No food makes you gain weight as long as you eat it while remaining attentive to your sensations: you therefore begin to enjoy it only when you are hungry and you stop as soon as you feel full. To feel full, it is essential to have an empty stomach when you sit down to eat and to choose foods that you enjoy. Otherwise we risk eating too much, in search of a pleasure that doesn’t come…
1. I settle in in good conditions
We sit down to eat, and if possible in peace, because it is more difficult to concentrate on the meal in a noisy or stressful atmosphere, which encourages unconsciously eat faster*. If the TV is on or if we look at a screen during the break, we will quickly disconnect from the meal.
* According to studies compiled in the report: Eating behaviors: what are the determinants? from INRAE, 2010.
2. I don’t fill my plate
We choose a normal sized plate, neither smaller nor giant as in some restaurants, to avoid any frustration which could disrupt the feeling. But we only use one small quantity, even if it means taking more, because it’s difficult to give up finishing your plate, especially when it’s filled with foods you love. We also avoid taking too large bites at a time so that we can observe the changes from one bite to the next.
3. I observe the products on my plate
Like a TV show jury, we start by observing the aesthetics, then smelling the dish or food. Then we pay attention to its texture and flavor. Satisfaction is measured by the pleasure felt during tasting. At the first bite, we perceive maximum pleasure, then over the course of bites we realize that it diminishes and eventually disappearsa sign that you should stop with the first dish and move on to the next one.
4. I chew enough
Chewing releases the aromas. If you don’t keep food in your mouth long enough, you don’t get 100% of its taste, the pleasure takes longer to come, and you risk eating too much. To practice tasting, it is better avoid soft foods that are swallowed too quickly : we prefer steamed potatoes to mashed potatoes, cereal bread to sandwich bread, a tart to a clafoutis…
5. I wait until the end of the meal to drink
The more we drink, the more the stomach becomes distended, which distorts the sensations. And if digestive enzymes are diluted, they become less effective and the transformation of food into nutrients such as glucose (sugar) is slower. The latter is detected later by sensors located in the small intestine, and the brain is informed late of sufficient calorie intake.
6. I limit the number of dishes
Main course and dessert with possibly starter or cheese… Studies show that when there are too many good foods at the table, especially several desserts, gluttony can prevail, with the risk of swallowing too many calories.