Most Americans are overweight or obese, and the causes are myriad: fast food, processed foods that are stripped of fiber, large portions, 24-hour food availability, sugary drinks. It is natural to wonder why you are consuming more calories than you intend to, but the speed at which you eat doesn't directly affect your caloric intake.
Calorie Basics
A calorie is a calorie, regardless of how quickly or slowly it is eaten. Carbohydrates and proteins contain 4 calories in each gram, while fats have 9 calories per gram. If you eat more calories than you expend each day, you will gain weight. If you eat fewer calories than you expend, you will lose weight. While many factors come into play, theoretically, each time you eat 3,500 calories less than your body needs, you lose 1 lb. of weight. This can happen over the course of a few days up to a few weeks. Many Americans tend to eat slightly more than their body needs, however, causing their weight to creep up over time.
What Happens When You Eat Fast
While eating fast won't directly cause you to gain weight, people who eat quickly can easily lose track of the number of calories they are eating. If you sit down with a serving of potato chips and eat them slowly, you may be satisfied to stop at that one serving. If you sit down with an entire bag of potato chips and begin wolfing them down, you may eat three or more servings before you truly realize it. Eating slowly during mealtime gives you the time to recognize that you are full, a signal that comes approximately 20 minutes after you have met your body's needs. Eating a meal quickly allows you to become overly full before you realize it.
Benefits of Eating Slowly
Mindful eating is the process of devoting your attention to your food while eating. It creates a winning situation in which you actually enjoy your food more because you give yourself time to truly taste, smell, hear, see and feel it as you slowly take each bite. In the process, you typically eat less because you are getting more satisfaction from each morsel. To practice mindful eating, eliminate distractions and think only about the food on your plate. Savor each bite without rushing and stop when you begin to feel slightly full.
Making the Most of Your Calories
The wise eater gets the maximum benefit from his calories by choosing foods that supply nutrients required by his body. Fruits are low-calorie sweets that provide fiber and vitamins; vegetables and whole grains fill you up and help you feel full longer; and meats, fish and beans provide protein that maintains your muscles and gives you strength. The University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension recommends that you devote very few of your calories to extras such as solid fat and added sugar.
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