Slimming nutrition for men
The average life expectancy in Russia in 2018 was 72.8 years (according to RANEPA data), which is a historical maximum in the entire history of calculations. But life expectancy is uneven: women’s life expectancy at birth is 77.87 years, while for men it is only 67.66 years. That is, the difference is more than 10 years not in favor of men – and this is a lot
Causes of excess weight in men
Why do men live less than women? Of course, men are more likely to suffer from the consequences of the use of nicotine and alcohol, somewhat more often, according to statistics, die from injuries (due to, as a rule, more dangerous work), however, the main cause of death is diseases of the cardiovascular system – heart attacks, strokes, heart failure. It is these reasons that, even more often than oncology, cut off life at a relatively young age. And the key role in the development of these pathologies, as a rule, is played by excess weight.
Internal factors of excess weight gain
Consider these factors:
– the slowing down of metabolism that occurs over time. Initially, men are characterized by a higher metabolic rate than women – an average of about 2000 kcal per day. However, with low physical activity with age, muscle mass begins to be lost, and therefore metabolism slows down – and this leads to weight gain.
– hormonal imbalance associated with a possible decrease in testosterone or the development of other endocrine diseases such as hypothyroidism, hyperinsulinemia or type 2 diabetes mellitus.
– a genetic predisposition, leading, among other things, to a specific distribution of adipose tissue mainly in the abdominal cavity and abdominal region. This type of obesity is called abdominal or male – it is he who is the most dangerous to health. This is due to the fact that this fat is hormonally active (it can accumulate or produce female sexual hubbubs – estrogens), and also contains the maximum number of vessels, which provokes hypertension, insulin resistance is a harbinger of type II diabetes.
– Distension of the stomach, which occurs with rare but massive meals. As a result, each next trick becomes more and more.
External factors of excess weight gain
The most common reasons are as follows:
– overeating, often hidden, when a person himself does not understand that he is consuming extra calories;
– change in diet: in the diet of a modern person, many artificial products have appeared, saturated with additional sugar or fat, which lead to the start of the synthesis of excess fat;
– a decrease in the level of physical activity. Men still work more physically than women today – however, both of them are characterized by a decrease in mobility. Sedentary work and public transportation, which have evolved over the past 100 years, contribute to the loss of activity and a decrease in calorie expenditure;
– high level of food availability. English-speaking weight loss experts call this factor the “obesogenic environment”, that is, the environment conducive to the development of obesity;
– drinking alcohol is more frequent than it is typical for women. Alcohol plays many negative roles. It leads to an excessive intake of calories, increases appetite. And beer, for example, contains a large amount of phytoestrogens – substances similar in composition to female sex hormones, which do not help the male body, on the contrary, promote the synthesis of fat.
Male diet for weight loss
What should an overweight man who wants to live longer, and most importantly, improve the quality of life, do? First of all – to lose weight and monitor your diet.
To do this, it is necessary to solve several problems, the first of which is the formation of a stable diet for the future.
In our society, it is generally accepted that a man should be a breadwinner and protector, ready to sacrifice himself to ensure the well-being of the family and to achieve other important goals. Many donate. Life – fortunately, not always, but health – as a rule. And to at least undermine it – not much is needed. It is enough “just” to eat incorrectly.
For those who want to do without unnecessary and even stupid losses in solving noble problems, experts recommend that first of all pay attention to the food regime, and start living according to the principle of “war – war, and lunch on schedule.” The optimal meal plan provides an average of 5 meals per day, with breaks of about 3-3.5 hours. This allows you to constantly feel full, as well as maintain a constant metabolic rate, which in many cases prevents the development of obesity.
The next important factor in nutrition is calorie control. If the average metabolism of a man is about 2000 kcal per day, excluding physical activity, then to lose weight, you need to eat less food. You can keep a calorie count, a food diary, or choose a special diet consisting mostly of low-calorie but balanced and satisfying foods.
