In a nutshell, losing weight for men or women takes a big commitment, a bit of planning, lots of time, and a ton of determination! If you find yourself asking how can a man lose weight fast, grab yourself a coffee (no milk or sugar!!), get comfy, and follow our clear and simple rules to “cutting the fat!
As a general rule, any method that promises that you will lose more than 2 pounds per week is very difficult to sustain and could be harmful to your health.
By following a few rules, you can figure out realistic goals & what it will take to get you there!
How can a man lose weight fast
Set a clear goal
Like any goal, if you make it too big or too vague, you are going to find it harder to stick to. Find short-term goals that will keep you motivated for the long haul. Start with simple goals such as making sure each meal contains vegetables or exercising regularly.
It’s important to be realistic about the time it will take to reach your final goal (ideal body weight). People lose weight at different rates so everyone’s goals will be a little different.
Don’t allow your emotions to dictate your diet
Are you an emotional eater? Do you find relief from boredom, sadness, stress, or loneliness by snacking? For many people, the feeling of being full from binging on soft, sugary foods gives them a feeling of contentment and calmness.
If you are an emotional eater, try writing a list of replacement activities you could try instead. Try reading a book, going for a walk, or anything else on your list. This will distract you from snacking until better habits are formed. It usually takes a month or two to develop a healthier schedule.
Learn exactly what a healthy diet is!
For some of the best information about good dietary habits, check out the WHO website. They give very clear information on what foods you should be fueling your body with
10 Healthy eating habits
- consume a wide variety of foods
- eat plenty of fruit and veg
- eat more whole grains as they make you feel full for longer
- limit refined grains and sugar
- eat more fish and less red meat
- cut out trans fats
- limit booze
- eat more protein
- stay hydrated
- don’t “eat out” so often
Find the kind of exercise that’s right for you
Getting off your butt is an integral part of shedding those excess pounds! Many people associate exercise with pain and boredom and regard it as being a real chore. It really doesn’t have to be that way!
Spend a bit of time researching new ways that you can shed a few pounds while being entertained. You can also visit your local gym/fitness center to see what classes are currently on offer.
Yoga continues to be extremely popular but there are lots of new ways to get fit and have a great time doing it! Our favorite trending workouts are HIIT (high-intensity interval training), obstacle race training, Modified CrossFit, Metcon (metabolic conditioning), and the old favorites boxing and martial arts.
Buy an activity tracker or pedometer to track your progress
The main benefit of an activity tracker is that it motivates you to be more active. For many of us, it is more rewarding to see those “calories burned” or “steps taken” with statistics. Fitness trackers can also help you to understand your overall health better, measure progress toward your fitness goals, and to train more effectively and efficiently.
Our favorite activity trackers are the Garmin vívofit 2 Activity Tracker and the Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch.
Don’t let peer pressure ruin your good habits
Tell friends that you are on a diet and that you may not be involved in any eating contests for a while. If your friends care about your health and well-being, they should accept your healthier eating habits without too much ridicule.
And if your buddies are fools, just tell them a few white lies. If you don’t want to drink alcohol, just tell them you are on antibiotics. If you are skipping the fries and burgers, say that you have high cholesterol and your doctor told you to cut down on fatty foods.
Another tip is to avoid socializing around food at parties as you are much more likely to munch mindlessly.
Keep a food journal
Next in our guide to how can a man lose weight fast is to keep a food journal (a diary of everything that you eat and drink each day).
It is a great way to make necessary changes to your diet so that you can lose weight by tracking everything you consume.
Information that you can write in your diary:
- kind of food
- how much you ate
- when you ate
- where you ate
- who you were with
- what mood you were in at the time
- what you were doing when you ate
For this to be successful, you must be truthful with your food journal! You won’t gain anything by leaving out those chocolate muffins.
Look into fasting
Fasting has been hitting the headlines lately. Advocates report that they feel more energy and enjoy a host of health benefits.
Fasting is not starving yourself. It is more of a change in your eating patterns. Instead of three large meals a day or smaller meals throughout the day, you decide on a specific window of time that you can eat. That can be a few hours each day or certain days of the week.
Types of fasting
Fasting can take a little time for your body to get used to but as your body adapts. This method has been proven to normalize insulin levels to help prevent type 2 diabetes.
Another lesser-known fact about fasting is that in studies on rats, there is a link between fasting and longevity with the fasting rats living longer than the control group. There have been no tests on human subjects but the signs are very encouraging that fasting will have the same benefits.
Be conscious of how you cook your food
Heat can destroy up to 20% of some vitamins in vegetables, especially Folate, Potassium, and Vitamin C. Raw-Foodists” insist that uncooked food has all of its nutritional value and is the optimal way to eat for a healthy lifestyle. Here is a quick rundown of the methods of cooking and their health implications;
- Microwaving – Surprisingly, this may be the healthiest way to cook because cooking times are minimized. Studies suggest that microwaving is one of the best cooking methods to preserve vitamins in vegetables.
- Boiling – The high temperature and amount of water involved with boiling can wash away water-soluble vitamins in some vegetables. In most cases, however, boiling is a great way to preserve nutrients in vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, and zucchini.
- Steaming – An awesome way to cook your food. Steaming allows the food to stew in its juices to retain all of the goodness and flavor. Research suggests that steamed broccoli is a great way to produce Glucosinolates (which may inhibit the growth of cancer cells).
- Grilling – Ensures that you get the maximum nutrition without losing any of the flavors of the food. You should take care though, as regular consumption of burnt or well-done meat may increase the risk of some cancers. This doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a barbecue but you should try to stick to leaner cuts of meat.
- Stir-frying – Much better than deep frying because you only need to use a little oil (just enough to get a nice sear on your ingredients.) Stir-frying is a good way to cook bite-sized foods such as rice, Quinoa, and finely cut vegetables such as peas and bell peppers.
- No cooking at all – Raw food diets have caught on over the last few years with many studies showing that by “eating the rainbow”, you can reduce the risks of cancer. As this diet is mostly plant-based, you get more vitamins, fiber, and minerals. A point to note is that while many foods are healthier when eaten raw, others have the nutrients amplified by cooking. Some examples of this are spinach, sweet potatoes, peppers, and carrots.
Don’t get brainwashed by body image in the media
In a recent article in The Guardian, 38% of the surveyed men would sacrifice at least a year of their lives in exchange for a perfect body. Another 63% thought that their chest or arms weren’t muscular enough and 29% admitted to thinking about their appearance five or more times each day!
Think about this for a second. Most women want a man that can make them laugh, have fun, and be inspiring. Women don’t want to be kept waiting for hours by a boyfriend who loves himself more than her and practically lives in the gym!
The idea of a perfect body has been heavily influenced by media and society but things are slowly getting better. Everyone needs to feel comfortable with their own body regardless of what people on Facebook may think.
It’s not easy but try telling yourself each day that you are perfect just the way you are and if anyone doesn’t like it, it’s their darn problem, not yours!
If you enjoyed this article, you might also want to check out these life-changing books to read in your 20s from our wellness section.
