motd Friday Aug 5, 2011 - chewing

[Guest guest]

CHEW

ON THIS

Friday, 05 August 2011

You

know how much I like to keep you updated on all of the

reports about weight loss that end up in the news.

Well, I read a very interesting report in the American

Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It reported that

obese people tend to spend less time actually chewing

their food than people who weighed a lot less.

I can

only speak for myself when I admit that I can be

a fast eater. It isn't because I feel like someone's

going to take food from my plate before I have a chance

to eat it. It's just that when I see food, I simply

want to devour it!

Back home in New Orleans, I'd always be the first one at

the dinner table. And that was before dinner was even

finished! My father would holler from the kitchen..."Dicky,

what are you doing at the table already? Dinner isn't

even ready yet!"

Oh, I'd just ignore him. And, truth is, I wanted to

yell back, "Dad! Just keep cooking, will ya'?"

But hey, I knew better than to do that! Did

you ever get sent to bed without your supper? I did, many

times, LOL. So I learned to behave myself and

keep the wisecracks to myself when my father was in that

kitchen preparing dinner.

All through high school and college, I ate as if a train

were speeding toward me and I had to finish eating

before it hit me. I also loved to watch television

while I was eating and, let me tell you, I could really

do a lot of fast eating while I was watching an episode

of I Love Lucy! But thankfully, over the

years, I've slowed down my eating and after reading the

results of this study, I'm sure glad I did.

The

study revealed that those people who spend more time

chewing their food before swallowing end up consuming 12%

fewer calories over the course of the year.

That may not sound like a lot but, over time, those

calories add up! And you know what fewer calories

equals...fewer pounds.

The study also stated that taking more time to chew your

food lowers the levels of an appetite stimulating

hormone in our bodies. That hormone tells us when to

eat and when to stop eating. It's all about

being able to tell when you're really and truly full.

It all makes sense, doesn't it?

I have one more point of my own to add to this

report. And that is, if you're piling food into your

mouth and filling your fork with the next mouthful while

you're still chewing, you need to stop this bad

habit! You're going to end up getting

indigestion eating that way. I know that for a fact

because of the number of Tums I used to have

to take. (My favorites were the Cherry Chewables.

LOL.)

I've told you for years that after you eat one fork-full

of food, to lay that fork down on your plate before

loading it with more food. Take the time to chew,

taste and really enjoy your food. You

know how much I love to eat. When I prepare a delicious

recipe, I put my own fork down between bites, close my

eyes and really savor the texture and flavors of my

food. And it's true, you do end up eating less that

way.

Please

don't be in a hurry to eat your food. Savor each bite

and remember, by eating slower, you'll eat less and

you'll lose more of those unwanted pounds!

Love,