Invite the Italians over for Dinner

Nervous about how upcoming family gatherings, cookouts and parties are going to affect your body this summer?

You’re right smack in the middle of party season. With countless summer barbeques, graduation parties, weddings, etc. your waistline is going to be in constant jeopardy. Your digestive system may not be too happy either - say hello to the holy trinity of gas, constipation, and diarrhea! How can we curb the potential damage these nonstop eating festivals will do to your body this summer? It’s definitely not avoiding the food, that wouldn't be fun. How about an approach that emphasizes enjoyment and pleasure?

Peter and I both have Italian relatives. I’ve noticed that when they visit and attend a family get together, they approach the buffet line much differently than the rest of us. While the American family members zip through the buffet filling each corner of their plate with each food, the Italians take it in courses. First a plate for pasta or vegetables. Then a new plate for the meat dish. Then a new plate for a salad. You know what else? They are never first in line. They take their time, sit, chat with family, enjoy themselves. It’s almost as if they aren’t afraid the food will disappear forever!

Perhaps we can learn from our relatives by taking the time to appreciate and savor everything we deem worth to put on our plate. By eating one food at a time, we give our undivided attention to that dish, to it’s flavors, it’s texture, it’s appearance. When you eat all of the senses are involved. When we take the time to savor our food, we may be able to achieve two things:

More Energy.

When we eat all of the senses are involved. Digestion begins even before we take the first bite - once we smell our food our mouth releases saliva that contains enzymes to break it down. Chewing thoroughly breaks it down even more. This doesn’t happen if we inhale our food. Why do we care about breaking down our food more efficiently? The more we break down our food, the more nutrition we get out of it and the less energy our bodies will expend digesting everything. That means more energy available for shaking it on the dance floor, having a laugh with family and friends, etc.

Less Overeating.

Think of a plate with these 4 things: macaroni salad, sausage and peppers, grilled chicken, and a roll. Imagine eating a bite of each, one after the other, circling your plate getting a medley of flavors until your plate is cleared. Now imagine you are going to not move on until one dish is completely finished. You start with the macaroni salad. You notice the colors and ingredients, appreciate it’s texture, and with each bite you recognize another ingredient. Then you move on to the sausage and peppers until you are done, and move on. This way, you are more likely to realize, you know what, Aunt Sally’s macaroni salad really tastes like crap today, and this roll is stale and flavorless. I’m not going to waste my time on these when I can be enjoying these delicious sausage and peppers! You eat what matters, get more pleasure out of your food without feeling heavy and overstuffed!

Try this: Focus on one dish at a time, appreciating the color, smell, texture, flavors with each bite until you feel satisfied. Then move on to the next dish. Even better, put only one thing on your plate at a time.

Instead of: Inhaling everything on your plate altogether.

Why? Get more energy, feel lighter, and have a more pleasurable eating experience!