Weight loss tips all men should know

There’s little doubt about it: physiologically, weight loss is easier for men. They have a faster metabolism, a different set of hormones cruising through their bodies and tend not to eat emotionally.

Despite this, more men are in the overweight or obese category than women. In fact, 63% of blokes have a few excess kilos to shed.

Every kilo of bodyweight is the equivalent of around 7,000 stored calories (that’s 32,000 kilojoules). So if you’re 10kg overweight you’re storing an excess of 70,000 calories. To put this in perspective, that’s the equivalent of:

 

• 52 family blocks of milk chocolate
• 276 lamingtons
• 391 thick beef sausages, grilled
• 164 hamburgers with cheese
• 194 plain hamburgers (no cheese)
• 522 cans of beer

Phil Morgan, Associate Professor at the University of Newcastle, said that many men are “in denial” when it comes to their weight. “They are less likely to self-identify that they are overweight,” Morgan told The Biggest Loser Club. “Men are less likely to go to a doctor, less likely to ask for directions, and this independence applies to weight loss too – men are less likely to enrol on a weight loss program.” When they do, they tend to prefer the online type over the traditional group-based sessions, he said. “Men prefer access to information rather than counselling."

Here are 5 weight loss strategies especially for the boys.

1. The male equation

The “epiphany” moment for most men comes when the penny drops about the energy equation – that the energy we put in via food must be less then than energy we expend through exercise, physical activity and metabolic activity for us to lose weight. “Lack of knowledge about healthy eating is a real barrier to male weight loss,” Morgan said. “Simple changes can produce enormously successful results for men.”

Strategy: Using the diary can empower you. It will give you a good understanding of the calories in the foods you crave and the exercise you would need to do to work them off. For the best results, complete your diary at least four times a week.

2. Men are made for muscle

It took us until 2010 to see a female Biggest Loser, mostly because it is easier for men to lose weight. Men have greater lean muscle mass, whereas women naturally carry more subcutaneous fat beneath the skin. Muscle burns more energy at rest than fat, which means that men have a faster metabolic rate and burn calories quicker than women. Add testosterone to the mix, and there’s a distinct advantage. Testosterone helps male bodies respond well to exercise, building even more muscle, and giving them a real head start in the weight loss stakes. "Once men commit to losing weight, they tend to have excellent success," Morgan said.

Strategy: Harness the calorie-burning potential of your muscle. Build more muscle through weight training and you'll use energy even when you are watching TV. Replacing just one kilo of fat with one kilo of muscle and will increase metabolism by 6%-8%, meaning the body will burn calories faster even at rest.

3. Men store fat around the belly

The downside of the male physiology is that their extra weight tends to pile up around their bellies where it can do the most harm – this is visceral fat, a type of fat which triggers the release of disease-causing inflammatory molecules that can contribute to heart disease and other conditions. Women, on the other hand, tend to gain around their hips and thighs.

Strategy: Research has shown that moderate to vigorous exercise can help cut tummy fat. Work a combination of cardio and resistance training into your lifestyle.

4. Men eat less emotionally

It may sound like a stereotype, but a recent study has shown male and female brains respond differently to food and cravings. The brain imaging study by U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory found that while the brains of both women and men ‘lit up’ when showed tempting foods, only the men showed a relative decrease in brain activity when they were asked to inhibit their responses.

“The finding of a lack of response to inhibition in women is consistent with behavioural studies showing that women have a higher tendency than men to overeat when presented with palatable food or under emotional distress,” Gene-Jack Wang, lead author on the study, said. “This decreased inhibitory control in women could be a major factor contributing to the observed differences in the prevalence rates of obesity and eating disorders such as binge eating between the genders, and may also underlie women’s lower success in losing weight while dieting when compared with men.”

Strategy: Make simple changes to your diet that you can stick to long term and you’ll see big changes. Swap fizzy drinks for water, cut down on high-sugar snacks and increase your activity through simple acts, such as standing up to answer the phone, parking a five minute walk away from your destination and exercising while watching TV.

5. Men compete. Women compare.

Women like to compare and share their weight-loss ups and downs; they are encouraged and motivated by other people going through a similar journey. Men tend to go it alone, but they like a challenge or an incentive to keep them motivated. For example, US studies have found that men perform better than women when they earn money for every kilo lost.

Strategy: A bet between mates or a corporate weight loss challenge tends to work extra well for men.

Ladies, help your man to ‘lighten up’

Father’s Day is just around the corner so give the man in your life – whether it’s your husband, boyfriend, brother, father or friend – a weight loss boost.

• Get him to have a check up. In general, men tend to be motivated by concerns about their health more than appearance; he is more likely to listen when a doctor suggests that he lose weight.
• Bet him that he can’t lose four kilos in six weeks. Or encourage some sort of healthy weight-loss competition between him and a mate. Men respond to a challenge. So set him a healthy one.
• Use the E-word rather than the D-word. Men respond well to exercise, so encourage him to make it a part of his routine. But make sure good quality food is also part of his plan. Let him know that he can still enjoy a beer and his favourite foods while losing weight. Just in smaller amounts.