Good morning! 
I slept like a baby last night! I was so exhausted, I don’t think I woke up once or even moved as soon as my head hit the pillow. I love nights like that because I always seem to wake up feelingĀ refreshed. The nights that I toss and turn are a different story!
Breakfast
For breakfast, I whipped up a big bowl of pumpkin oats with all sort of goodies in the mix, including canned pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts, raisins, chia seeds, and a huge scoop of peanut butter.
Mmm! It hit the spot.
And, as always, I enjoyed a wonderfully cold glass of iced coffee with soy milk along with my breakfast.
This was an especially delicious batch of pumpkin oats because I added so many fun ingredients to it. The flavors made me want to savor each bite, which brings me to my Daily Challenge of the day!
My friend, Christine, recently started working for a company that promotes wellness through small, attainable daily actions. As you know, it’s the small things that add up and really make a lasting impact!
So, here’s the challenge that I was assigned as part of the Blogger Well-Being Challenge: Put your fork down between bites. Ok, this is a great idea in theory, but I hardly ever do it. Well, unless I’m at a fancy dinner out a restaurant and don’t want to wolf my food down!
Did you know that the phrase “wolfing it down” was inspired by the behavior of meat-eating animals like wolves, who either chew their food very little or devour their food whole or in chunksāāsounds like Murphy, right? Well, my little dog has taught me a few things about eating too fast! š
So, I gave today’s challenge a try and put my fork down between bites of my breakfast. Usually, I can finish off a bowl of oatmeal in 10 minutes or less, but today it took me nearly 25 minutes and my stomach felt so full by the time I ate the very last bite in my bowl.
Putting my fork down between bites was definitely a good lesson in intuitive eating. It allowed my stomach to catch up with my brain. I hope you decide to give it a try!
Challenge: Put your folk down between bites.
How to do it: Instead of holding your fork as you eat breakfast, lunch or dinner, make a point of putting it down after each and every bite during one meal today. Enjoy each bite by chewing carefully. Swallow completely before you pick your fork up again, and remember to put it back down between bites. It may take longer to eat, but that’s the point.
Why it Matters: Most of us can eat a meal in under 10 minutes, yet it takes our stomachs at least 20 minutes after we’re done eating to signal our brains that we’re no longer hungry. When you slow down your eating, you give your stomach a chance to catch up to your brain, which means you may actually eat less.
Question of the Day
What small actions do you do nearly everyday to enhance your health and well-being?
P.S. I’m hostingĀ a giveaway on Trading Up Downtown today! š
94 Comments
I always drink water at work and try to take walks at lunchtime for both my physical and mental health. Interestingly enough, I eat slower if I eat at my desk, because I’m not concentrating on the food (for better or worse?)
Ooo that’s tough because I get so caught up in the yumminess that I can’t stop. I’ll give it a try though!
I do my best to eat that way. Now if only I can get my husband to stop “wolfing”. š I make it a point to park far away from an entrance. Even if it’s cold out, I’ll run. Haha.
That’s a great idea! I need to put my fork down too between bites for sure. I eat wayyyy too fast. I find wine slows me down š
I eat breakfast!! Easy, but important š
I am jealous of your full night of sleep!…says the mother of a five-week old š
I have heard that it takes the stomach 20 minutes to feel full. I eat way too fast (maybe has something to do with the five-week old too!) so the putting-down-the-fork-between-bites suggestion is perhaps one I should take!
I love thoughtful eating and don’t practice it nearly enough. Thanks for the inspiration!
Definitely going to attempt this challenge today. I’ve tried it before and it works, but it’s hard to do all the time!
me and my dog are food wolfer downers too. putting down my fork is gonna be hard – especially since i don’t have a dining room table (eat from bowls in front of the tv). i know, i’m a recipe for disaster!
Putting my fork down is definitely something I need to focus on. As everyday I drink at least 2 liters of water, usually 3 or 4. No matter how badly I eat that day, or how little exercise I get, I know that I’m getting a ton of water, which can help flush all the badness out.
(And I know I get at least a little exercise walking to the bathroom every 30 minutes.)
I try to cut my food into small bites or serve it on smaller plates, that seems to help me slow down and savor my food a bit more.
I used to make a very intentional effort to make my meals last at least 20 minutes, and I really enjoyed it. Somehow I’ve fallen out of that habit, so this is a good reminder!
Sometimes I wolf down my food too. I have to consciously tell myself to slow down. That’s one of my biggest problems.
My kitty has the same problem–probably why he’s fat!
I have just started with the putting down the fork deal (as in, this morning š ) I really notice a difference!
Fellow pug lover here – I have started a blog which isn’t much but a couple of cute pictures (though aren’t ALL pug pictures cute?)
http://pugsrstrange.blogspot.com/
I try to eat slowly! I think it’s hard when people I’m with are eating quickly.
