Men's Weight Loss
WLR's dietitian with weight loss tips and advice specially
for men.
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Weight Loss for Men
By WLR Dietitian
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Follow these top weight loss tips and you’ll soon swap that beer belly
for a six-pack…
• Aim for a
Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9. To
calculate your BMI, divide your weight (in kilograms) by your
height (in metres) squared.
If you have a high percentage of
muscle, your BMI might be higher than this without you actually
being too fat so measure your waist circumference to see if you
need to lose weight. A waist measurement of 37 inches (94cm)
means you are at increased risk of health problems; a
measurement of 40 inches (102cm) means you are at a high risk.
Getting your percentage of
body fat measured will also give you
an idea of whether or not you need to shape up. Between the ages
of 20 to 39, you should aim for 8-20% body fat; between 40 and
59, you should aim for 11-22%; and between 60 and 79 years,
between 13-25%. Most gyms will be able to measure your body fat.
• Listen to what your mates say – most blokes don’t hold back
telling each other that they’ve ‘got fat’ or developed a beer
belly. If your mates take the Mickey, don’t take it as a
compliment. Instead, take it as an indicator that you need to
shift some weight.
• If you don’t feel comfortable with the idea of going on a
‘diet’, don’t go on one. Instead, focus on ways in which you can
improve your eating habits – for weight loss that will last. There’s less stigma
attached to eating healthily and you won’t feel as deprived.
• If you have a partner, ask them for help. Most women will
be delighted and only too happy to serve up healthier meals and
smaller portions.
• Get to grips with the basics of
healthy eating. As a rule:
- eat more fruit, veg and wholegrains
- have fish twice a week
(including one serving of oily fish like salmon, mackerel or
fresh tuna)
- opt for low-fat dairy products
- choose lean sources
of protein like lean red meat and chicken
- go for fresh,
natural, unprocessed foods; eat fewer fried and fatty foods
- cut
back on salt and sugar
- watch portion sizes
- don’t drink
more than 3-4 units of alcohol in a day.
• Don’t be fooled into trying
low-carb diets such as
Atkins.
Large amounts of red meat, eggs, cream, cheese, butter and fried
food might seem appealing but diets based on these foods are
usually loaded with artery-clogging saturated fat – and men are
already at an increased risk of heart disease compared to women.
Carbs are actually friends to weight loss rather than foes, especially if you
opt for wholegrains such as wholewheat cereals and pasta, brown
rice, wholemeal breads and porridge, which will all help to fill
you up – and keep you fuller for longer.
• Eat five portions of fruit and veg each day – fruit and veg
in dishes all count towards this target. It’s as easy as having
a fresh fruit smoothie at breakfast, an apple mid morning,
adding a tomato to your sandwich at lunchtime and having lots of
onions and mushrooms in a spaghetti Bolognese for dinner.
• Eat fewer takeaways and choose healthily. For example, if
you love kebabs, opt for a chicken skewer rather than donner
meat; go for a chicken or small burger rather than a double
cheeseburger; choose a thin crust Hawaiian pizza rather than a
stuffed crust pepperoni one; and have boiled rice rather than
fried or pilau rice.
• Eat a healthy, balanced meal before going to the pub so
you’ll be less likely to grab a takeaway on the way home. If you
don’t have time for a proper meal, opt for a wholemeal sandwich
or soup and a roll.
• Drive to the pub so your mates won’t keep encouraging or
forcing you to have pint after pint.
All
alcohol is packed with
calories, but men tend to drink pints and pints tend to be the worst option – and the
stronger the lager or beer, the more calories it will contain. A
pint of ordinary strength lager contains around 165 calories,
while strong lager contains 250 calories – possibly explaining
why you never see James Bond with a pint in his hand!
Single
measures of spirits with low-cal mixers like diet cola or slimline tonic are the best choice with just 50 calories each.
And remember, if you’re staying tee-total, you still need to
stick to low-cal drinks to gain the benefits. A pint of orange
juice and lemonade contains around 160 calories while a pint of
regular cola contains as many calories as a pint of strong lager
– around 240!
• Don’t be afraid to tell a white lie if any of your mates
start questioning you about what you’re eating and drinking. If
you’re off the booze tell them you’re on antibiotics; if you’re
skipping the burger and fries tell them you have high
cholesterol and the doctor has told you to cut down on fat; or
if you’re eating more wholegrain carbs, fruit or veg tell them
you’re in training for a sporting event such as a half marathon
or triathlon.
• Don’t just watch sport from the comfort of your armchair or
local pub. Instead, get off your butt and start playing it.
Think back to what you loved at school – football, cricket,
rugby or running, for example – and consider joining a local
club. Or have a go at learning a new sport, such as golf – an
hour at the driving range might not give you a great
cardiovascular workout, but it’ll certainly burn more calories
than sitting in front of the TV.
Arrange social events around
playing sport, too – for example, get a group of mates together
and go for a kick around in the park at the weekend. And if you
have a gym membership, make sure you’re using it.
• Whatever you do, don’t wait until you’ve been diagnosed
with a health problem before you take action! Weight loss will
give you more energy and help to improve everything from your
health and looks to your confidence and love life!
Men's Weight Loss Success Stories
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From his heaviest weight of 22 stone
Dean has lost 9st
6lbs and reached his goal of a healthy 12st 8lbs. |
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Pete's lost over 3 stones and is now just 4lbs away from
his target. |
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Martin's lost over 3 stones in 3 months to reach 12st
1lb. |
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Steve's weight loss story is an entertaining and
inspiring read - here's how he lost over 2 stones. |
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