A diet plan for guys should include all of the essential macronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Specifically, the diet should include protein with low-saturated fat, low-glycemic carbohydrates and healthy fats, which promote leanness, according to "Xtreme Lean" by Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman. Always consult with your doctor before beginning any new diet program.
Significance
Following a diet plan can help you maintain a healthy body weight. As you age, staying lean gets more difficult because of the fact that the metabolism naturally slows with age. Obesity not only causes preventable maladies like heart disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, it is also associated with a higher risk of death, according to "The Abs Diet" by David Zinczenko. Men can minimize age-related fat gain, build lean muscle and restore their metabolic rate to youthful levels with a sensible diet plan.
Types
Many diets and so-called experts recommend low-carbohydrate, low-fat and high-protein diets. However, the most important factor of a long-term diet is balance, says Mackie Shilstone in "The Fat-Burning Bible." You must first decide if you want to lose weight, gain muscle or simply maintain your current body weight while improving your body composition. Overly simplified solutions like removing a macro-nutrient group, such as low-carb dieting, rarely provides a long-term solution to weight management, says Zinczenko.
Features
The obvious features of any diet plan include the proteins, carbohydrate, fats, vitamins and minerals that you take in daily to fuel your body. The macronutrients that you choose determine how your body uses the calories you ingest. For example, low-glycemic carbohydrates like oatmeal digest slowly and do not readily store as body fat. Staying hydrated by drinking eight or more 16-oz. glasses of water daily also supports healthy weight management, according to "Combat the Fat" by Jeff Anderson.
Considerations
When planning a diet, you must evaluate both your metabolic rate and age, which affects how easily you lose weight. Ectomorphs, small-boned individuals with fast metabolisms, readily burn large amounts of calories and can lose weight far more easily than their endomorph compatriots. Endomorphs have a naturally rounder physique and must cut calories and carbohydrates more strictly to achieve the same weight loss, says Anderson. Your personal workout habits also play an important role because intense or frequent training requires more calories. In addition, food preferences matter because you need to create a long-term foundation for good nutritional habits. Incorporating healthy foods that you also enjoy into your meal plans increases the likelihood that you will stick to your diet and achieve your goals.
Recommendations
Zinczenko recommends the daily consumption of one gram of protein per pound of body weight for active men. Sedentary individuals can also benefit from increased protein intake; however, they do not need as much. Divide your daily nutrition into five or six smaller meals to speed up your metabolism, says Shilstone. Restrict your carbohydrate intake to low-glycemic choices like sweet potatoes, whole-grain breads and pastas, beans and fresh vegetables. You may also consider carbohydrate timing to improve your fat-burning results. For example, you could take in the majority of your carbs during the morning and afternoon while consuming only lean sources of protein and healthy fats, like olive oil, nuts and seeds, for your evening meals. This system works because, while carbohydrates are the body's primary source of fuel, they also readily store as fat if they are not burned. Eating carbs during the day when you are more active helps to prevent this body fat storage, says Anderson.
References
- "Xtreme Lean"; Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2005
- "The Abs Diet"; David Zinczenko; 2004
- "The Fat Burning Bible"; Mackie Shilstone; 2005
- "Combat the Fat"; Jeff Anderson; 2008
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