Fast food: Yummy, but it catches up with you
It’s true that men store less body fat than women. Women are designed to be very efficient at storing fat, and for a good reason too … they’re the ones who have the babies!
Lower male body fat does not equal “get out of jail free”.
Playing sports at school and remaining generally active in your twenties means that you got away with eating and drinking as you please without having to worry about calories and fad diets. But this changes through your 30s and with the onset of middle age. Suddenly, your boasts about being a lean, fat-burning machine start to lose credibility as your waistline expands.
But even if you’re lucky enough to escape a ballooning belly, a lack of healthy eating and exercise can affect you in other important ways. Think fatty liver, heart disease, pancreatic dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, foul smelling gas, belching and heart burn. All of these are symptoms of your general health being neglected.
What unique weight loss challenges do men face?
As your career progresses and your cars get flashier, the effects of doing sedentary jobs, constantly entertaining clients, living with stress and ordering room service gradually hit you. Many professional men binge on alcohol and fast food packed with refined carbohydrates and hydrogenated fats. At first, these have little impact. But over time a lack of decent nutrients and fresh fruit and vegetables start taking their toll.
The danger lies in thinking that you can get away with it, and for the early part of your life, this was probably true. But a lack of daily activity and healthy eating will catch up with you. It’s only a matter of time.
The good news is that men are lucky. They have more lean muscle mass, so as soon as they start to exercise and eat sensibly, they can get back into shape relatively quickly (depending on the previous damage done of course).
What are good diet plans for men?
When men choose diets, they want them to be easy no-brainers that deliver quick results with little fuss and planning. They don’t like too many options and are often happy to settle on a few trusty, regular dishes.
That’s why the Atkins diet was so popular. Here is a ‘diet’ that allows you to eat as much meat and proteins as you like, whilst delivering jaw-dropping weight loss. The problem with Atkins, of course, is that it is unhealthy in the long run because it eliminates health-critical macro nutrients and essential major food groups like – ahem – carbohydrates.
Choose a diet that will help you to become your own personal health manager. It should be sustainable whilst teaching you the skills and tools to make it part of your busy lifestyle, rather than being a quick fix with short-lived results.
And get some exercise! Don’t you long for those days of being fit, active, full of energy and hot? It is possible to have it all again, but be proactive and start re-training your metabolism now, before it’s too late.
What’s your biggest diet challenge? Have you tried various options before with little success? Drop me a line below – I’m happy to give advice.