I tend to read blogs a lot as I’m eating my meals, so that forces me to put down my utensil between bites. Sometimes I take a full 45 minutes to eat my oats! The only downside is that they get cold by the end. š
Breakfast is about the only meal I eat really slowly – mainly because I’m too busy reading blogs! I’ve been more mindful of slower eating lately though… and am actually really full after eating lunch right now, but I don’t want my apple to turn brown. What’a girl to do? š
I am already the slowest eater EVER, so I definitely won’t do this. It takes me at least 20-40 minutes to eat anything. lol
I buy organic almost always, try to buy local, make everything I can, and practice yoga.
I am always rushing my daughter because she eats so slowly, but it is really a good thing. Not goos when you have 5 minutes to catch the bus and you aren’t dressed, but good if you plan ahead and allow enough time for your meal!
I read this this morning and was going to do it at lunch. . .until I polished off my salad in five minutes flat. Dang it. I guess there is always dinner.
small steps ARE what matter most in changing behaviors- my clients can attest to that! š
This is a good reminder… I try to put down my utensils between bites to be more polite company. I’d love to see what would happen if I suggested this to my boyfriend, though… he eats soooooo fast!
Wow. Good point! I’ve never done this, as i’m the most impatient person EVER, but maybe I should give it a go.
This post really got me thinking. I struggled a bit here, but I think that because I am such a poor drinker during the day at work, I got a bottle that has the ounces printed down the side so I can see exactly where I am at and try to hit target ounces by certain times. Crazy, right?
I drink a green shake or green juice every morning, I always walk the stairs at my jobs 12 story parking structure, and I bring my bikini and surf board to work with me every day just in case!
I make sure that I drink enough water and take my vitamin. I eat so fast sometimes, especially when I am rushing during my lunch break. I am going to start to be more mindful of it.
I have an early morning class on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s. I’ve started to bring overnight oats to class with me to save time in the morning. Eating in class forces me to put my spoon down, since I have to take notes. I get full before I even finish my oatmeal! It’s great and I still get to savor every delicious bite!
By the way you NEED to try the Silk Eggnog flavor. I know you’re not a big dairy girl and love eggnog. This is PERFECT! And it goes well with coffee too š It’s also a lot lower in sugar than regular eggnog, but tastes almost like the real thing!
Great tip! As a culture in general we need to slow down when we eat. I love the idea, but it also painfully points out that our children and schools need a few reminders like this. My daughter is in kindergarten. She only has 15 min to eat her lunch–including opening her milk and plastic silverware. Add to that all the children are expected to eat in their winter snow pants, coats, boots, and hats because they are dismissed straight to recess. We have to remind my daughter that she has tons of time to eat her dinner when we sit down as a family each night–no need to shovel it in! We should be able to do better for our kids shouldn’t we?
I am such a speedy eater so I could really benefit from this!
Usually I’m a pretty slow eater if I’m not distracted, but when I’ve starved I need to work on that challenge!
I eat often, I don’t let myself get too hungry then I just eat anything.
I need to try this idea. I don’t put my fork down between bites and I know it works from listening to others. Thanks for the reminder. It’s my 24 hour challenge starting with my next meal.
I tried it today! I put my fork down between each bite at lunch, and it took twice as long. Love.
I’ve also been trying to JUST eat (i.e. not eat+blog, or eat+work, or eat+read magazines) and I’m noticing I want less food when I’m paying attention to what I am eating, and not just chomping away mindlessly! Big surprise, huh?
Thanks for the fork tip š
To slow myself down when I eat I just take a big rubber ball and put it in the middle of my plate so I have to eat around it. My meal takes a lot longer and I find I really do enjoy it more! (heh!)
I seriously need to try that. I eat in a rush most of the time and end up eating way too much.
My problem with putting my fork down between bites is that I love my food piping hot – I find myself running back and forth between the microwave and the table a few times during meals (cardio? ;D). It’s so true though – you savour each bite that way and feel fuller. AND you don’t get that “I-definately-ate-that-too-fast” stomach ache afterwards.
izzyy
xox
My brother went to West Point, and when he was in his first year, they trained them to do that..put their forks down after each bite..I was so jealous of how slowly he would eat when he came home, and realized how piggish it was of me to wolf down each meal! Thanks for the reminder to slow down and enjoy each bite!!!
Such a good healthy eating trick! It definitely teaches you to listen to your body.
Confession: In elementary school, I went through a phase where I was obsessed with wolves; not that odd, since I read every Julie of the Wolves book and watched Balto constantly. But every once in a while at dinner, I would actually try to eat like a wolf, meaning I would gnaw my food rapidly with my mouth open to expose my teeth the whole time! Really embarassing. I’m so glad I never tried to go public with that act!
YOu have such gorgeous serving bowls! Maybe that’s what I need to ask for for Christmas… pretty crockery š
It’s always nice to get a rock-solid night of sleep!! It really makes a big difference!
Love the fork idea! In that same vein, I wait awhile after my first serving before I pile on a second. Since it takes your stomach a little while to register that its full, I give it time to figure that out. š
First ever comment. Whoo!
I’m definitely guilty of wolfing down my food too fast! I find if I go to someone’s house for dinner, I end up eating way less than I usually would due to a mix of talking too much and therefore putting my fork down in-between mouthfuls, and that I’m trying to give the impression that I’m a lady š
I’m going to give this a go tomorrow!