Slimming products for men
In weight loss stories, foods are often categorized as “healthy” and “unhealthy.” Serious dietetics views these terms as highly tentative: one food may be good for the heart, but bad for the kidneys. Therefore, if the goal is to control and reduce weight, it would be wise to talk about more or less beneficial products for specific purposes.
Healthy foods
The products necessary for men include protein, animal origin – the so-called primary animal protein. These are “calorie-friendly”, but not fatty meats (veal, beef, horse meat), poultry (chicken breast, turkey), fish (river and white fish).
These foods are a source of essential amino acids and also keep you feeling full for a long time. It is advisable to consume them in moderation with each meal: the serving size can be about the palm or fist. A vegetarian approach for men is also possible, but it requires much more effort to form the diet, the obligatory replacement of animal protein with plant analogues: as a rule, they contain fewer essential amino acids, which means that they will have to be consumed more and at higher calorie numbers. Vegetarianism should not be recommended for most men and is more suitable for only a small group of patients with specific conditions such as gout.
Also, it is necessary to introduce products of plant origin into the male diet. Fruits and vegetables are the main source of fiber and vitamins, which are always needed, not just in the process of losing weight. They gently cleanse the intestines from toxins, and help to form its normal motility and peristalsis. The World Health Organization recommends consuming at least 500 grams of fresh fruits and vegetables per day to maintain a healthy weight – that is, more than 100 grams per meal.
Carbohydrate food is also necessary for men – as a source of energy. However, it is better to try to limit its portions: no more than 100-120 grams per meal. We are talking about healthy complex carbohydrates: dark cereals and pasta made from durum wheat, potatoes, colored bread. These types of side dishes provide a feeling of satiety for a long time, long-term stable blood glucose levels without sudden surges, which prevents the synthesis of excess fat.
Soups are very important for building a healthy diet. They usually contain protein, a mixture of complex carbohydrates, and plenty of water. In addition, soups usually contain quite a bit of fat, so they can be considered an essential component of a man’s proper nutrition, they are widespread in fast food chains: cafes, canteens and restaurants, which makes the menu also affordable (the specialist does not say anything about “dietary”) … For a hearty, balanced and low-calorie meal, it’s hard to think of anything better than a plate of borscht with meat, a vegetable salad, and a slice of bread. Such a meal will be hearty, tasty and will bring no more than 250 digestible kcal to the body.
Harmful products
To conditionally “harmful”, that is, unprofitable for weight loss, foods include fatty foods – pork, red fish, cheese, sausages and sausages, nuts and seeds. At the same time, a small amount of, for example, red fish or nuts can be allowed about once every 1-2 weeks, since they are sources of beneficial omega-3,6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, the high calorie content does not allow them to be recommended for frequent, daily intake.
Foods that are disadvantageous for weight loss include sugary foods high in fast carbohydrates. They are quickly absorbed, dramatically increase blood sugar levels, and trigger the release of the hormone insulin, which triggers fat synthesis. The most harmful for losing weight can be considered foods containing a mixture of fat and fast carbohydrates: chips, chocolate, ice cream, most types of baked goods.
About drinks. The total amount of liquid daily should be about 2-2.5 liters (including drinks, vegetables, fruits, soups). However, this figure is highly dependent on the ambient temperature, the level of physical activity, gender and size of the person. A man working physically in hot conditions may need 4-5 liters of fluid. It is best if it is just pure water. Often, drinks have a hidden calorie content due to sugar (juices, soda) and fat (dairy products). A man may not notice excessive intake of calories, mistakenly believe that weight is being gained due to other reasons.
Alcohol deserves a separate mention. It has a very high calorie content – 700 kcal per 100 g of pure alcohol (for comparison, even sugar gives only 400 kcal). It significantly increases appetite, retains water, and promotes the synthesis of visceral fat. For the period of weight loss, it is recommended to limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages as much as possible. It is necessary to enlist the support of family, friends, explain to them why right now they cannot take alcohol at holidays and other events.
