2020 was a wild year. Quarantine and isolation kept us safe however wreaked havoc on our waistlines.
Now that 2021 has begun, are you tempted to try the latest fad diet to quickly get back into shape? If so, we invite you to consider a different approach to achieving your health goals.
Often we eat so fast we miss the signal that we are getting full. By the time we determine we are feeling full – it’s way too late. We’ve already eaten too much. In addition, many people suffer from a variety of digestive issues – many of which can be resolved simply by slowing down one's eating pace.
We can commit to eating slower at every meal. But of course – life happens – and sometimes we get busy or distracted and our good intentions are easily forgotten.
A recent study presented at an American Heart Association Conference compared fast, normal, and slow-paced eaters and determined that those who had the slowest eating pace had significantly lower body mass index (BMI) and smaller waist circumferences. The study showed that eating slower inhibited the development of obesity.
Another large scale study tracked approximately 60,000 individuals with diabetes over a six-year period and found that decreased eating speed can lead to reductions in obesity and BMI.
What if there was a tool that would help you slow down your eating pace? One that worked even IF you get distracted and forget to slow down the rate at which you consume every meal?
A slow down tool actually exists!!
The just better.® Slow Down Kit was developed by Kristin Hirano, MS, RD, a former bariatric dietitian, who needed a way to help her pre-op bariatric patients prepare for their weight loss surgery and practice slowing down their eating pace. The just better.® Slow Down Kit includes a slow down fork, a slow down spoon, a ½ cup portion bowl to practice proper portions, and the most slippery chopsticks she could find.
Kristin’s patients loved their Slow Down Kits and found the tool to be highly effective at slowing their eating pace. Kristin eventually realized that the Slow Down Kit had application benefits beyond her bariatric patients. She started to recommend it to her non-bariatric, weight loss patients as well as those who suffered from many different digestive problems. Many of Kristin’s patients reported that it helped them develop a new habit of eating slower – even when they were without their Slow Down Kit. In fact, many became known as the “slow eater in the family” – a definite asset when trying to lose weight and reduce digestive problems.
Consistently slowing down to practice mindful eating habits is a good idea but it can be a challenge. The just better.® Slow Down Kit basically forces you to slow down – so it’s MUCH easier to accomplish and maintain a slower eating pace!
Weight loss doesn’t have to be an uphill battle.
Having the right tools to achieve your health goals will lessen the frustration and contribute to your success.
Another tool to help you feel full faster and stay full longer is a high fiber lifestyle. Consuming high fiber foods at every meal and snack is ideal however tough for most busy people to accomplish. The daily recommendation for fiber intake is about 30g per day. We should be aiming for ~10g of fiber per meal. If you do not feel you can manage to consume 10g of fiber at every meal a fiber supplement may be right for you.
just better.® prebiotic fiber supplement dissolves completely and has no taste/flavor. It’s an easy way to add 5-10g of fiber to your meals without needing to make drastic changes to your diet. Simply sprinkle on your foods or add to the beverage you typically consume with your meal or snack.
just better.® prebiotic fiber is NOT the kind of fiber that will make you run to the bathroom! Prebiotic soluble fiber slowly expands in the stomach making you feel full faster and stay full longer. It simply coats the lining of your intestine and slows the absorption of carbohydrates (sugars) into the blood stream preventing blood sugar spikes and crashes. It also lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Humans do not absorb fiber. However the good probiotic bacteria in the large intestine like to eat prebiotic soluble fiber. When the good probiotic bacteria eat the prebiotic soluble fiber short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are formed. SCFAs signal the gut and the brain that we are full and turn off the hunger message.
The combination of adding fiber AND slowing down your eating pace will accelerate your weight loss efforts.
If you are interested in giving the just better.® Slow Down Kit and just better.® fiber a try - the brand new ACCELERATE weight loss combo (just better.® Slow Down Kit + 300g just better.® fiber pouch) is now available at getjustbetter.com for a once in a lifetime introductory price of $39.97 (over 30% savings!) now through the end of January 2021.
