Losing weight is challenging. You have to give up your favorite pizza, fries, and burgers. Not only that, but you have to exercise. It isn’t fun and the challenges are different for everyone. Men face different challenges trying to lose weight in comparison to women. Here we will be discussing the 11 best weight loss tips for men.
1. Drink enough water
We know we have to drink water every day to keep our bodies hydrated. Yet we forget this simple thing because we take it for granted. Water plays an important role in your weightloss journey. It turns out that your body can mix its signals for thirst and hunger.
Sometimes, you might actually be thirsty, but confuse it with hunger. You end up eating a plate full of snacks instead of drinking water. Research has proven drinking a couple cups of water before eating a meal will lead to significant weight loss after 12 weeks. It may sound simple, considering it’s just plain water, but the idea is if you fill up with water before eating, you will eat less food.
If you’re bored of drinking plain water, you can have flavored versions. You can prepare it at home by infusing water with fruits like pineapple and strawberries. For a refreshing taste, you can add mint. Lemon water isn’t bad either it will improve your immune system. You can even prepare detox water using cucumber,lemon, and mint.
2. Tracking what you’re eating
Counting calories is one common way of trying to lose weight. But simply picking a calorie target and aiming for it won’t help. Instead, you need to figure out how many calories you consume on average and try to reduce from that.
To find your starting point, you need to track all that you eat for a week. Once you calculate your average for seven days, you can aim to reduce your calorie intake by about 300-400 and then try to reduce your weight.
3. Beverage calories
A glass of wine is the perfect way to unwind for the day. But not if you’re trying to lose weight. If you drink alcohol regularly, you’re adding a lot of calories. One can of beer can have as much as 140-220 calories. It’s also unlikely you would stop at just one beer. It always turns out to be three or four. It’s the same with other forms of liquor as well.
If alcohol is derailing your weight loss journey, think about what sodas can do! They have a far worse effect because they are loaded with sugar. A cup of any soda can easily give you as much as 150-180 calories. If you’re at a restaurant that offers unlimited refills, you could end up drinking multiple servings by the time you finish your meal. That’s certainly NOT going to help you lose weight.
4. Calculate your BMI
Many people keep gaining weight because they don’t think of themselves as being overweight. Even when the scale says otherwise. This is different for both men and women. Body Mass Index can be an incredibly helpful tool for you. While BMI is not the most perfect system, it gives you a clear indication you’re reaching obesity levels.
Checking your BMI can give you a target for how much weight you need to lose to stay healthy. CCS Gastric Band Surgery Newcastle explains that BMI is often used when discussing eligibility for weight loss surgery as it is a good indication of obesity. There are other factors involved but BMI is a major contributing factor.
5. Sleep
Sleeping for a healthy amount of time is very important if you want to meet your weight-loss goals. If you’re in a profession where you have to work long hours, and can only manage around 5 hours of sleep, it’s going to directly impact your weight. Moreover, the longer you stay awake, the more food you eat. By sleeping less than seven to eight hours,you end up adding 300-500 more calories, as you’re snacking during those hours awake.
6. Fruit and vegetable intake
On average, men have one serving of fruit or non-starchy vegetables per day. If you increase the amount of fruits and veggies you eat, you will reach your weight-loss goals much faster. You could either cut up fruits and veggies into slices, or you can make weight loss smoothies. Even adding spinach to your breakfast or having veggies with dip can help.
7. Learning to cook
If you learn how to cook, you can replace fast food with some healthier recipes or try at home. The inability to cook results in dependence on the convenience of snacks and ready-to-eat meals, which are generally not so healthy. Store-bought snacks tend to be high in calories.
You can instead cook your own low-calorie food. Having to prepare your snack may also dissuade you from turning towards food frequently. You’ll end up drinking water instead. Eating home-cooked meals has regularly proven to be very beneficial.
8. Always eat breakfast
If you have little time in the morning, you might be skipping breakfast to save your precious minutes. You more or less end up eating your first meal of the day at lunch. While this seems like a smart of time, it only ends up adding extra pounds to your body. If you intend to meet your weight-loss goals, no skipping breakfast.
Your body only tells you to eat more at meals later. As a result, you tend to have heavier lunches and dinners than you normally do. So while you might think you’re saving calories by skipping an entire meal, you actually end up with more on your plate.
9. Becoming more active
Being active helps. That’s a given. But if you hate going to the gym, don’t worry. That’s not the only way to and fit. There are other activities that keep you moving. It’s not always necessary to do two hours of cardio. Instead, you can try something like cycling or playing squash.
Even a simple walk around your neighborhood would be better than sitting at your desk all day. It doesn’t hurt to get those runners on and go for a light jog. Not everyone has to hit the gym every day,instead, regular activities can help you stay on top of your weight-loss goals.
10. Healthier fast food
Everyone loves fast food. But do you need to give up fast food all together to stay fit and meet your weight loss goals? Not at all! You can choose healthier options instead. healthier fast foods do exist. Even most restaurants have healthier options nowadays.
It’s not like their salads are deep fried or anything like that. They’re genuinely decent meals. For example, choosing a grilled chicken sandwich over fried chicken, or a salad over French fries can make a lot of difference. If you have a hankering for a good old burger and fries, choose the smallest size they have. By making these simple changes, you can keep control of the number of calories you eat in a day. If you can avoid fast food altogether, you would be doing yourself a great favor. Even the quality of your diet and health will improve.