How To Lose Weight For Men?

You know the story.  “Men lose weight faster than women.”  So, naturally, you expect to lose weight fast especially if you and a woman are trying to lose weight together.

But, what the sound bite doesn’t mention is that you, too, hunk-of-love, will reach a plateau and start losing weight slower than your female counterpart!  Then, what?

Here are the best 6 tips that we have found to help you lose weight faster when you hit that wall!

Key Takeaways

• Losing weight can be challenging for men, but incorporating a combination of cardio and strength exercises can help speed up the process.
• Junk food, processed foods, and excessive alcohol intake should be avoided, while real, fresh food should be prioritized in a weekly meal plan.
• Walking is a great cardio exercise for overweight men, and it’s important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
• Smaller portions of food can still be satisfying when eaten in a 4-course meal, which can help with portion control and prevent overeating.
• Consistency and dedication to healthy habits are key to achieving and maintaining weight loss goals.

Tip #1:  Stop Running and Start Walking! 

Say what?  When you’re overweight by 50 pounds or more, you are already putting extra stress on your legs and knees when you amble into the kitchen.

Running is not going to do you any good if you give yourself a stress fracture and are bedridden for the next 3 months!

So, in short, do yourself a favor and walk at least 5 miles a day. Start out walking at a normal pace for 10 minutes.

Then, try to amp the pace up and make it brisk for about 5 minutes. Return to walking normal for 10 minutes and then do a run-walk for 5 minutes. Alternate these last two until you have completed the five miles.

**A run-walk is when you walk fast with long steps.

This is the best cardio exercise that is safe for overweight men.  And, that’s the first exercise that your body needs.

Tip #2 – Add Strength Workouts to Your Routine

Get to the nearest gym or if you don’t want to be seen in workout clothes until you are in better shape, either buy a small set of dumb bells or use a kitchen chair that you can tape books to and use that as your weight lifting tool.

Strength workouts should start at 15 minutes a day and increase weekly by 5 minutes until you can easily do 30 minutes lifting up to 100 pounds.

The combination of cardio plus strength exercises boosts testosterone levels and testosterone increases the amount of fat you burn – which bring us back to one of the reasons why men lose weight faster than women in the first few weeks!

Tip #3 – Chuck the Junk Food!

Let me be clear about what ‘junk food’ really is!  It doesn’t always mean Burger King is to be viewed as an enemy combat zone or that potato chips are to be stomped on at the front door.

There are tons of processed foods on the grocery shelves that are filled with chemicals that substitute as food.

These are the real junk foods that are out to fool you:

• Pre-packaged foods such as powdered mash potatoes, mac & cheese in the Kraft box and American cheese slices are the tip of the iceberg in the junk food category.
• Canned foods are crammed full of sodium and may contain other additives that are not healthy and may inhibit weight loss
• Give the booze away to someone you hate
• Stay out of the bakery section where the goodies eye you suspiciously! Make homemade cookies if you must have the occasional sweet.

Tip #4 – Drink Water and Eat Real Food

Whatever else you do, don’t starve your body! That means don’t use supplements to increase your nutrients so that you can eat less food.

That’s not healthy. Plus, your body won’t have the necessary proteins, sugar and carbs to mash up while you sleep. When that happens, your body eats your muscle – which is what you’ve been toning up.

When you exercise – even the walking routine – your body is flushing your system out using water in the form of sweat.

It’s easy to get dehydrated and without water, your body will store the excess nutrients in the fat depository – for men, this is usually the mid-section.

Drink one more bottle of water than you think you need every day and you should be all right.

The Real Food Way:

• Plan a weekly menu
• Shop daily or every other day for the items you need on the menu
• Buy only lean beef (beef with a smidgen of fat), fresh salt water fish – tilapia is filled with chemicals that will lower your metabolic rate – farm raised or organic chicken instead of the caged chickens that are fattened with chemical feed to bulk them up -fresh vegetables and fresh lemons, apples or oranges
• Keep fresh herbs in stock (they’re in your vegetable section) to use for cooking and salads or sauces

By eating real food, you are getting all the nutrients your body can handle and by shopping and cooking daily, you are using time that would be otherwise used shoveling snack food into your mouth.

Until you are within 20 pounds of your goal weight, avoid all restaurants – all including vegan!

You don’t know what they are using to prepare your food – extra salt, a bit of olive oil or mayonnaise?

Tip #5 – Eat a 4 Course Meal with Smaller Portions

This sounds crazy but it’s not!  Most of us eat a meat, veggie or salad and call it a day.  That’s just not enough variety to satisfy our appetites, especially if you are eating smaller portions – which is a must—no matter what.

I know you’ve heard that eating a bunch of small meals is better than eating one huge meal – and, it is. But, most of us cannot eat every 4 hours.

Instead, have an appetizer, pasta, main course of meat and vegetable followed by a small bite of something sweet. Place each one on the table SEPARATELY – like you would be served in a good restaurant.

The trick is to eat about 4 ounces of each course one at a time.

Your appetite is satisfied and you won’t notice that the meal is lower in calories than you would have eaten anyway.

Tip #6 – Get Support at Home

Ask your spouse – yes, you have to ask – to let you know when you appear like you’ve lost weight, to encourage you to maintain a scheduled workout program and to help you keep up your spirits when you feel like you’re banging your head on a wall.

FAQ

• What are some effective weight loss strategies for men?

Some effective weight loss strategies for men include increasing physical activity, reducing calorie intake, eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and reducing stress.

• How many calories should a man consume per day to lose weight?

The number of calories a man should consume per day to lose weight depends on various factors such as age, weight, height, and activity level. A general guideline is to create a calorie deficit of 500-1000 calories per day.

• What types of exercise are best for men looking to lose weight?

High-intensity interval training (HIIT), weightlifting, and cardio exercises such as running, cycling, and swimming is all effective for weight loss in men.

• How important is a balanced diet for weight loss in men?

A balanced diet is crucial for weight loss in men. It is important to consume various nutrients, including lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates, while limiting processed foods and sugary drinks.

• How much sleep should a man get to support weight loss efforts?

Men should aim to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night to support weight loss efforts. Poor sleep can disrupt hormone levels that affect appetite and metabolism.

• What are some tips for staying motivated during a weight loss journey?

Some tips for staying motivated during a weight loss journey include setting achievable goals, tracking progress, finding a workout partner, and celebrating small successes.