Nutrition Tips for Men to Stop Overeating 

We asked men in our community what they struggle with when it comes to nutrition. One of the top things they struggle with is overeating. We all can agree that it is not as simple as to just ‘stop eating’. Below are 4 Nutrition Tips for Men on How to Stop Overeating recommended by a Certified Holistic Nutrition Coach and Naturopathy student.

1.Regulate your sleeping pattern.

Studies show that you are more likely to consume calories the next day when you are not getting enough sleep. One way to help with this is to get daily morning sunlight for 2-10 minutes to help regulate your circadian rhythm so that melatonin is released optimally in alignment with the natural day and night cycle so you can sleep better.Could you walk or ride to work instead? How about squeezing in a walk before heading into work? Or perhaps have your breakfast outside? Furthermore, reduce using your electronic devices towards the end of the day as best you can as blue and green light emitted from electronics interfere with melatonin production and negatively impact your sleep.

2. Start with a savoury breakfast.

When you eat a sweet breakfast like a sweet muffin, you are more likely to consume calories throughout the day. Cook or choose breakfast options that have a combination of vegetables for fibre and nutrition, protein, healthy fats and some complex carbohydrates instead. Other options could be eggs with avocado, extra virgin olive oil, spinach with some quality bread (avoid highly processed white bread where you can) or baked beans. If you’re buying breakfasts on the go, have a look at savoury options you can have. If you’re a sweet tooth, try overnight oats, chia puddings that have protein and healthy fats like nuts and coconut to slow down digestion and provide a steadier release of energy throughout the day without the crash.

3. Reduce your stress levels.

The body demands more calories to combat perceived stressors. Being in this ‘fight or flight state’ long term makes you want to eat more and often leads to visceral fat accumulation in the abdominal region. Furthermore, we may be carrying ‘invisible’ stress, as termed by Dr Libby Weaver, imposed by society and stigmas of how a man, father and partner should act, feel and do.

So How Can We Start Removing this Burden?

It could mean having an honest conversation with your partner, boss or family on the expectations and support you would like from each other to be on the same page. By addressing your stress and coming into alignment with your values and how you want to live, you will reduce the ‘flight or fight’ response and have more control on what and how much you eat. Meanwhile, adopt a belly breathing practice to directly reduce your stress levels. Check out diaphragmatic breathing that you can do throughout the day.

4. Eat without distraction & chew properly.

Are you watching something when you are eating or sitting in front of a screen? When you are distracted, you are not able to take note when you are full. By the time you do so, you may have over eaten. Watching scary, unpleasant and fear-based content can also ignite the stress response and impact your digestion. Therefore, be present with your food, remove electronic devices and eat slowly. Appreciate the flavours and the food you’re eating! Digestion starts in the mouth and the whole process initiates when you are full. Therefore, chew your food at least 20 times in order to relieve the burden of your digestive system and prevent gut issues, bloating and overeating. 

How Can Myall Help Men with their Nutrition & Eating Habits?

At Myall Wellbeing, we provide a range of tools and practices that help our members and guests to relieve their stress, connect with the body and feel more centred so they have the clarity and confidence to approach their next situation or challenge differently. By cultivating mindfulness practices, digestion improves as you now have the understanding on how to check in with your body and make empowered food choices.You can explore our full Pilates & yoga timetable here.

Written by Cherie Ha

Certified Holistic Nutrition Coach (Bsc & MBA) and Naturopathy student, Perth WA.

References

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