Mealtime Should Not be a Race

Note: The following Live Well Polk column was provided by Atrium Health Floyd, a sponsor of Polk Today content. Tifani Kinard, Vice President of Rural Health, provided this latest column here to share for the community to utilize in their daily lives.

Slow down! When it comes to breakfast, lunch and dinner, you want to be the tortoise not the hare.

Eating fast may be a part of your daily dining habits, but slower eaters are less likely to become obese and less likely to develop metabolic syndrome – a combination of disorders that increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

When you eat too fast your stomach might be full before that message reaches your brain. That means that if you eat slower you might feel full after eating less food than you would if you wolf it down in only a few minutes.

Whether you’re eating at your desk, in the car, or at a fast-food restaurant, always think about how you eat in a sit-down restaurant. Your meal should take about 20 to 30 minutes.

If you’re gobbling up your food in 5 to 10 minutes, you’re likely to experience indigestion and risk overeating. While you don’t need to chew each bite 50 times, try taking a breath or putting down your utensil between bites to help slow your eating down even more. 

If your eating style is closer to a competitive eater than your great-grandmother, here are a few tips to try at your next meal to slow things down:

• Manage your environment at mealtime. This means being selective about where and what you eat. Both your environment and the amount of food available can play a role in how much and how fast you eat.

• Set a realistic time period between bites, maybe a minute or two minutes. That may seem too long, but if you work at it, you likely find you fill fuller earlier.

• Try to add conversation when it’s time to eat. Instead of eating alone, invite a friend or coworker to eat with you. Just make sure to eat with someone you enjoy talking to. This will help you avoid stressful conversation.

• Use utensils. While this may seem ridiculous in some instances, it helps you slow down between bites and control the size of each bite. You’re more likely to finish a sandwich or burger in a few bites when eating with your hands rather than a knife and fork.

• Find a relaxing place to eat. Sitting outside on a bench or in a museum can provide visual stimulants. These stimulants will help distract you from eating your food so fast. DO NOT EAT standing up. That only compels you to eat faster.

• Enjoy your food. Taking the time to prepare something you enjoy can help prevent you from just shoveling down breakfast or lunch.

• Turn off your phone and computer. Avoid emails and text messages that may tempt you to scarf down the rest of that sandwich to respond.

• Pack a snack. Don’t let yourself get too hungry during the day. You’re more likely to eat fast, and eat more, when you’re unusually hungry. A small healthy snack in between meals is a great way to avoid getting hangry (hungry + angry) and overeating.

• Wait 10 minutes before you eat a dessert. It’s not uncommon to crave something sweet after you eat a meal but give your body a few minutes to digest before you order that sugary treat. If you still want it, you can make dessert your afternoon snack instead of part of your lunch.

About Atrium Health Floyd
Since 1942, Floyd, now Atrium Health Floyd, has worked to provide affordable, accessible care in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Today, Atrium Health Floyd is a leading medical provider and economic force. As part of the largest, integrated, nonprofit health system in the southeast, it is also able to tap into some of the nation’s leading medical experts and specialists with Atrium Health, allowing it to provide the best care close to home – including advanced innovations in virtual medicine and care.

At the hub of these services is Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center, a 304-bed full-service, acute care hospital and regional referral center. Atrium Health Floyd employs more than 3,400 teammates who provide care in over 40 medical specialties at three hospitals: Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Georgia; Atrium Health Floyd Cherokee Medical Center in Centre, Alabama; Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, Georgia, as well as Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Behavioral Health, a freestanding 53-bed behavioral health facility, also in Rome; and a primary care and urgent care network with locations throughout the service area of northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama.