Weight Loss Secret Revealed At Last!

I feel like I have an okay idea of what's going on as far as fitness, food and health are concerned, so whenever I hear that there's a "secret" my ears perk up. I wonder, what kind of silliness are they going to sell me? or I wonder, is there something new?

So when I was driving back from Bradley International Airport in Connecticut the other morning I heard on the radio, "Stay tuned, the best secret to losing weight and keeping it off is coming up next!" I had to stay tuned in! Then they added a clue in their next teaser, "what your mother told you when you were little is true!" So immediately I thought they were going to tell us the secret was to eat our vegetables. I'd agree with that, as long as you don't consider french fries to be vegetables (Dont laugh too hard, plenty of americans DO consider them to be vegetables! For nutrition purposes, they aren't!)

So what was this miraculous secret weight loss tip? "Eat slower!"

I nodded, it's true. Americans eat too quickly! We have been trained to shovel food into our pie-holes as quickly as is humanly possible. We chew chew chew for a couple bites and load our fork again before we have even swallowed the last mouth of food.

Slow down people! Breathe, chew, enjoy! But it's not that easy is it?! The average person chews their food about 10 times before swallowing, but we should be chewing upwards of 30 to 40 times per mouthful! But again, it's not as easy as simply chewing MORE. Different foods require different amounts of attention, ie raw carrots vs Wonder White bread. For fun, try timing yourself in real time eating a white bread bologna sandwich versus eating sliced roast beef and a few cups of home made cabbage/broccoli slaw. A little different huh?
P.S. By the way, I in no way condone the eating of white bread or american bologna.

So here's a problem: If we can lose weight by eating less by chewing more (and thereby allowing our bodies those 20 minutes to register the food in our belly and tell us we're full), what happens when the food we're eating is DESIGNED to dissolve after only 5-10 chews? Wouldn't you be mad if you found out that there are food scientists out there designing "diet food" for you that you can wolf down easily? Wouldn't you be mad to know that they design food that is SCIENTIFICALLY irresistible? You know what? These scientists exist and are paid VERY well to make foods that will sell (because they promise heart health, antioxidants, low fat etc) but that will hook you and are designed to be eaten quickly and therefore to keep you fat!

The lesson to be learned? Don't be fooled by labels, look beyond the buzz words and slogans and pretty colors! Eat real foods, ones that are designed by nature. Remember, earth doesn't grow bread, pastries, cake or even diet food! Seeds, fruits, vegetables and meat all take a good number of chews to adequately liquify. These real foods that are complete and whole were designed for nutrition, not to pad the bottom line! You won't even have to count your chews, which if you've ever tried is actually quite irksome. You will just have to keep chewing or you will end up swallowing your food whole...and you are no snake!

No matter HOW enticing a box label is, remember that Nature made her food perfect for you the first time! The fewer ingredients your diet has the better you will feel and the more you will be able to do!