Men's Health

How to Eat

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Dinner
Your body will appreciate it if you eat at least three hours before bedtime. That way, you'll burn off a lot of the calories before you go to sleep, when your metabolism slows down. Try these other minor suppertime adjustments:

1. Beware the first and last ten minutes of the meal: bread, butter, and dessert. Those are careless, empty calories. And try skipping dessert altogether. There's no biological need for it, and much of the rest of the world finishes a meal with salad or something small and savory, like a handful of nuts or a bite of cheese.

2. As for what to eat, a great rule of thumb is to avoid white foods (potatoes, pasta), load up on colored vegetables (carrots, greens, tomatoes), and treat meat or fish as an embellishment rather than a main course.

3. Alcohol reduces inhibitions — that you probably already know — but it also reduces your ability to register satiety. So skip the predinner cocktail and enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or a nice after-dinner drink in place of dessert. A little alcohol is good for you — and not just red wine. Anything of good quality is beneficial.

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