Power features
In order to reduce weight without harming the body both physiologically and psychologically, you need to lose weight correctly. Tormenting the body with hours of training, starving diets, taking “miracle drugs” – all this is a path to nowhere, which will either end in nothing (quick loss of results), or may entail serious, or even irreparable consequences. The best option for losing weight is applying the principles of healthy, proper nutrition. We will consider them in more detail.
Breakfast
Your most important meal should be a full breakfast. It starts the metabolism, gives satiety for the whole day, prevents the accumulation of hunger, the formation of overeating. It is desirable that breakfast be served a maximum of 2 hours after waking up, it must include animal protein and fiber.
Lunch and dinner
Subsequent meals should also be high-quality, healthy foods, and it is better to exclude carbohydrates from dinner.
Organize meals using the “plate rule”: half of the dish should be vegetables, herbs or fruits, a quarter – proteins and a quarter – complex carbohydrates. Such a diet will provide the body with the necessary nutrients, provide a feeling of satiety for a long period.
Popular weight loss diets for men
There are a large number of different diets that have one common feature: they all end at some point – and the weight lost with their help comes back. In general, losing weight with any diet is just one of its side effects, since certain dietary restrictions are intended primarily for the treatment of various diseases. A specialist, a doctor should choose. A diet is therefore always finite, because it DOES NOT provide ALL the needs of the body, which means that someday sooner or later he will have to replenish the deficiency of some useful substances artificially created by it. It is important that when you lose weight, it is adipose tissue, and not muscle tissue, that goes away, especially if you regularly undergo intense strength training.
Let’s take a look at some of the more popular diets. We cannot recommend them or not, as it depends only on your personal illnesses and other needs that your doctor must understand. We present here descriptions of methods of dietary restriction, not so that someone would choose one of them for themselves, but so that you understand their true purpose and understand the difference between the right and wrong approaches to achieving and maintaining a normal healthy weight.
Diet Traffic Light
One possible diet that is suitable for men with weight loss is the traffic light diet. There are different variants of the “traffic light”, one of them offers a division of products into three categories:
- Green color: foods that should form the basis of nutrition. These include low-calorie meals with a low fat and sugar content: lean meat, fish, fresh vegetables, berries, fruits (except dates, bananas, grapes), from dairy products – low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir, dark cereals (buckwheat and the like) …
- Yellow: higher calorie foods. They can be eaten from time to time, 2-3 times a week, no later than 6 pm. These include potatoes (except fried, chips), whole milk, white cereals (rice, semolina), durum wheat pasta, legumes, low-fat hard cheeses, bread.
- Red: high-calorie foods high in fat, sugar. These include red meat, fish, smoked and uncooked sausages, mayonnaise, sour cream, pastries, regular cheese, sweet creams, and sugar soda. Such products should be sharply limited or completely excluded from the diet.
Thus, food according to the “Traffic Light” system allows enough, conveniently to divide products into groups, taking into account the calorie content, and it may well be used by men for temporary weight loss (if appointed by a professional).
Diet ABC
Some experts view the Traffic Light diet as the lightest, most gentle ABC diet that promises to achieve 20 kg of reduced weight in 50 days. Let’s try to figure out if this is possible, what are the pros and cons of the ABC diet.
ABC is short for Ana Boot Camp, a special camp where people lost weight through grueling exercise and a rigid diet. The classic version of ABC was indeed a very tough version of weight loss on an average daily calorie content of 500 kcal, only occasionally reaching 800 kcal – the so-called Ultra Low Calorie Diet, an ultra-low-calorie diet. Such a diet lasts as much as 50 days, but there are no strict dietary requirements – just to keep within the calorie content. And for this it is recommended:
– divide all meals into approximately equal portions;
– give up fatty, fried foods. Cook only by boiling, stewing or steaming;
– remove from the diet all foods with dyes, preservatives, food additives;
– make up most of the diet from complex carbohydrates, protein products, vegetables, fruits;
– have dinner no later than 6 pm;
– drink 1.5-2 liters of clean water every day without gas;
– be sure to take vitamins with microelements in parallel.
