42.4% of men in the United States struggle with obesity, and 30.7% are otherwise overweight. Are you part of this statistic?
Shedding weight gets harder and harder as you get older. While men have the added benefit of testosterone (which is great for burning fat and building muscle), weight loss for men is still no walk in the park.
We’re here with a few weight loss tips that can help you out. Read on to learn more.
Create an Exercise Routine
Whenever someone is trying to lose weight, they need to remember that “calories in vs calories out” is the rule that they have to follow. While there are exceptions to that rule, they’re few and far between. If you’re not burning more calories than you’re consuming, you’re going to gain weight.
It’s time to start an exercise routine.
For many people, this is an unpleasant concept. Working out can be fun and fulfilling, but it’s never easy to start getting active when you’re used to a sedentary lifestyle.
Adults need about 150 minutes per week of physical activity. You’ll need more if you consume too many calories. It can be helpful to use a calorie calculator or tracking app to see if you’re really balancing out your calorie burn with your calorie consumption.
Keep in mind that the best type of exercise is the one that you can do and keep up with. If the idea of running for a half-hour makes you cringe, you can try rock climbing, salsa dancing, or an abundance of other activities.
Here are a few suggestions for how to structure your workouts and decide what’s important.
Strength Training
Many people think that cardio is the most important type of exercise when it comes to weight loss, but this isn’t really true. While cardio will burn more calories in a shorter amount of time, strength training will help you build muscle that will enhance your metabolism.
Strength training will also give you the “toned” look that you’re likely looking for.
When you’re strength training while trying to lose weight, you’ll want to eat just below maintenance calories. People who are new to strength training are the rare few who can burn fat and build muscle at the same time. This is the “newbie gains effect.”
It’s helpful to incorporate a strength training session at least three times per week. Divide those sessions between your upper body, lower body, and core.
Cardio
Cardio is still important. Not only will it help you burn calories, but it’s also good for your heart.
If you’re new to exercise, start with slow steady-state cardio (like walking). This should be easy on your joints and lungs, and you’ll be able to work your way up to more difficult exercises.
If you start with a walk, move on to a walk/jog combo. Aim for further distances or faster times, depending on your goals.
Take Rest Days
Don’t forget to rest! When you rest, your body repairs itself and gets ready for your next exercise session.
Rest days don’t have to be completely sedentary. You can still go for walks or do light exercise, like yoga. Recovery is a crucial part of weight loss, so don’t skip it!
Keep Your Nutrition In Check
You know what they say: abs are made in the kitchen, and you can’t outrun a bad diet. Your exercise routine will help you lose weight, but if you want to get the most out of it, you need to combine it with a healthy diet.
Again, a calorie tracking app will be helpful here. Try to track all of your food for at least a week so you can see how much you consume on average. From there, you can start making adjustments.
Even a small decrease in calories will make a huge difference without you having to deprive yourself. You don’t have to cut 500 calories per day to get results.
Aim for plenty of vegetables and leafy greens. They’re filling, and low-calorie, and they have fiber (which will help you lose weight).
Try to practice the 80/20 method. This means that you eat “right” 80% of the time and relax 20% of the time. This will help you avoid feeling like you can’t enjoy your favorite foods.
Make sure that you’re eating enough protein. Protein will help you build muscle, and it will keep you full between meals.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Did you know that sleep and weight loss are connected?
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body doesn’t produce enough leptin. Leptin is what tells you that you’re no longer hungry. Without it, you’ll be prone to over-eating.
Poor sleep also results in poor impulse control. Sure, well-rested, you may never have eaten an entire bag of jellybeans, but tired you might. You’ll crave the sugar to keep yourself awake, and you won’t have the foresight required to portion it out.
When you don’t sleep enough, you also won’t have the energy to exercise or otherwise stay active.
Work With a Professional
Weight loss is almost never easy, especially when it comes to weight loss for men over 40 and weight loss for men over 50. As you get older, your hormones change, your priorities change, and you don’t have the same amount of energy as you did when you were young.
Working with a professional can help. A doctor-supervised weight loss program can help you burn calories safely and make more progress.
Weight Loss for Men Can Be Tough
While men have the advantage of testosterone on their side, that doesn’t mean that losing weight is going to be a breeze. Weight loss for men can still be challenging, especially for those who have never dieted or exercised before.
At ChiroThin, we want to help.
Are you ready to get started on the path to a healthier you? Click here to find a ChiroThin doctor in your area.