5 tips to slow down your eating

By Antonia Manolios – Accredited Practising Dietitian

Most of us know that if we eat slowly, we often eat less at each meal and tend to enjoy the meal more. For people who have had a weight loss procedure, eating slowly also means the food is better tolerated.  So why is it so hard to slow down?  

Here are our suggestions on how to slow down your eating: 

1. Use small cutlery. Eating with a teaspoon or dessert fork is a great way to physically put less food into your mouth  
2. One at a time! Try and swallow your mouthful before you put the next in your mouth. This sounds quite basic, but most of us haven’t swallowed our food before the next mouthful is going in 
3. Engage in conversation. Speak to the people around you, for example ask how their day was or how they are enjoying their meal. By asking a question in between bites you can slow down your pace significantly 
4. Take a break halfway. Stopping for 2-3 minutes at the halfway point of your meal is a great way for your body to catch up and for you to slow down
5. Mirror a slow eater. If you know someone who is a slow eat, why not mirror them? Take a bite when they do and chew for as long as they do. You’ll find it entertaining and an easy way to reduce your speed