Today I am going to share a trick with you that can decrease your appetite and increase your metabolism. Speaking of which, how you are doing with Weight Loss Formula No. 1?
For most people, it’s the next couple of weeks when things really kick in to high gear.
Here are some people who posted on Facebook about the results of Formula No.1.
Notice Marsha Holland’s post… Formula No. 1 did nothing over the 1st month, then it kicked in and now she is a loyal fan.
I just wanted to remind you that you can do it, and we are here to help. Please do join us on our Facebook Page where our team and loyal customers are a wealth of support.
Now, Can You Chew Your Way Thin?
According to several leading researchers around the world, chewing gum could help promote weight loss in at least two key ways.
Notice the words “could help promote” – meaning this is far from a miracle weight loss cure. Don’t run to your local drug store to buy gum, expecting to lose 10 pounds by next week, okay?
Let’s first look at what the research says…
Possibility #1 – Gum Chewing Could Help You Eat Less
Kathleen J. Melanson, a Ph.D. who led a 2009 study at the University of Rhode Island, found that chewing gum helped decrease calorie intake at lunch by an average of 68 calories.1
This is impressive, especially when you consider that:
- Despite consuming fewer calories at lunch, the subjects did NOT report greater hunger; nor did they compensate by eating more calories later in the day.
- When the subjects chewed gum before and after meals, they actually reported LESS hunger overall, in comparison to those who did not chew gum.
I know, I know. You’re probably thinking, “Just 68 calories, what’s the big deal?”
Yet the truth is, over 365 days, dropping even just 50 calories per day IS quite a big deal – enough to lose 5 pounds in a year. Add something else small, such as taking the stairs at work, and you’ve cut calories by 100 per day – enough to lose 10 pounds!
Not too shabby for a couple very minor lifestyle changes, right?
Possibility #2 – Chewing Gum Might Help You Burn More Calories
Could chewing gum frequently (or for extended periods) be almost like exercise? As it turns out, the answer is “yes” – in a small but perhaps meaningful way.
Obviously, there is no substitute for real exercise. However, results published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that sugar-free gum chewers experienced a temporary 19-20% increase in metabolism.2
Granted, the participants in the study had to chew 100 times per minute for 12 minutes to get to that point – which is far from how the average person chews gum.
Still, it’s clear that vigorous gum chewing can favorably impact metabolism, likely resulting in some calories burned, and pounds lost – if done over an extended time period.
How much actual weight loss? That would naturally depend on the person. But again, the evidence (even if slight) is very clear – chewing gum can lightly raise your metabolism and help you burn more calories.
(By the way, I wonder how many calories bubble-blowing burns? Food for thought…)
Some Snappy Additional Tips to Boost Your Weight Loss Results
As I stated in the opening, chewing gum is far from the holy grail of weight loss.
Yet, when used in conjunction with some other positive habits and guidelines, it can be surprisingly powerful.
Here are some added tips to maximize your results:
- Chew gum before and after meals. Chewing before will slightly reduce your hunger, and chewing after will help signal the meal is done.
- Chew gum instead of having dessert. Dessert is a big source of empty calories, yet it’s hard to say “no” when we’re overwhelmed with desire for a sweet taste at the end of a meal. So why not let gum come to the rescue, instead? The next time the waiter offers you the desert menu – tell him or her “no thanks” and reach into your pocket for a stick of gum…
- Try to chew gum whenever you feel the urge to snack. If you’ve gotten into the habit of eating sweets, chips or other unhealthy foods between meals, don’t just attempt to quit “cold turkey.” Maintain your snacking habit – just “snack” on gum instead.
Why? Because studies presented in the book Willpower by psychologist Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney have shown that it’s difficult to break any habit immediately.
A much more effective long-term strategy is to carefully replace a negative habit (such as snacking) with a more positive one (chewing gum).
This takes far less willpower than trying to abstain or abandon the habit all together. And when you chew gum instead, there’s a chance your craving for snacks might be satisfied (or even disappear all together).
(Worst case, you’ve delayed your snack, reduced your appetite and possibly burned a few calories in the meantime, right? Not bad!)
And if it works for you, then over time this new habit could replace your snacking habit – and bring you some very impressive weight loss results in the process.
Warning: Not All Gums Are Created Equally
One unfortunate thing about the research done on gum chewing is that much of it was done with sugarless gums – which inevitably contain artificial sweeteners that we know have dangerous long-term side effects.
For example, many sugarless gums contain the artificial sweetener Aspartame, which has been associated with a wide array of side effects you definitely don’t want to risk.
