Losing those extra inches is no child’s play. A weight loss regime would differ for men and women, primarily because of their different hormone levels and metabolism rates. “One healthy behavior without the other will not work – you need to diet and exercise to maintain long-term weight loss,” says study author John Jakicic, Ph.D. Since demands of a man’s body are different from that of a women’s body and a male’s body deposits fat at areas different from a female’s body, the fitness strategies to be followed are also different.
Always remember that as long as you burn more calories than you eat, you will be able to shed those extra kilos. Your daily calorie intake and metabolism rate need to balance for any results. Consequently, your dietary habits and exercise regime will always go hand in hand. However, slow and steady is the most effective way to shed those extra inches and keep it off.
Set realistic goals and take small steps
Always be practical in setting targets for yourself. Be realistic in deciding on how much weight you want to lose and what method you want to focus on. Superficial goals or unrealistic goals may lead to disappointment.
Create a plan of the goals you want to achieve and create a note book of your goals. This will help you to refer back to them for motivation at a later stage. Start with rational and specific targets. For example set weekly targets for yourself. This short term strategy can go a long way in reflecting positive results. Instead of cutting down your diet drastically, create a proper diet plan to cut down your calorie intake slowly. Trying to achieve too much at a time can leave you demotivated and more likely to abandon the motivation completely.
Be psychologically ready for weight loss
Be ready mentally and physically to make those necessary changes in your lifestyle which will include eating habits and taking time out for workouts. Men generally are busy during the day as they are considered to be the bread earners for the family. You can implement life style changes even when you are on the go. Changes to your eating patterns and how you spend your leisure time will be affected once you take pledge to reduce weight. Hanging out at your favorite restaurants will have to be controlled, especially early on when diet change is most challenging, but once you’ve established this routine, things should get easier. This short term strategy will help you achieve your target to help bring that positive change you are looking for.
Way of life and weight loss
Remember, anything that is tasty will most probably have extra calories. The fast food that we enjoy is packed with excessive amounts of sugar, salt and fat. By paying attention to what we eat and opting for healthier alternatives will help lower calorie intake and help to lose weight at the simultaneously. The best thing is not to snack between meals but if you have to, eat low calorie healthy foods like fruit.
Partying with friends and packing the belly with alcohol is a general pattern of many men, especially over the weekends. But alcohol is packed with calories. That party mood could lead you to gulp down foods with extra sugar and fat with alcohol leading to that pot belly. Focus on a balanced diet and look for alternatives which include basic nutritional values. A healthy balanced diet will require you not to take any extra vitamins or minerals in a tablet form. Build some indulgences into your plan to overcome those weekend sins.
Exercise can help
Exercise will aid in burning off calories, helping you keep fit and toned. It also enhances your metabolic rate to help you lose weight faster. Referring back to the plans you created initially will provide you with motivation to do more. Always reward yourself. When you reach the pre-decided weight goals, reward yourself with an outing or by buying yourself some goodies.
Don’t beat yourself over the head if things go wrong; just re-focus and press on. Joining a nearby gym or a slimming club will come handy in shedding those extra pounds. Exercise will help you in maintaining a healthy heart and mind. This will help you to fight with extra cholesterol deposited in your body. Healthy mind will help you remain focused towards your goals.
High water intake
Water is an important component in losing weight. Water suppresses the hunger pangs naturally forcing the body to metabolize the stored fat. Studies have shown that a reduction in water intake leads the fat deposits to rise, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits.
Sipping enough water is the best cure for fluid retention. When the body gets less water, it perceives this as a threat to survival and starts to hold on to every drop. To overcome the challenge of water retention give your body what it wants, which is plenty of water. Only then will stored water be expelled out of your body. Water helps to get rid of the body wastes. During weight loss, the body needs to get rid of additional wastes, which means all that metabolized fat must be shed. Water assists in flushing out this extra fat. This ongoing strategy will help in losing those extra inches without any side effects.
Restructure your thoughts
Having a positive frame of mind can make a world of difference. This short term strategy is important to lose weight. Men generally have a habit of indulging in ‘heavy’ foods while out. Don’t underrate the power of the mind. Develop a positive relationship with food as it is something that nourishes your body.
You don’t have to be perfect. Keep a track of your dietary habits. Don’t over feed your body, however keep a track of your intake. Treat yourself properly. Don’t create a plan that leads to stress and resentment. Avoid negative self talk. Look in the mirror and appreciate yourself. Realise that negative self talk can send you on a downward spiral from which it is hard to recover.
Adapt relaxation techniques
Healthy mind leads to a healthy body. This helps you to keep your stress under control. Stress can lead to poor eating habits, in turn leading to added weight. Meditation, deep breathing, talk therapy and massage could be some of the successful surviving strategies that you may want to include in your daily lifestyle.
These short term strategies can help men reduce extra fat from their body. Men generally don’t tend to follow these strategies due to constraints of time, but following relaxation techniques can be quite beneficial in the long run.
Aim for an appropriate Body Mass Index (BMI)
To calculate your BMI, divide your weight (in kilograms) by your height (in metres) squared, which should be between 18.5 and 24.9. A high percentage of muscle will lead to a higher BMI which doesn’t necessarily mean that you are fat. Cross check this by measuring your waist circumference to see if you need to lose weight. A waist measurement of 37 inches (94 cm) indicates a higher risk of health problems while a measurement of 40 inches (102 cm) indicates you are at a high risk. Your body fat measurements will also indicate if your body needs any weight loss regimes or not.
Note that between the ages of 20 to 39 years, you should consider a 8%-20% body fat; between 40 and 59 years, you should target for 11%-22%; and between 60 and 79 years, between 13%-25%. When you join any nearby gym, they will be able to measure your body fat. This quick tip will be a good place to begin.
An appropriate carbohydrate diet
Men are at a higher risk of heart diseases than women. Large intake of foods like red meat, eggs, cream, cheese, butter and fried food might seem tempting, but these foods are usually loaded with artery-clogging saturated fat which can promote weight gain. This does not mean that carbs will promote weight gain, rather carbs are actually friends to weight loss rather than foes. In order to maximize your weight loss from carbs, opt for whole grains such as whole wheat cereals and pasta, brown rice, whole meal breads and porridge, which will all help you to keep yourself fuller for long. Steadily following such a carb diet will show positive results.
Dealing with pressure from friends and family
If your friends and family start questioning you about your diet and exercise regime, offer them to educate them on ill effects of fast food or junk food or high calorie diet. You may opt for a white lie like, if any of your mates ask you about your avoidance of alcohol tell them you’re on antibiotics. If you intend to avoid the burger, refer them to high cholesterol issues or if you’re eating more wholegrain carbs, fruit or vegetables advise them about their health benefits.
Being active and sporty
Get up from your bean bag and start playing. Think about your favorite sport while you were in school: football, cricket, rugby or running, for example, and consider joining a local club, if that means playing only over the weekends. If you didn’t enjoy playing sports at school, think about learning a new sport. It is certainly better than sitting in that armchair.
Try going to the gym whenever possible to do cardiovascular exercises and burn that extra fat. This short term strategy will help you burn those extra calories. Before a health problem hits you and your pocket, start shedding those unwanted calories.
