Think people who maintain a healthy weight avoid junk food or are slaves to the gym? You may be right, but there’s a missing link you should know about. In fact, the way you eat can be just as important as what you eat, as evidenced in a study from Cornell University. During the study, researchers watched 213 diners at Chinese restaurant buffets and they found some fascinating differences in the ways thin and overweight people ate.
Want to eat like a skinny person? These tips should help:
Choose Wisely. Thinner study participants poured over food choices before filling their plates. Choose only foods you enjoy and that satisfy you—then leave the other stuff off your plate.
Chew Slowly. A difference of only three chews per bite separated the thin from the overweight in the study, but the difference isn’t as small as you think. In fact, increased chewing per bite of food has been linked to lower body mass index. (Your eating speed may also affect your diabetes risk; read more.) Chewing impacts satiety, so take some time with every bite. And be sure to check in with yourself throughout the meal, registering your hunger and fullness levels using the Hunger Scale.
Forget the Fork. Could chopsticks be a get-slim secret? The study certainly points to a difference—heavier participants tended to use forks to shovel in the food, while slender eaters slowed down their eating pace with chopsticks. (more…)
