The Journal of the American Medical Association recently published a staggering wake up call for men. "Incorporating data from The National Health and Nutrition Survey 2007-2008, estimates reported that 72.3% of American males are classified as overweight." Modern male lifestyles are typically fast-paced and stress filled, crippling most weight loss attempts. Realistic goal setting, coupled with a sound weight loss plan, will increase men's chances of the scale moving in their favor.
Create Time Oriented Goals
Using realistic time lines to set goals will keep you on course and will hold you accountable for reaching milestones in your weight loss journey. Shorter term goals should be set to achieve larger long-term goals. An example of a short term outcome could be to exercise five days this week and commute to work by bicycle rather than driving. Setting short term activities like these will lead to meeting a greater long term achievement such as losing 10 pounds in one month. Consistently reaching your determined targets will keep motivation at peak levels during your weight loss endeavor.
Maximize Cardiovascular Workout Results
Performing more efficient methods of cardiovascular exercise such as interval training will enable you to leverage time by burning a greater amount of calories during cardiovascular workouts. Interval training incorporates both high and low intensity exercise for short periods of time. Using this mode of exercise employs both of the body's energy producing systems: the aerobic and anaerobic system. Lower intensity levels enable the aerobic system, using oxygen to convert carbohydrates and fat into energy. Higher intensity levels allow the anaerobic system to extract energy from carbohydrates stored in muscle for fuel. An example of interval training would be several rounds of walking for one minute followed by a sprint for 30 seconds. Following this technique will enable your body to speed up calorie burning results and avoid spending hours on your workouts.
Maintain Muscle and Metabolism
Since muscle mass burns calories to exist, weight training is an important factor in effectively moving the scale in your favor. Strength training routines are especially important in men over the age of 45. Men who ignore a routine weight training program over this age are susceptible to a decline of muscle mass, potentially at a rate of up to 1 percent annually. Compound or multi-joint exercises such as squats or chest presses not only maximize weight training but develop all major muscle groups. Keeping weight loss goals in mind, avoid isolation exercises such as bicep curls and leg extensions that fail to burn as many calories as compound movements. Consistent full body weight training routines increase metabolic rate throughout your day as well as aid in the prevention of unwanted muscle loss.
Fuel the Body for Weight Loss
Consuming fewer calories than your body uses is the foundation of any weight reduction plan. Eating too few calories on a consistent basis can lower your metabolic rate, resulting in a decline of the pounds dropping progress. Attempting to determine the correct amount of calories to fuel your body can be a confusing and time-consuming process. Utilizing online calorie calculators that apply data from reputable sources eliminates the pain of estimating calorie needs. Nutritiondata.com features a calculator utilizing information provided by the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board. Choosing types of foods for trimming the pounds should contain provisions high in fiber such as beans and vegetables to promote weight loss. Additionally, foods high in protein, such as chicken, turkey, and fish are recommended, combined with other protein sources such as nuts and seeds. According to the Mayo Clinic, 10 percent to 35 percent of daily calories should originate from protein.
Sleep for Weight Loss
How much sleep you get can affect your scale moving efforts. Insufficient amounts of sleep enable the release of undesired hormones such as cortisol and leptin, which regulate appetite and fat storage as well as cause carbohydrate cravings. Another unwanted effect of sleep loss is the decrease of growth hormone production. Growth hormone regulates the body's proportion of fat and muscle. According to a study performed by "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," a small group of men were studied by measuring their food intake across an eight and four hour sleep period. After the night of shorter sleep, the men consumed more than 559 extra calories than after the eight hour period of sleep. That adds up to over a pound of weight gained weekly. It is imperative for men to pay attention to the amount of sleep they receive and strive to get at least a seven hour snooze to regulate unwanted hormone release.
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