Eat Like a Snail

Does the way you eat reflect how your family ate when you were growing up? Naturally thin individuals are more in tune with their bodies when it comes to food consumption than others who struggle with weight issues and dieting. When you are in tune with your body, you can interpret the message from your brain “I’ve eaten enough” in a timely fashion. Research shows that, it takes longer for food signals from the stomach to reach the brain as a person becomes heavier. If you are a “fast” eater, you most likely consume more food than your body actually needs to satisfy hunger. Now there is a new gadget on the market to help people lose weight by getting them to eat more slowly. Maclean’s published an article called “Eat Like a Snail” in their April 12th 2010 issue, which discusses the merits of “SMARTBITE”, an oral device which forces the wearer to only eat small bites and chew the food thoroughly before being able to swallow. In my work with clients who struggle with Emotional Eating and bingeing, bringing awareness to the process of eating is the first step towards change. Changing Emotional Eating does not mean to never have a piece of chocolate when your sad or stressed again….it does not mean continuous deprivation of all your favourite foods because you are on “a diet”. It does mean savouring your choice of food. Involving all your senses. As a child you most likely heard “don’t play with your food”. Perhaps you’re also familiar with phrases like “Finish what’s on your plate”. “If you don’t eat your vegetables, you can’t have any desert”. Naturally thin people are able to tune into their bodies because they most likely never had to learn to ignore their body’s messages. Recapturing the signal our body sends us takes practice and mindfulness. The next time you eat… engage all your senses. Pay attention to your environment. You cannot tune into your body if your mind is absorbed by the TV, the newspaper, unpleasant discussions, or when you are eating on the run. Bring your awareness to the texture of what you’re eating, the aroma, the temperature. Enjoy the colors, the presentation. Take small bites. Chew thoroughly. You may find out that some foods (primarily fast food) does not taste that great when you chew it more than 4 or 5 times… all of a sudden it’s greasy, too sweet, etc. You may discover that less is more. When less is more, you might be able to afford higher quality of food. As you rediscover the dialogue between your brain and your body, you might make different food choices… based on the nutritional desires of your body. As you tune in, you might also ask yourself…what do I really need or want right now? Food? Or do you need a hug, a time out, a walk in the park, some reassurance from a friend?