Another social reason why men tend to overeat is to please the females in their lives. It's not uncommon to make a trip to grandma's house and be bombarded with food offerings. Married men typically overeat if they have wives who love to cook as well. Even if the food is not one of your favorites, you might eat more than one helping just to please that special lady in your life.

Overeating also commonly occurs during activities such as watching sporting events or movies. Buying food platters or stocking up on chips, pizza, beer, and other snacks are seen as ways to spice up the event even more. As you sit there for hours at a time, you eat. Since the game or movie is a distraction, when all is said and done, you might not even be totally sure how much food you have mindlessly consumed.

Ways to stop overeating

If you have noticed that you are guilty of one of the overeating instances above, it's now time to do something to stop it. If you eat when stressed, try working out instead. Exercise will make you look and feel better, and it is one of the best stress relievers around. If you already workout and are still stressed, then talk out your problems with family or friends, instead of that pint of Ben & Jerry's.

If you are one of the bored overeaters, find a new hobby to take up your idle time. Get a magazine subscription, read a book, play video games, or play a sport. Whatever it is, don't make eating your hobby of choice. Finding a new hobby to keep you active also helps if you are an overeater that does it in the place of another addiction like drinking or smoking. If you have an oral fixation that is too much to overcome, chew some gum or eat a piece of fruit. Other ways to stop overeating include avoiding places like all-you-can-eat buffets, eating slowly and appreciating your food, and learning how to say no when offered additional helpings. Just because everybody else at Thanksgiving dinner or the office's Christmas party eats like a pro football player, does not mean you have to.

By dropping overeating, you will also drop the pounds and improve your quality of life.