When you hear the word “diet” or “dieting,” you may instinctively picture a woman ordering a salad and shying away from the dessert table. However, dieting is not only reserved for women. In fact, the number of men going on “diets” has steadily increased and while they too, need to adopt healthy habits and lifestyle changes, we also need to cater to their unique dietary habits.
If you are a man trying to lose weight or a woman wondering how to help out the man in your life, use the following man-friendly tips and watch the pants size drop!
- Be diet-tech savvy. Most of the men I know enjoy the role technology plays in their life. Use this to your advantage by adding diet-related goals to your Outlook calendar so you are reminded of what you need to accomplish for the week and upload diet-related applications to your cell phone such as calorie counters so you are aware of the ins and outs (what you are eating and what you are burning).
- Practice bar smarts. Weekend escapades or after work happy hours can wreak havoc on any diet. It’s time to put some rules in place before you head out and take control of your diet. First: skip the mixed drinks and opt for a light beer. Mixed drinks can have upwards of 500 calories while a light beer only has around 100 calories. To limit the quantity drink a glass of water in between drinks. Second: eat beforehand. Alcohol lessens our inhibition and makes it harder to resist greasy bar snacks. If you must eat, skip the free bar snacks and order a shrimp cocktail or bowl of broth based soup instead.
- Score big with healthy sports snacks. A day in front of television watching football can lead to mindless eating and before you know it, that whole bag of chips and container of store bought dip is gone. Have healthy options on hand such as lean turkey dogs with vegetarian chili and whole wheat hot dog buns, 94% fat free microwave popcorn and cut-up vegetables with lower fat ranch.
- Boost weekend activity. Its no secret - most of us indulge more on the weekend. Help combat such indulgences by planning in more physical activity. The key? Plan activity before any plans you might have. You’re more likely to get in a run or hit the gym before the big game and who knows, you might even take it a bit easier the night before if you have something planned. And, enlist in a friend to join you so you won’t the snooze button!
- Ditch the “all or nothing.” Men tend to think in black or white or all or nothing. This might translate into ditching all the “bad” foods they enjoy in an effort to eat healthier. The problem? Such extremes only set you up for hunger, cravings and over-indulging at some point. Remember, losing weight for good involves lifestyle changes and this involves learning how to balance the “good” and “bad.” Eat regularly (aim for every 4 hours) and plan a “treat” 1-2 times a week. Allowing yourself your favorite foods makes them less devilish!
For more information on healthy eating:
www.eatright.org
www.menshealth.com
Please note: The information in this article is not to be followed as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your physician or primary health practitioner for information regarding your own personal health and necessary treatments.
