How to eat right for men when training for weight loss

doctor of the highest category, Candidate of Medical Sciences, founder of Dr. Matveev’s Weight Management School

How can a man start losing weight correctly?

Why it is more difficult for men to start losing weight

Men in my weight loss program make up no more than a quarter of the participants – a statistic that has been repeated, alas, for many years. The main reason is the fact that men in principle rarely seek medical and psychological help. They turn only when there is nowhere else to go, having had time to accumulate many weight-related diseases. This is partly why they live less than women. And obese men often live much less – on average by 10-12 years.

In addition, the very thought that the weight of their own body has become unbearable, appear a little late. Modern social norms “stress” the female half of humanity, emphasizing that a woman should be elegant, slender, mobile, but men are not required to do so. The head of the family, the leader – all these images are associated with solidity, “weightiness”, unhurriedness… Such is the norm!

Statistically, the level of overweight and obesity is growing rapidly, doctors are sounding the alarm, the state is forced to spend huge sums of money. Cardiovascular, diabetes, liver damage shorten our already difficult life. And it’s harder for men – they’re busy! He works! He bears responsibility for others, and “not a boy’s” business – taking care of himself. In the best case a man will think about his brutality and go to the gym. Better than nothing, but, alas, not enough.

For example, how to get rid of the belly, told in the material below.

How a man to start losing weight correctly

Modern approaches to weight loss include control of dietary intake and calorie expenditure, exercise and fight insulin resistance (the scourge of modernity, which leads to many diseases). Competent, harmless weight management is a science. It is a multidisciplinary task that requires the participation of various specialists. And the attempt to make an independent decision (I’m a man, I can handle it!) most often has no effect.

Huge harm is caused by the “diet” approach: any temporary restriction leads to a return, and sometimes to an increase in body weight. But if a man “matured” and made a decision, the likelihood that he methodically and slowly (only so and need) will go to the realization of the goal, is great.

By the way, setting a goal also requires thoughtfulness. Many people call a beautiful, round value on the scale, although they cannot explain their choice. I try to suggest as target values those figures at which a person was once comfortable. Then the very feeling of former lightness and joy becomes the “carrot” that you reach for. I am convinced that a properly set goal does not require any additional motivation, and it is also the task of a specialist to help you with this. Set the right goals!

How to eat right for a man

Count calories

Whatever the reasons for weight gain, count calories will have to. To calculate the required caloric content of the diet there are special formulas, for men they are different. In modern life, the accounting is usually engaged in applications in smartphones, but to enter information there (how much ate and what) you need to independently. This means that you have to know the weight and composition (at least the name) of the food.

According to my observations, men more often use public catering. On the one hand, this makes the task easier: you can always find out the weight of the portion and the calorie content of the dish. On the other hand, asking requires a certain courage, and forming the habit of asking takes time. If a man is dining in company, it can be awkward to ask. I always advise your desire to lose weight to “take up the banner”, to be proud of it. I have students who have voiced it publicly, betting that they will achieve what they want! Public approval (and often admiration) will warm, and betting will motivate.

At home, the habit of weighing and considering is formed more quickly. There is also another way, and men use it quite often – to order from a specialist ready-made diet, based on taste preferences, required calories and available health restrictions. Usually such a diet is made for a month – it is accompanied by a list of necessary products and recipes for dishes. Anyone can cope!

In general, it is easier with men. They, as a rule, do not tinker with calorie counting, are less impulsive and more stress-resistant. Culinary unpretentiousness also works to the advantage. If the goal is formulated correctly, the slogan “see the goal, see no obstacles” is about us!

Form a habit

Decide how much you need to eat, choose a comfortable way to control it – and let’s go! The first couple of weeks are usually spent on accustoming yourself to keeping a food diary. It happens that this alone is enough to start losing weight. We don’t even realize how much we eat unnoticed. Two sandwiches with butter and sausage and sweet tea – about 500 kcal. To neutralize them, you need to run almost 10 km. How many of us run that much every day?

Don’t push yourself

Men are impressionable people, appetite is reduced! The habit of control is the first step. And further, not hurriedly, very little by little, we reach the target values for calories. Obligatory affectionately and gently. First, violence against yourself and the feeling of hunger will not allow you to limit yourself for a long time, and there will be a breakdown.

Secondly, if you reduce calories sharply, the body will switch to an economical mode, and you will not lose weight. The maximum calorie reduction is 200 kcal per week. And that – if you are comfortable. Maximum allowable weight loss for the week – 400-450 g. If you lose more, it means that it is not at the expense of fat, and we do not need it.

Third, a significant lack of calories, increases the level of stress hormone cortisol and reduces testosterone. The man will become nervous, sleep and libido will be impaired. We don’t need it!

Why constantly want to sleep, we explain in our article.

Get a medical exam

It’s all about calories. Its control is absolutely necessary, but it is not enough. Before starting, I always refer my students to a medical diagnosis. The main objective is to assess the level of insulin resistance. If insulin values are high, the body will find something to put into fat even in a caloric deficit.

The severity of liver damage, disorders of carbohydrate metabolism, inflammatory reactions, atherosclerotic process are also evaluated. Laboratory diagnostics allows to designate a starting point (what the man has managed to get to) and will serve as a measurable criterion of the effectiveness of work on himself. It is usually not enough for a man to feel better as he loses weight. He needs objective evidence of movement in the right direction!

The only non-drug way to cope with insulin resistance is to change the rhythm of eating, increasing the intervals between meals, switching to interval feeding. This is also the healthiest and most effective way to lose extra pounds. It is so simple and effective that I have seen patients with diabetes who have managed to give up insulin in this way.