Weight Loss Tips For Men Over 40
Do you remember your fortieth birthday?
You celebrated, had too much cake, and treated yourself to something special. You may have noticed that the beer gut that began in your thirties has now developed into a full beer belly. Now that you’re over 40, you know it’s going to be harder to lose weight.
The occasional trip to the gym isn’t going to cut it anymore. You need something a little more effective that will give you the results you need.
Like women, men over 40 have a harder time losing weight and keeping it off. If the fad diets you tried twenty years ago just aren’t working for you anymore, it’s time for something different. You need something that will help you lose the weight and keep it from coming back.
The 2 Vital Pieces
As a man over forty, it’s time to buckle down and keep track of your diet and exercise. It’s important that you learn to start being consistent in both areas. Stepping off track and having a cheat day is not going to as forgiving on your body as it used to be.
It’s time to get serious about your weight loss and get rid of those extra unwanted pounds. You may be asking yourself just how you’re going to do that. Fad diets and random workouts aren’t going to do the trick anymore.
Your best option is to head to your local gym and talk to a personal trainer who can help you get on track with both a workout routine and a dietary plan that makes sense for you. These both go hand in hand, and you can’t devote yourself to one and not the other if you want to see results.
You will have to keep up with both in order to succeed in getting off the excess weight.
Diet
The first place to start with your new lifestyle is your diet. Eating right and drinking plenty of water will not only make you feel better, it will also jumpstart your weight loss.
Talk with your regular medical doctor about how much water intake you should be getting each day. Being over hydrated is almost as bad as being dehydrated. Once your ideal water intake has been established, it’s time to move on to your eating habits.
That means clean and natural eating, no more donuts or junk food. Factors such as the type of body you have and what kinds of results you are looking to achieve will determine what type of diet you will need to be on.
It is best to think of this as a lifestyle change instead of just a diet, as you are more likely to stick with a program if you completely change the way you think about eating.
For men in their forties, food can be more important than actual exercises. Eating a cleaner and more natural diet can help you prevent certain diseases as well as lose weight. Focus on eating in smaller, controlled portions and not piling your plate high at every meal.
Eating foods high in protein, such as fish, eggs, and certain nuts will help you to lose weight faster. Trade in your fatty meats for something leaner like turkey. It may take a little getting used to, but it will be worth it in the end.
Having vegetables, nuts, and seeds for small snacks instead of chips or other junk food will keep your metabolism in check and help you to avoid cravings. While you can still enjoy your dairy and whole grain items, it is best to keep them in moderation and focus more on lean meats, protein, and veggies.
We all know that sugary drinks are not good for us, and it is best to cut them out altogether so that you are able to avoid any temptation that may come with having them in moderation. This is also true of coffee and alcoholic drinks. Many alcoholic drinks, even beer, contain a high amount of sugar in them.
If you cannot cut out coffee all together, try drinking it black or limiting yourself to once a day. You can also look into getting personalized meal plans done for you to help with your diet routine and regimen.
Exercise
Once you have established your diet plan, you need to pair it with an exercise routine. Most men find it easier to hit the gym instead of working out at home because they are able to get motivation and get tips from gym buddies their own age.
Working out in a group setting can help tremendously, especially when men hit a wall and need to change their workout routine. Cardio and resistance training are the best workouts for men over forty who want to see the best results in their weight loss. You can also follow respected fitness programs like Abs After 40 if you are seeking a better routine or to start one in general.
Resistance or strength training, as it is also known, involves high-intensity workouts that use up large amounts of stored energy. These are your squats, lunges, and bench presses. Not only will these workouts give you quicker, more noticeable results, they will also help you to strengthen your muscles for other workouts.
This is another reason why most men join a gym: there are personal trainers and classes that they can take to make sure that they are doing the right exercises correctly, which will help to prevent injuries. There are many ways to go about muscle and strength training for men over 40, the key is to just follow what you are able to do and work into getting more momentum as you go.
Cardio training is something we are all familiar with, and the majority of people who exercise choose to include some type of cardio in their routine. Cardio is something that you need to ease into with just a few short bursts a week until you have built up enough strength and endurance to really kick it up a notch.
Cardio consists of running, swimming, hiking, biking, and anything that truly gets your heart pounding and your body sweating. You can also check out H.I.I.T for more advanced tips and workout plans.
Cardio is also something that you can do in and out of the gym with relative ease. Going biking with your kids will help you to get in a quick cardio workout while spending time with your family, and a quick run before work can get you pumped for your day without the coffee jolt.
While it may take longer and be more difficult for men over forty to lose those extra pounds, it is achievable with the right diet and exercise.
Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor for nutritional advice, and join your local gym to get advice and help from personal trainers. Make a plan with both your doctor and a trainer and stick to it. Remaining committed to your weight loss goal is the only way you will achieve it.
