Mistake After Eating a Salad

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  The #1 Mistake

  
  

  When you try to eat a healthy meal, you probably reach for low-fat options—but Johnson says that’s a mistake. “We tend to look for fat-free dressing, which is higher in sugar, which makes you more hungry,” Johnson says. “It’s the fat in food that makes you feel full—when something is processed, it has more ingredients and usually more sugar.”

  
  

  Instead, he says to try olive oil or a modest amount of butter, like they do in Italy and France. “You can never go wrong with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette, like lemon pepper or raspberry,” Johnson says. “Just stay away from things that say ‘fat-free’ or are white and creamy, at least during the week. If you’re trying to keep it clean during the week, save the fun stuff for the weekend.”

  
  
  
  


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  PHOTO: The Kitchn

  
  
  
  
  
  

  The Drink of Choice

  
  

  Here’s another tip: Skip the diet soda you usually order with your salad, for the same reason Johnson mentioned before. “There are studies that show these drinks mess with your insulin levels,” Johnson says. “You can’t trick the body long-term—fake sugars cause you to have an increased appetite and to store fat.”

  
  

  But don’t go guzzling water just yet, either. “One of the top things I can’t stand that people say is to drink a lot before you eat, so you feel fuller before your meal,” Johnson tells us. “This dilutes your digestive enzymes—it might make you think you’re more full, but you’ll overload later.” He paints the not-so-pretty picture of food just floating around in our stomachs, buoyed in water. In other words, it’s not digesting. Instead, Johnson recommends taking sips of water throughout your meal.

  
  
  
  


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  PHOTO: Pinterest

  
  
  
  
  
  

  Slow. Down.

  
  

  One more thing—if you tend to dine and dash, as in, eat at a superhuman speed, it’s time to take a deep breath and chew. “We don’t sit down long enough to chew our food and let it digest,” Johnson says. “Every five minutes matters. You need to sit down and relax, and eat like your body is designed to, like its meant to. Enjoy, laugh, talk.”

  
  

  Sure, doing this will be good for your state of mind, but it’ll also help you feel full. “Your digestive tract works optimally when you’re seated,” Johnson tells us. “If you get up and run around with a bunch of food in your body, your body’s going to be like, ‘What are you doing? Where are we going?’” So next time you order your salad to go, consider eating in instead. Your stomach (and body) will thank you.