Trying to lose weight can feel like a constant battle. The yo-yo effects of dieting can take its toll on the body, mind, and soul. Finding a sustainable and balanced approach to weight loss is something that most people struggle with, but Qi Gong Master Lee Holden has the answers to take all the stress out of the process—quite literally—by calming the nervous system.
Holden’s new book, Ready, Set, Slow: How to Improve Your Energy, Health, and Relationships Through the Power of Slow, to be published in January 2025, shares the power of slowing down in life and the ripple effect this has on your physical and mental health. “The best moments in life happen when we slow down,” he says.
“If you have a sunset or a delicious dinner, you don’t want to speed through it because you’ll miss it altogether. Qi Gong is about slowing down and replacing busy with bliss. Slowing down can improve your health, your sleeping patterns, and digestion so it really benefits all aspects of your life.”
Holden is all about changing the ‘how’ of daily activities rather than the ‘what’. Concerning eating, this involves taking the time to appreciate and absorb the experience of eating a meal, rather than rushing it down in front of the TV, a common comfort practice known as ‘zombie eating.’
In his book, Holden shares studies that prove people feel fuller for longer when they slow down and eat with a mindful purpose. Something as simple as taking a deep breath before you start and taking a moment to smell your food can prime the body to digest more efficiently.
He points out that it takes 20 minutes for the brain to recognize that the stomach is full so if we eat too fast, we can frequently eat beyond the point of comfort or need because we’re not giving those satiety signals a chance to show themselves. As Holden writes in his book, “Fast eating and low chewing rates have been linked to a 35 percent increase in a person’s risk for metabolic syndrome.”
Eating slowly can boost your metabolism and make you eat less in a natural way instead of using deprivation as a tool. Qi Gong is a five-thousand-year-old art from ancient China, known as the ‘art of effortless power’, so harnessing its principles for eating can lead to effortless weight loss.
Holden brought these principles into practical use for his bespoke ‘Qi Flow’ program in the ‘Beyond the Scale’ section for Weight Watchers. Holden writes in his book, “Although the name of the organization implies that it’s all about weight loss, it’s actually more about forging a healthy, happy lifestyle.”
“During my time there, I’m delighted to report that 92 percent of the Weight Watchers members reported feeling better, more motivated, and able to make healthier choices. The program I ran using the Slow Principles turned out to be the highest-rated program that the company had ever piloted.”
“Our findings were that achieving food freedom and health was about much more than just counting calories. It had to do with a variety of principles like stress management, when and how we consume food, sleep, body movement, and the emotional state of the person while chewing their meals.”
Here are two simple exercises that Holden recommends to slow down eating habits. The following exercises have been adapted from Ready, Set, Slow: How to Improve Your Energy, Health, and Relationships Through the Power of Slow by Lee Holden (January 2025). Reprinted with permission from the publisher, Sounds True.
Mealtime Mindfulness
1. Sit down at the table with your meal (yes, a table, not in front of the TV!).
2. Take a second to gaze lovingly at your food.
3. Take a sniff . . . what aromas can you smell?
4. Take a deep breath before taking your first bite.
5. Notice the flavors, textures, and temperature of your food, chewing thoroughly but
enjoying the experience. Is it delicious? Allow yourself to let out an “Mmmmm.”
6. Put down your knife and fork (or spoon or chopsticks, whatever you’re using), and don’t
be tempted to prepare your next mouthful while eating. Always put down your cutlery
between bites.
7. Swallow.
8. Take another deep breath.
9. Pick up your cutlery again and repeat until you feel full.
Ear Acupressure to Cut Cravings
1. Place your thumbs on the very top part of the front of the ears with your other four
fingers behind the ear.
2. Massage the top of the ear in slow, small circles with medium pressure.
3. Take deep breaths as you do so.
4. Keep massaging all the way down the ear to the lobe, the tragus (the bump in front of
your ear canal), and the ear canal, continuing the small circles.
5. Massage your way back up to the top of the ears.
6. Repeat this process for 30 seconds to 1 minute to feel the calming effects.
Binge eating and comfort eating are common coping mechanisms for people to manage or avoid stress. Using Slow Principles from Lee Holden’s decades-long research into the art of Qi Gong can help break that cycle and introduce healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.
To find out more about Lee Holden’s online Qi Gong programs, check out his website. You can pre-order Holden’s revolutionary new book Ready, Set, Slow: How to Improve Your Energy, Health, and Relationships Through the Power of Slow online now.
M&F and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
