Losing Weight - Tips To Kick Unconscious Eating

We're constantly on the go, and hectic schedules often come with associated bad habits. One of these is the tendency to eat unconsciously, sneaking meals and snacks in when we can spare a moment or even while we're going about our routine.

However it is this kind of automatic eating that can get us into trouble. When we're on the run we do everything quickly, eating included. Often we eat so quickly that we don't give our body a chance to recognize that the stomach is full and was full five bites ago, so we pack on more calories than we need. Taking control of our eating habits and becoming mindful of how and when we eat can help conquer these unexpected, unnecessary calories.

Step 1 - Sit Down to Slim Down

No habit, whether good or bad, springs into being on its own. They take time and regular practice to become routine, generally about thirty to sixty days. The unfortunate thing is that we seem to allow ourselves a lot of time to form our bad habits while giving ourselves far less time and effort toward forming ones that can help us. In the case of unconscious eating we train ourselves to eat on the run rather than sitting down to enjoy and properly process our meals.

During your habit-building period (remember those thirty to sixty days) take the time to start slowing down when you eat. Stop every time you have a meal and sit down with it, even if you can only take a few minutes. As you do this more and more often it will become your new habit, and most importantly will help you get yourself into the mindset of eating consciously. Think of it as a reminder to yourself that you're going to slow down and give your meal the attention it deserves, rather than rushing through it.

Step 2 - Savor Savers

One of the most wonderful aspects of food is that it can taste fantastic. Yet when you look at people eating you'd think that they were in a rush to get through a particularly unpleasant task. People eating unconsciously speed through their meals, shoveling food in without a thought or a pause to enjoy the moment. When exactly did eating become a chore, rather than an enjoyable experience?

Once you've taken the time to sit down to eat your food, find the time to savor it as well. Don't chew mechanically when you can chew slowly to take time and linger on the flavors in your meal. Focus on a few choice bites at a time instead of stuffing yourself without thought. This will help your stomach get the time it needs to register that it is full, and it will also give you much more satisfaction out of less food and fewer calories.

As you focus on chewing thoroughly and savoring all the flavors with all your senses, you will slowly build up a habit of slowing down your meal and taking in fewer calories.

Step 3 - Control With Cutlery

While a big part of weight gain and weight control is tied up in what or how much we eat, just as much depends on how we're eating as well. During your habit-forming period you can put your fork and knife to work in helping you eat more carefully and more slowly at each meal.

First you should consider training yourself to cut your food with your non-dominant hand. This will have two beneficial effects as you're trying to build that healthy, conscious eating habit. It will slow down the cutting task as you try to adapt to using your weaker hand, and it will have the effect of making you pay more attention to the meal itself. Both of these tie in with the sitting-down ritual and with efforts to take the time to enjoy your food.

Secondly, make sure you put down your fork every time you take a bite. Admittedly this step will feel very awkward at first. We as a society are very used to keeping control of the fork! As a way to help, move your hand to your glass every time you put down your fork. Enjoy your bite and savor it as we have discussed, and then have a nice sip of water in between each bite. This will help build a sense of fullness from the water as well as the food, and help aid in digestion which will make the meal easier on your stomach overall.

A Final Word

Remember that it only takes one to two months of careful, conscious effort to build a life-affirming and weight-saving habit. If you can make those two months more enjoyable by discovering the hidden benefits of slowing down to enjoy your food, the habit will be that much easier to pick up and stick to. Good luck, and good eating.

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