If you have the goal of weight loss, you might be tempted to follow one of the many fad diets out there to achieve rapid results. While you might lose weight quickly if you’re on a crash diet, you won’t sustain long-term results and may end up in a cycle of yo-yo dieting.
Crash diets focus on extreme restriction and not on building healthy, sustainable habits that will help you maintain your weight loss for years to come. Taking a slower approach to your weight loss will yield better long-term results, and don’t put your health at risk as you reduce your calorie intake and increase your movement.
Helpful Tips for Men Trying to Lose Weight
In this article, we will cover some top tips for sustainable weight loss for men. It’s often a little harder for men to lose weight than women, so you’ll need to put in the work and be patient to achieve your desired physique. If you’d like to read more about why weight loss is harder for men, read this article.
Consume Enough Protein
Protein is the most satiating of the three macronutrients. By packing every meal with protein, you’ll feel fuller for longer, reducing your chances of snacking throughout the day.
Consuming enough protein for your needs also supports muscle maintenance while you lose weight. Dietary protein is also essential for developing stronger immunity, better digestion, and improved hormone function as you enter a calorie deficit.
Get Moving
Physical exercise is one of the key components of weight loss, alongside a healthy diet. It improves your cardiovascular and respiratory fitness, supporting your long-term health.
Exercise increases the number of calories you burn, helping you to achieve a calorie deficit, which is essential for fat loss. This is particularly true for strength training as it builds muscle and boosts your resting metabolic rate.
Alongside cardio and strength training exercises, increase your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) by moving more throughout the day. You can increase your NEAT by doing housework, gardening, standing up, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
Choose Complex Carbohydrates Over Simple Sugars
Blood sugar balance is essential for your physical health. Eating regularly is key to balancing your blood glucose levels as you reduce your calorie intake, but it’s not the only important thing to consider.
The types of food you eat also impact your blood sugar balance. Simple sugars, such as those found in packaged foods, cakes, pastries, cookies, and granola bars, are particularly bad for spiking your plasma glucose, which can cause fatigue, brain fog, and energy crashes in the short-term, and increases your risk of diabetes in the long-term.
Instead of simple sugars, choose foods that contain complex carbohydrates, such as oats, rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread. Complex carbs release glucose more slowly into your bloodstream, preventing a significant blood sugar spike and maintaining your health along your weight loss journey.
