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Whether it’s a family gathering, holiday celebration or big dinner party, overeating during big meals can leave you feeling uncomfortable, bloated and sluggish. Fortunately, overeating doesn’t have to be a given when enjoying large meals. Instead of skipping meals or depriving yourself before a big meal, consuming a balanced breakfast that includes protein, fiber and healthy fats can help you manage your appetite and avoid overeating.
“When you skip breakfast or lunch in preparation for a large dinner, you end up ravenous and set yourself up for overeating,” says Shelley Balls, M.D.A., RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian and nutritionist for Consumer Health Digest. The result? You end up feeling sluggish, bloated and uncomfortable.
With the holiday season upon us, the time has never been better to start your day with a balanced breakfast. It’s your best strategy to help prevent overeating at that next big meal and deliver the nutrients you need to go strong all day long.
How Eating a Balanced Breakfast Can Prevent Overeating
A well-balanced, nutrient-dense breakfast that contains a healthy combo of protein, fiber and healthy fats will help control hunger and stabilize blood sugar. This can help you make healthier choices during the big meal. Research shows that consuming a balanced breakfast in the morning helps regulate hunger hormones, which prevents overeating and cravings later.
“Eating regularly helps keep your body’s hunger cues in check. If you skip meals, you’ll likely overeat when food becomes available,” Balls explains. “Saving room for a big meal often backfires because it leaves you feeling too hungry and out of control. You may eat faster than you normally would and ignore your body’s fullness signals.”
Eating a breakfast rich in protein, fiber and healthy fats can help prevent this. These nutrients are slow to digest, keeping you satisfied for longer and helping regulate your blood sugar levels. This prevents the blood sugar spikes and crashes that often lead to cravings.
Strategies to Build a Balanced Breakfast
Eating a well-balanced breakfast means intentionally including foods that will fuel your body, keep you satisfied and help prevent overeating. Here’s how.
Prioritize Protein
Protein is more satiating than carbohydrates as it helps stabilize blood sugar levels and keep hunger at bay for longer. “Protein helps regulate hunger hormones, such as ghrelin, the hormone responsible for signaling hunger,” says Balls. “Additionally, eating a high-protein breakfast reduces ghrelin levels, helping you feel satisfied for a longer period.”
Greek yogurt, eggs and smoothies are all great choices. If you need more inspiration, check out these tasty high-protein breakfast recipes.
Focus on Fiber
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fiber slows digestion and helps stabilize blood sugar levels. This may prevent the energy crashes that often follow high-carb meals. Additionally, studies show that fiber is highly satiating, helping you feel full for longer and eat less later throughout the day.
Balls recommends incorporating fiber-rich foods into every meal to help with portion control later. Top choices include whole-grain cereal, English muffins and toast. But don’t overlook vegetables for breakfast, says Balls. “Vegetables are nutrient powerhouses and filled with dietary fiber, which helps fill you up faster and keeps you full longer,” she explains.
For even more fiber-filled morning meals, check out these 20 Easy High-Fiber Breakfast Recipes to Make for Busy Mornings.
Embrace Healthy Fats
Healthy fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins and are essential for overall health. Incorporating small amounts of healthy fats in your breakfast may help keep you full by stimulating the release of cholecystokinin, an appetite-suppressing hormone that slows digestion.
“Healthy fats can slow down the digestion of carbohydrates, preventing a blood sugar spike and keeping you satisfied for a longer period,” says Balls. “Including a serving of healthy fat with your breakfast can help keep hunger at bay for hours.”
To work more healthy fats into your morning, try this 5-minute avocado toast or these filling Smoked Salmon Breakfast Wraps.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Drinking water before and during meals helps you recognize hunger cues and can reduce your likelihood of overeating. “Thirst can be mistaken for hunger pangs,” says Balls. “Dehydration symptoms include headache, fatigue, lightheadedness and difficulty concentrating, all of which resemble hunger symptoms.” If you’re unsure if you’re hungry or thirsty, Balls recommends drinking an 8-ounce cup of water and waiting 15 minutes to see if you still feel hungry.
While water is an excellent way to hydrate, coffee, tea and smoothies can also help you meet your fluid needs. And don’t overlook water-rich foods, like fruits, vegetables, oatmeal, yogurt and cereal with milk.
The Bottom Line
The best way to avoid overeating at a big meal is to plan ahead by eating a balanced breakfast containing protein, fiber and healthy fats. Staying hydrated and focusing on nutrient-dense foods throughout the day will help you manage hunger and prevent overeating so that you can enjoy that special meal. And if you do overdo it, we’ve all been there. Here’s what to do next.