You already know that eating fewer calories and exercising more is the secret to weight loss, but did you know that you can lose weight by doing something as simple as chewing food? Chewing food is one of the easiest things you can do to help yourself lose weight. Skeptical? Here are a few reasons why chewing food can help you lose weight.
You’ll Eat Less
Chewing your food prevents you from eating too fast. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to realize that you’re full. If you continue to consume food for the next 20 minutes, you may eat way more food than you need. Slow down and chew your food. You’ll give your brain time to realize that your stomach is full.
You’ll Enjoy Your Food More
Take time to slow down and chew food. When you do, your tongue will discover many more tastes and you’ll have a more fulfilling meal. This allows you to eat less while still feeling satisfied with your meal.
Digestion Starts with Chewing Food
Contrary to popular belief, digestion does not begin with the stomach. It starts in the mouth. Chewing food not only breaks down your food so it’s easier to swallow, but it also allows the saliva in your mouth to break down the food so it’ll digest more efficiently in your stomach. In addition, chewing is your brain’s signal to tell your stomach to start producing the acids it needs to break down the food. Without that signal, your food will not digest properly.
Additionally undigested food can cause bacteria attached to the food to spread in your digestive system. This can lead to many health problems, including weight gain.
Chewing Food Properly
If you’re convinced and you’d like to know how to chew your food properly, here are a few tips to help you lose weight by chewing food.
- Chew your food 35 to 50 times per mouthful. The average person chews their food maybe 10 times before swallowing. Instead, chew your food until it’s soft, mushy and unrecognizable. At that point, you’re ready to swallow and let the food continue with the rest of the digestive process.
- As you are chewing food, set your utensil down. Holding your spoon or fork while you eat is just a way to temp yourself into taking another bite–a bite that you might not need to take. Stop for a moment and pay attention to what you’re doing. Enjoy all the flavors as your tongue discovers them.
If you make no other changes in your life except for chewing food slowly, you’ll be surprised how much weight you can lose. By slowing down and chewing food, you can help to keep yourself from overeating. You can also discover a new enjoyment when eating that you may not have experienced before because of worrying about your weight. Chew your food slowly and let the body do what it does best.