Eat (for 20 minutes)
Will I have more energy if I eat the right foods?
How do I know if I’m getting the right amount of macros?
Can I lose weight without feeling too restricted?
These are questions I love to help people answer.
A surprising habit that I start with is Eat for 20 minutes. Upon initial discussion clients seem to think that I’m going easy on them. In reality, this is one of the more difficult habits to change.
Better digestion
Better hydration
Easier weight loss/maintenance
Greater satisfaction with our meals (translating as less emotional eating and cravings)
The list of benefits is long.
Eating slowly and mindfully is not a new concept. While listening to an interview with Jud Brewer on Cory Allen’s podcast, The Astral Hustle, I learned of an exchange between a king and the Buddha:
Once when the Buddha was living at Savatthi, King Pasenadi of Kosala ate a whole bucketful of food. He then approached the Buddha, engorged and panting, and sat down to one side. The Buddha, discerning that King Pasenadi was engorged and panting, took the occasion to utter this verse:
When a person is constantly mindful,
And knows when enough food has been taken,
All their afflictions become more slender
— They age more gradually, protecting their lives.
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala gradually settled down to [eating] no more than a cup-full of rice. At a later time, when his body had become quite slim, King Pasenadi stroked his limbs with his hand and took the occasion to utter this:
Indeed the Buddha has shown me
Compassion in two different ways:
For my welfare right here and now,
and also for in the future.
We live in a fast-paced world with hectic lives, so it is understandable that our meals become rushed.
Eating fast can wreak havoc on our digestive system.
The next time you catch yourself rushing through meal time, set a timer for 20 minutes.
Slow down and enjoy the food you are choosing to fuel your body.
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