We’ve all heard the different advices that nutritionists, dieticians and other health experts have about eating – keep regular meal schedules to avoid overeating, go for healthy snacks or plan your meals ahead. While most men are well intentioned and have a genuine desire to eat healthily, many have already unconsciously developed bad eating habits.
Some men have gotten into the habit of snacking indiscriminately between meals or just eating mindlessly. It might come as a surprise to some but men also eat to deal with their feelings. Luckily, these bad habits are just meant to be broken.
Here are the top 3 bad eating habits of men and tips on how to stop –
Enough with the Endless Snacking
Snacking might seem harmless but a lot of men are guilty of snacking the whole day, often munching on high-calorie foods. Snacking any time, all the time can really make one put on the pounds. You can put a kibosh to this bad eating habit by planning your snacks in advance. Try to come up with 2-3 healthy snacks per day. This will aid you to keep your blood sugar up and prevent cravings for salty or sweet snacks.
To keep your energy steady and your hunger controlled, make sure those planned snacks are between 100-300 calories. Ensure your success by keeping only healthy snacks within reach. Confused as to what are good snack choices? Try some air-popped popcorn, a small cup of yogurt mixed with fruits, carrots and cucumber slices, granola bars, a serving of nuts or even half a peanut butter sandwich.
Don’t be a Distracted Eater
There are countless distractions these days and this diverts our attention from what we’re eating and how much. So we munch our way thru The Walking Dead or while scanning our newsfeeds. It’s this distracted and mindless eating that causes us to overeat.
Breaking this bad habit is easy but requires your full commitment. First, you need to figure out what situations distract you enough to forget what you’re eating. Is it the latest episode of your favorite show? Do you become too engrossed reading your friends’ status messages? Find your triggers and avoid snacking while you’re doing those things. Then commit to eating only when you can be totally engaged in it.
If you do want to snack while watching TV or surfing the net, try to set limits to the amount and choose nutritious, low-calorie ones like air-popped popcorn, rice crackers or whole-grain cereal. Doling out a single serving in advance will also keep your weight in check.
Stop eating your way out of a bad mood
Emotional eating is not just the province of women. Men also use food as a coping mechanism, eating when they’re angry, stressed or nervous. While it might soothe your nerves or lessen your anger, feeding your negative emotions will just lead to more bad moods and weight gain, especially since men tend to choose snacks full of carbohydrates.
There are several things men can do to stop eating their way out of a bad mood. One way would be to stop and think about what’s bothering them before reaching out for that bag of chips or that bottle of beer. They can also look for something else that will boost their mood, like going for a run, talking to a friend or reading a book. If nothing but carbohydrates will do the trick, they should make sure to opt for a whole-grain, healthy snack.
