A satisfying dining experience is much more than just eating food. It involves all of our other senses as well as taste. The environment in which we are dining, the color and presentation of the food, the smells and conversation and even the music contribute to satisfaction of our dining experience. By noticing and experiencing each of these while you are dining, you will slow down the eating process and open up to a greater sense of satisfaction as you are dining.
Often times, we eat so fast that we don’t even notice the flavors of what we are eating. In our rush to consume the food as fast as we can, we miss out on the wonderful and very pleasurable experience of eating. In an effort to bring more pleasure and awareness to our eating, it is important for us to slow down and enjoy the experience. Actually tasting the food is an important part of enjoying the experience and getting more out of it. In order to taste the food, we have to slow down the eating process to enjoy it.
It is so important to eat slowly when losing weight. It takes 20 to 30 minutes for the brain to register that the stomach has eaten something and cut off the hunger signals. We can consume a tremendous amount of food in that 30 minute period if we aren’t careful. By slowing down and enjoying the other experiences around you during your dining, you will not only have more opportunities to experience a wider sense of satisfaction, you will also give your brain enough time to register that you have eaten something and cut off the hunger signal.
One way to slow down the eating process to give yourself a chance to cut off the hunger process is to chew your food slowly while putting the fork down between each bite. While you are chewing, notice the different flavors of the food. Notice how they mingle and try to pick apart the different ingredients that went into its creation.
While you are chewing on the food, notice its temperature. Is it warm or cold? Notice its texture. Is it crunchy or soft? Fully experience the food that is in your mouth and enjoy the experience.
Play with the food on your plate. It’s ok to do. In fact, it will help you slow down your eating. It is a little trick that will cause you to delay the eating process and
If you are dining with others, do most of the talking yourself. This will give your stomach a chance to send the signal to your brain that you have eaten something while enjoying conversation and receiving some attention.
For more information on losing weight, and to listen to free samples of Dr. Walton’s award-winning album, named “Best Album of the Year” at the JPF International Music Award,” log onto “Dr. Walton's Ultimate Weight Loss.” For more information on Dr. Walton, log onto LAtherapist.com. Press Release