Fort Myers, Florida (NBC) – If you're looking to lose weight, experts say you should try taking things nice and slow.
New research shows that pacing yourself while eating could prove to help your waistline.
Many of us have been in the situation where the food on our plate disappears at a pace seemingly worthy of a world record title.
The experts say if you eat slower, you're giving your body more time to respond to the food and to create appetite-suppressing hormones.
It starts with sitting down to eat versus standing or eating on the go.
"Make it a dining experience where it's, I'm here to eat, this is what we're doing right now and that's it," said Dr. Dareld Morris, a Fort Myers, Florida weight loss doctor.
Other tips include:
- Chewing slower
- Drinking plenty of water
- Removing distractions like the TV
- Dimming the lights and playing soft music while you eat
Another piece of advice is to avoid finishing every last morsel on your plate.
Even though that may go against everything your mom taught you growing up, most nutritionists agree you're probably going to end up eating the food simply because it's there when you really don't need the calories.
Dr. Morris says while he agrees with some of the weight loss tips provided above, he says there's not enough research to back up the "eating slower" claims.
"I think if it did work, it would be a psychosomatic effect. I don't think there's really enough evidence to demonstrate that," he said.
Michelle Curcurato says she lost 100-pounds in six months and isn't convinced eating slowly will help either.
"I've always eaten very slow and gained a lot of weight," she said.
Dr. Morris says ultimately, that losing weight is not the same for everyone and that patients should do what works for them.
"If it's helping you, go for it," he said.
