It's Not Always What You Eat but How and When You Eat It!

By WLR's Site Manager, Laurence Beeken

The basis of any weight loss diet has to be calories consumed are less than calories used, therefore the body burns some fat to make up this energy deficit. However there are several studies that seem to show that how and when you eat can have an effect on how many calories we need (or want) to consume.

How Fast You Eat

It takes around 15-20 minutes for your brain to receive the signal that you’re full. So the faster you eat the more likely you are going to eat more than you need. Slowing down is an easy and effective way of consuming less calories.

• Don’t let yourself get too hungry - If you’re ravenous when you sit down for dinner you’re naturally going to eat fairly quickly. You can eat a lot in twenty minutes, better to have snack an hour before dinner, even if it’s only a hundred calorie snack it might stop you being desperate for dinner!
• Have a low calorie starter - Some low calorie soup, salad or fruit will lengthen your meal and reduce the amount you want to eat.

Learn to Eat Slowly

Practising new ways of eating may seem strange at first, but if you keep it up they’ll soon turn into habits:

• Put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls.
• Put less in your mouth at once
• Chew each mouthful and enjoy it!

When You Eat

Eating earlier in the day has been found to control appetite and the tendency to over eat in the evening.

• Have a good breakfast. If you find it difficult to eat within an hour of waking up, have breakfast with your mid morning coffee. Again, things that seem strange or difficult to start with but get easier and more natural as you go along.
• Plan to eat at least as many calories at lunch time as you are going to allow for dinner. If lunch is always a rushed affair then bump up your breakfast .
• Eat higher calorie snacks earlier in the day try only allowing fruit for after dinner.