What’s worse, some studies – such as one published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition3 – seem to suggest Aspartame could actually increase appetite at future meals.
None of this is what we want, and runs contrary to the whole purpose of chewing gum for weight loss. So any gum with Aspartame is out…
(Also be sure to avoid any sorbitol-based gum, since sorbitol can cause bloating and have a strong laxative effect.)
The best alternatives are chewing gums sweetened with a naturally-derived, low-calorie sugar substitute called xylitol – which tastes great and is actually good for your teeth. I’ve personally found the brands Spry and Xyla to be excellent – and they can be found at any health food store, or online at Amazon.com.
Final Note on Gum Chewing and Weight Loss
While gum chewing isn’t the only thing that will help you achieve your weight loss goals – its ability to lightly reduce hunger, increase metabolism and even replace unhealthy habits cannot be ignored.
Wrap Up
Now is the time to really pay attention, as the ingredients in Formula No. 1 are really starting to help do the things in your body that can double your fat loss results. It’s more important than ever to stay on your plan and use all tricks necessary.
So use the gum trick, and remember the water trick (drink 16 ounces – 2 cups of water – before every meal). And please do review the checklist, sometimes it’s easy to lose track of strategies that work.
Steven Sisskind, M.D.
1. http://www.uri.edu/news/releases/?id=5092
2. New England Journal of Medicine 1999; 341:2100 December 30, 1999 http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199912303412718
3. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition July 1993 vol. 58 no. 1 http://www.ajcn.org/content/58/1/120.full.pdf+html
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I find that chewing gum makes me want to drink more water. After some meals water just tastes “funky” so having the flavor of a minty gum in my mouth makes the water taste better. Since I have cut down on portion sizes as part of my overall weight loss program filling up with water after the meal seems to make sense. This also keeps me away from drinking sodas in the afternoon because they taste bad after chewing gum. Whatever works, right! I’ve lost almost 60 pounds over the past year using this as part of my strategy. :)
Jan congratulations on losing 60 lbs, that is fantastic ! You are right, finding ways to work around our weaknesses can have amazing results in our life ! Keep up the hard work !
The third option is that many people simply confuse thirst with hunger, and gum chewing keeps the saliva flowing and the mouth moist.
Thanks for the info. I do chew gum while i am working but not when I’m off of work. I’ll try it everyday and see if it works any.
You forgot a BIG benefit of chewing gum!
Chewing sugarless gum can actually help tighten and tone
sagging neck muscles and skin.
I successfully used gum to quite smoking. Every time you have an urge to have a cigarette you simply say , heh I’m a non smoker & then have a piece of gum. soon you will automatically reach for the gum instead of a cigarette, because heh your a non smoker. Then you’ll just naturally at your own pace notice that you will chew less & less gum. In the beginning keep lots of gum everywhere, so there’s never a chance of not having some handy. Enjoy being a non smoker
Great advice !
Thanks for that information I chew sugar gum all the time for the past 15 years I will try chew the sugar free ones thank you.
This is good to know. I chew gum all the time I did not know it was good for loosing weight. I just chew it because it makes me feel like I am always eating something.
Audrey
My mother switched to chewing gum to quit smoking. Try as I may, just haven’t gotten the habit kicked yet!
Beware of using a nicotine-based gum to quit smoking. It is highly addictive.
I have partial dentures. Is there a sugarless gum that won’t stick to them?
Whenever I feel like eating something sweet after dinner, I chew chewing gum and then the urge goes away.
I’m surprized to read this about gum chewing, but not surprized to read the part at the end. Do you have any specific brands of gum that you recommend?
Hi Lilly,
Thanks for writing in. I would pick a sugar free gum, with xylitol if possible..and the flavor is up to you !
I like Trident gum. It was recommended by my dentist who said it’s the next best thing to brushing your teeth and helps significantly at times when you cannot brush. This is due to xylitol. Trident makes lots of satisfying flavors, including cinnamon, bubble gum, and their fruit layers. Not trying to be an ad for Trident–LOL.
I find it helps me when I’m not with a meal but have the urge to keep eating. I chew gum instead of having a second serving.
I find it helps me when I’m finished with a meal (not “not with a meal”). Moderator: can you fix for me?
What a coincidence, i am chewing gum while reading this article…did not about losing calories, thanks for the information.
Irene
Just a word of caution here. Chewing gum causes us to secrete saliva for an extended period of time. Saliva production is part of our digestive process and is meant to form part of the process of digesting foods. Chewing foods properly and ensuring that what is swallowed is thoroughly mixed with saliva would, I suggest, do more to reduce appetite than gum chewing. There is that old maxim that you should drink your solids and chew your liquids.
