In the hustle and bustle of childhood, parenthood, and work life, it’s easy to get into the bad habit of rushing through all of our daily activities, including the meals we eat. But did you know that how fast you eat can contribute to weight gain? We’re all guilty of scarfing down a meal in less than 10 minutes when we’re rushing or simply super hungry. But it actually takes about twenty minutes from the start of eating food for your stomach to send out signals to your brain that it’s satisfied. So before you ravage that juicy cheeseburger and fries, challenge yourself to take it slower. Here’s why:
How Eating Quickly Can Cause Weight Gain
#1 Eating too quickly may cause you to want to eat more than you really need to satisfy your hunger. When you don’t give your stomach enough time to signal to your brain that it’s full, you may take in more than you need. Extra calories equals extra weight if you don’t burn it off.
#2 One study revealed that people who ate at a normal speed were 29% less likely to be obese than people who ate quickly. People who ate slowly had 42% lower odds of being obese.
#3 People who slowed their eating over the study period tended to lose weight over time. On the other hand, people who eat faster tended to weigh more and gain more weight over time.
#4 Another study showed that when you eat more slowly, you allow more satiety hormones to be secreted, which lets your body know that your stomach is full.
Interested in learning more about weight loss and fitness? Check out our blog about the most popular workout programs and why you should consider monitoring your body mass index.
