but that Simon and Garfunkel song kept popping into my head as I thought about what I wanted to write today so…just work with me!

Appetizer

People who eat quickly and until they're full are three times more likely to be overweight than others.

Main Course

For some, it may be "easier said than done" to slow down and listen to your body in terms of knowing when to stop eating. Here are a few tips to ease into the process one step at a time:

Eat slowly - One way to help control calorie intake is to slow down and savor and enjoy your food more. Put down the fork between bites and take time to have a conversation and linger over the meal. Satiety signals take time to be experienced, so after you have eaten an amount of food that should be satisfying, you may want to wait 15 to 20 minutes before deciding if you are still hungry.

Take in appropriate portion sizes - A good guideline to help you understand portion sizes is to translate the abstract information represetned by the serving size into something visual that's easily remembered. So instead of trying to memorize lists of ounces, cups, and tablespoons, simply compare the serving sizes of particular foods to familiar physical objects.

• the size of your fist equals 1 cup, which corresponds to 2 servings of pasta or rice
• the size of a deck of cards or the size of the palm of your hand (minus fingers) equals 3 servings of meat, fish or chicken
• the size of a baseball equals 1 apple
• the size of a hockey puck equals 2 servings for ½ bagel
• the size of a compact (CD) disc equals 1 serving of one pancake
• the size of 4 stacked dice equals 1 serving of natural cheese

The best way to determine the amount of food in a given serving is to look at the Nutrition Facts label and measure it out. Although this may not be practical or that much fun, if you are able to take the time, you will soon be able to "eyeball" the amount of food and know whether there is too much or too little.

Don't multi-task while eating. Of the adults polled in a nationally representative online study,

• 91% typically watch TV while eating meals at home.
• 35% say they eat lunch at their desk. While they're eating, they typically work on the computer, read, make and receive phone calls, write, do calculations or clean their desk or work space.
• 26% say they often eat while driving, and 3% say they eat most of the time while driving.

It's nearly impossible to gauge your body's natural feelings of fullness if you're mind is elsewhere. Focusing on the meal at hand will not only allow you to enjoy your food more, but it will also help you eat less by realizing when your body has had enough. Dessert Admittedly, taking the time to taste the food that we eat can feel silly or a waste of time amidst all of life's many demands. On the other hand, doesn't it seem silly not to?

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.