It is also true that when you put food in your mouth and chew it properly you cause a signal to go to your digestive organs saying
- food is coming
- what sort of food it is ie. carbohydrates will cause a surge in blood insulin to digest the sugars, protein will not.
Lastly, the excess of saliva being swallowed is likely to lead to dilution of the stomach acids with subsequent poor digestion.
I suggest that if we consumed our food mindfully and not walk around , drive while eating or watch TV while eating we could probably do more for our weight than chewing gum.
Hi Terry – Thank you for writing in. I definitely agree that chewing food more is a big help for those of us who are not eating consciously enough (in front of the TV, driving, etc.). While large amounts of excess saliva may cause some changes in digestion, it’s unclear how much of an effect this has on overall absorption of calories or nutrients. Saliva has important enzymes which can help with the overall digestion process by helping break down carbohydrates and fat.
In the end, yes chewing foods better is something we should all be doing, but this may take time to develop the habit. Gum chewing can be a quickly implemented strategy to boost calorie expenditure and help control hunger. Thanks again!
I’ve lost 20 pounds and am keeping it off so far because of Dr. Steve’s advice and Real Dose. I cut out artificial sweeteners, which was huge for me because I used to drink eight Diet Cokes a day. I still have one as a “reward” (and I’m trying to cut that one out too) but I’d be afraid to add any more articifial sweetener to my program because I really believe — after having lost this weight fairly quickly — that Dr. Steve is right on target about them. They did make me crave sugar and carbs. Ill run around the block a few more times to get the extra exercise one would get from chewing, but I don’t want to risk going back to those carb cravings. This diet has been such a life saver to me. As a just–menopaulsal woman I couldn’t seem to lose a pound even if I starved myself. And then with Real Dose and the diet (which isn’t necessarily easy because you have to THINK before eating) I dropped 20 in no time. I weigh close to what I weighed in high school and college, and am in pretty great shape for a 53-year-old. Don’t want to risk going backward!
Hi Mary – Thank you for the inspiring story and compliments to RealDose. It’s a joy to hear of the success of so many, thanks for sharing!
I’m going to try and replace my daily 2 glasses of wine with gum. I’ll keep you all posted on my results in a couple of weeks.
Please remind pet owners that xylitol is deadly to their doggies. Please keep the gum out of their reach.
Wow, thanks for that information. Much appreciated. My dogs will eat anything they can get their paws on.
I’ve been using gum to stave off the munchies for a long time. It really does help and it also keeps you more alert.
Chewing gum is a disgusting sight especially in the presence of other people. Just visualise that scenario. We have all seen that before, haven’t we? Anyway, putting on weight is all about calories. If the amount of calories consumed is more than what is expended, provided under normal situations and a person is without other metabolic problems, then there is no need to avoid eating healthy snacks with low or little calories. To not eat adequately would deprive us of nutrients our body needs. It is also about eating the right foods to not put on weight and also to exercise regularly consistently for overall health and muscle tone.
I do not see how chewing gum can cause one to lose weight. Overeating is often a cause of obesity.
Hi Evelyn – Thank you for commenting. I wish weight loss was as simple as calories in vs. calories out, however after helping countless people who maintain a strict caloric level without weight loss, I’m convinced there is more to weight loss than that. In fact, the type of diet and foods that you choose have a significant impact on the amount of calories you burn. This was recently seen in some new research:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_126664.html
Chewing gum is just one of the ways to increase your amount of calories you expend during the day, as well as improve digestion of the food we eat, among other benefits. I hope that helps!
By having gum in my mouth, it keeps me from putting something else in my mouth. I always use a xylatol gum but I do find that after I have used it for a while it will make my teeth sensitive, I don’t really know why.
Hi, My bite isn’t so hot. I have a lot of caps a bridge, and veneers I use to love bubble gum, it’s fun to blow bubbles. But, unfortunately, I don’t feel secure in chewing gum. I use a product with safflower oil, parsley oil,peppermint oil, and ,chlorophyl by Health Aid, Interfresh. Two soft gel capsules, feel fresh within, that’s what the package says. I heard that if you chomp on your teeth, gently, 25 times, that also would strengthen the teeth and gums. Although I love chewing on bagels with sesame seeds, onions and garlic. But, I know that is not glutton free. Some times, its fun to goof off., what do you think? Thanks for being there. Esther
Hi Esther – Thanks for writing in. I can see there are only certain things you can use for your situation. It is true that chewing gum and putting mild pressure on teeth over time helps strengthen them. I am not familiar with the product you are describing though. The bagel, though it may be good to munch on, yes provides a lot of empty calories and processed flour. I was able to find a site which described a gum that is okay for those with dentures, this may be a good substitute: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070301222545AAkvYOw
Good luck Esther!
thanks a lot for then information
Hi DR Sisskind,
I always chewed gum but a recent Health Advice show said not to use any artificial l sweetener that contained ingredient that ended with itol -
sorbitol ,xylitol, mannitol, maltitol .