Of course, such an ultra-low-calorie diet will promote substantial and rapid breakdown of adipose tissue. Of the additional positive qualities – the normalization of blood sugar levels, the lipid spectrum (by lowering cholesterol). However, there are a lot of side effects: along with fat with such a low calorie content, muscles will inevitably go away, and with this, metabolism will noticeably decrease, which will eventually lead to a decrease in the rate of weight loss. A relapse of excess weight gain will also not be long in coming. Ultra-low calorie content can lead to a state of hypoglycemia, that is, a decrease in blood sugar levels – up to fainting and loss of consciousness. A small amount of food also affects bowel function, and constipation may occur.
In addition, studies of such strict diets have shown that it is with this approach that relapse develops most quickly (inevitable and after all other diets, if the eating behavior has not been changed): it is not for nothing that the founders of the diet after the end of the program recommend eating within 1000 kcal per day – and this is also very little.
A more gentle version of the ABC diet is called the Superlight. With this option, the daily calorie content should be within 1200 kcal, which already corresponds to the average recommended figures for gradual weight loss. This diet is much more satisfying, more suitable for men. With it, just like with the basic version of the diet, it is necessary to count calories, keep a food diary. The rate of weight loss is lower, but the side effects are much less. The diet also lasts 50 days, and during this time it is really possible to reduce weight by 8-10 kg.
Race car driver’s diet
Another option for a limited male diet is the “racing driver’s diet.” It is this profession that is associated with masculinity, courage, strength, speed. Professional race car drivers, while continuing their careers, seriously monitor their nutrition – after all, every extra kilogram will slow down the car and worsen the results! The regimen meets all modern dietary recommendations:
– be sure to have breakfast! Breakfast may include cereal, fruit, yogurt, and coffee or tea;
– a second breakfast is desirable 2-3 hours after the first, and the total number of meals per day should be 4-6;
– drink coffee or tea no more than 2 times a day and without sugar;
– avoid also all sugar-sweetened drinks;
– be sure to drink a lot of water: during the race, the rider’s body loses up to 2 liters of fluid with sweat – and ordinary people are recommended to drink more to accelerate metabolism and the rate of biochemical reactions of fat breakdown;
– the basis of food should be given to complex carbohydrates and lean protein. So, a professional athlete is recommended to consume 1.5-2 g of pure protein, 1-1.5 g of fat and 5-7 g of carbohydrates per day per 1 kg of weight. For non-athletes, you can reduce the amount of pure protein to 1-1.2 gna per kg. weight per day.
The specific nutritional option of the racer can be traced, for example, to the best driver of Formula 1 at the moment – Daniil Kvyat, presented on his personal website . Personal nutritionist Helen Patounas and personal trainer of Daniel – Pyuru Salmela take part in the preparation of his diet. So, our F1 pilot’s breakfast can consist of:
– 3 egg omelet;
– slices of fresh vegetables;
– oatmeal with berries, nuts and honey;
– 0.5 l of water;
– cups of coffee;
– multivitamins with omega-3.
A second meal around 12 noon may include:
– chicken;
– quinoa;
– broccoli;
– avocado;
– berries;
– 0.5 l of water.
This is followed by another small meal around 4 pm, and dinner at 7 pm includes:
– mix salad;
– whole potatoes or mashed potatoes;
– salmon fillets;
– a cup of chamomile tea (decaf);
– 0.5 liters of water.
It should be remembered that in this case we are talking about a professional athlete who does not reduce weight, and at the same time has a high level of physical activity. Accordingly, his diet may well go beyond 2000 kcal per day. Therefore, those who want to follow Daniel not only as spectators in F1 races, but also at the dinner table, should carefully monitor the portion size and rely on calories in case of weight loss.
