Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Why Good Manners Can Make You Svelte

Spotted on Glamour:

Think of all the things our mom told you about manners when you were a kid: Chew with your mouth closed. Keep one hand in your lap. Yada, yada. 

Well, as it turns out, her advice may not have only taught you about etiquette, it may also have set you up for staying slim. Here's why ...

Charles Stuart Platkin, AKA the Diet Detective, posted an interesting article on his Web site today about how the benefits of good table manners can extend to your waistline. 

In short, the more polite you are, the slimmer your bod. Fascinating, eh?

Here's the scoop:

Chew with your mouth closed: "When you eat with your mouth closed you typically take smaller bites, and as result you probably will not eat as much," writes Platkin.

Have good posture at the table: It's an etiquette "do," of course, but it can also make you a more conscious and aware eater, notes Platkin.

Keep one hand in your lap: Use this age-old etiquette tip to help you slow down your eating, he explains.