So do you feel xylitol is safe ??
Thank You for being a wonderful resource ,
Mimi
Hi Mary – Good question. These are all forms of sugar alcohols which do show up naturally in some foods, but most often are added to foods for extra flavor while providing less calories. They are shown to be very safe, but in moderate amounts these can cause diarrhea, cramping and stomach aches. Those who have a sensitive bowel may benefit by steering clear of them all together. I hope that helps!
I made the mistake of making lemonade with xylitol once. It took a whole day to recover!! Some holistic doctors claim it wipes out gut flora. I tend to think this, too. Therefore, if you’re consuming more than a teaspoon of xylitol a day, it’s best to be supplementing with acidophilus, bifidus, or other forms of your favorite flora.
On the note of xylitol being bad for pets, please know that 5-Htp (an amino acid precursor used by some to promote sleep) can be lethal to dogs.
Hi Dr. Laura! Thanks for the great information!
I was chewing a lot of spry until I looked up xylitol. I have multiple food sensitivities including dairy, soy and all grains. These sensitivities have caused several autoimmune illnesses. Among the sources of xylitol can be corn and wheat. After chewing the gum for about 6 months I was having a flair-up of autoimmune so quit the gum.
Incredibly flawed. Fat gain is hormonal not caloric. What drives fat storage? Insulin. What initiates insulin release.? Excess carbohydrates. Pure hype. Stick to science.
Hi Paul
Thank you for taking the time to post to our website. Previous research has suggested that when people over-eat, the amount of weight they gain varies from person to person. The calories a person consumes may be effecting how their body stores the extra calories. We also know that hormones can contribute to excessive weight gain, but are Not solely responsible for body fat. In addition How the body stores fat is related to an individuals diet, for example eating to many calories or not eating enough calories, are just 2 examples that can effect how fat is stored in the body.
I’ve found that there are very few, if any, brands of gum that do no stick to dentures. If there are some, I sure like to know what they are. I haven’t chewed gum in 12 years for that reason.
I follow Dr. Mercola and here’s what he says about chewing gum. Avoid Chewing Gum!!
Chewing gum interferes with the coordinated digestive tract reflexes that I just described above.
Every time you put a stick of gum in your mouth and start to chomp, your brain thinks you’re eating food. So it sends signals to your stomach, pancreas, and other digestive organs to get them ready for the digestive process.
Your pancreas is fooled into manufacturing a batch of the digestive enzymes your brain thinks you’ll need.
If you keep this pattern going month after month, your pancreas gets exhausted from the repeated over-production. Then it won’t be able to produce the digestive enzymes you need when you actually require them.
Hi Janet,
Thank you for taking a moment and sharing your insight about chewing gum. It is always nice to see people from the Realdose community offering informative advice and tips. Thank you so much for sharing this vital information with us.
Thank you so much for this information! I am an avid gum chewer, but stopped because I was concerned about the artificial sweeteners and other chemicals in the major brands of gum. Also, I noticed that I started having a lot of bloating and gas. I miss chewing my gum as it did help me from eating sweets and snacking. I can’t wait to buy the Xylitol gum and happily start chewing again!
Thanks again!
Andrea H.
Wow – I am going to go right out to buy some gum sweetened with Xylitol now – as soon as it quits snowing – to help reduce my appetite for sweets.
Hi Cathy – It’s a great cheap way to control eating. Not to mention, have you been in the gum aisle lately? There are 100 different kinds to choose from! Good luck!
Can you tell me about the appetite supressing gums? Do they work? Are they good/bad for you? Thanks.
Hi Mary-Ann – I know there are certain gums which contain hunger suppressing ingredients such as green tea or hoodia. These can be effective, though it should be known that ALL sugar free gum can help suppress hunger through the simple chewing action. If you want the specific hunger blocking effect of certain ingredients like hoodia or green coffee bean, it may be better to simply supplement these or drink green tea. Our Weight Loss Formula contains two powerful ingredients that help suppress hunger as well: Dolichos Biflorus Seed Extract and Betel Leaf Extract. I hope this helps!