Eating slowly is one of the easiest ways to lose weight. The slower you eat, the less food (and fewer calories) you'll consume.

According to one study, eating more slowly can eliminate enough calories from your diet to lose up to 20 pounds in a year.

Multiple studies have shown that it takes at least 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that it's full.  If you eat too fast, you're not allowing sufficient time for this "stomach-to-brain communication" to take place. This puts you in danger of overeating, and consuming more calories than you really need.

Eat Smart Expert Ruth Houston recommends using a timer to make sure you're eating slowly enough for your brain to receive the fullness signal from your stomach.

Says Houston, "A timer can help you to get a fix on your eating speed. A timer can also help you pace yourself if you find that you're eating too fast."

This is a weight loss strategy Houston strongly recommends for anyone who doesn't want to count calories, give up their favorite foods, or follow a restrictive diet plan.  It's   one of many easy weight loss tips in Houston's upcoming book Eat Smart and Lose Weight:  Scientifically Proven Ways to Lose Weight without Diets or Exercise

Houston offers the following suggestions for using a timer to determine if you're eating too fast.

• Set your timer for 20 minutes at the beginning of your meal or snack.  (You can buy an inexpensive timer or use the timer on your mobile phone)
• Begin eating at your usual pace.
• How much have you eaten when the timer goes off?
• Do you still have food left on your plate? Are you already on your second helping? Or does your eating progress fall somewhere in between? 

Houston explains, "If you still have a substantial amount of food left when the timer sounds, you're probably eating at a reasonable pace. If you polished off your meal in less than 20 minutes, you need to slow down your eating speed. If you're already on your second helping when the timer goes off, you're definitely eating way too fast."

"If you don't slow down and give your brain enough time to receive the fullness signal from your stomach, you'll end up eating too much. Those extra calories will turn into excess weight."

If you find that you're a "speed eater", don't despair.  Your timer can also help you to regulate your eating speed.

Houston suggests you pace yourself by setting your timer for 5, 7, or 10 minute intervals up to the 20 minute mark.  This will make you more aware of your eating speed and encourage you to eat at a more leisurely pace.

In addition to using a timer, Houston has a FREE tip sheet with 5 other tips that can help you slow down your eating speed. CLICK HERE to get your FREE copy of Houston's tip sheet entitled 6 Sneaky Ways to Slow Down Your Eating Speed