A juicy 14-ounce porterhouse might sound like a more masculine meal than a spinach salad, but these perceptions are part of what makes a healthy lifestyle for men different than one for women. While we're both the same species, it can't be ignored that some fundamental differences in attitudes and our physical makeups also mean there are different dieting challenges for the two sexes.
So if you're a man, what are some tips that can help you slim down and embrace a healthier lifestyle?
Understand the health risks
First, start by acknowledging the greater health risks men face. Men tend to be heavier drinkers and are also at far greater risk of dying from heart disease than women, for example. Males accounted for more than half of the deaths from heart disease in 2009, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some evidence also suggests that men are more prone to Type 2 diabetes than women.
Control portion sizes
A man-sized meal doesn't have to stretch your gut out. It may be time to rethink what a man-sized serving of meat is. According to nutritionist Mayur Ranchordas, an ideal balanced meal might include a slab of beef that's about the size of an iPhone.
Another common dieting sin committed by men is skipping meals. This is actually a counterproductive strategy, as you may tend to overcompensate your hunger by reaching for high-calorie snacks to fill yourself. A smarter way to keep hunger at bay is to get up early and consume a healthy breakfast with some satisfying protein, and then keep a baggy filled with almonds or dried fruit for when you're feeling peckish.
Switch to fish
If you're a meat-lover and cutting out animal protein is out of the question, make some healthier switch-ups to at least reduce the amount of red meats you consume and turn towards poultry or heart-healthy salmon sticks, which are rich with omega-3 amino acids.
You don't have to go it alone
Lastly, there's no shame in signing up for a weight-loss program or joining a support group such as Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig. According to the market research firm Marketdata, only 10 to 15 percent of those types of programs are made up of male customers, but if they work for women, those structure programs can also work for men. So don't be afraid to ditch the do-it-yourself attitude and man up by seeking help.
