Diet For A 40-year-old Male Who Needs To Lose 20 Pounds

A weight-loss diet for men 40 years of age must include foods with strong protein, iron, calcium and B vitamins to build healthy blood cells and maintain muscle and bone mass while losing body fat. Eating a variety of low-calorie foods from every food group provides this nutrition to help you stay healthy while losing 20 lbs. or more. Your doctor can help you adjust the average male daily intake of 2,000 to 3,000 calories to fall below your calorie expenditure through activity.

Protein Foods

Choosing low-fat protein foods promotes weight loss and reduces cardiovascular risk. The American Heart Association suggests an intake of under 6 oz. of protein foods daily. Serve yourself an egg or lower-protein grain and dairy foods for breakfast. Lunch can include lean deli ham or turkey breast, beans or peanut butter. Dinner menus might feature beef sirloin, pork loin, skinless chicken, tofu or soy-based veggie burgers.

Whole Grain Foods

Whole grains offer more of the protein, iron and B vitamins for a steady blood count than refined grains, within the same number of calories. To lose weight, choose whole wheat breads and pastas and brown rice more often than white breads, regular noodles and white rice. Whole grain cereals such as wheat bran flakes have the lowest calories among grain foods, and many are fortified with nutrients that include iron and vitamin B-12. Follow the suggested serving sizes on food labels to stay inside calorie boundaries.

Dairy Products

Preserving bone health is an important practice for adult men, whose bone mass peaks at age 20 and then declines. You can avoid osteoporosis-related bone fractures, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports occur in 25 percent of males age 50 and up, by supporting bone density at age 40 with the help of the calcium and vitamin D in dairy products. Reduced-fat milk, yogurt and cheese also provide significant protein and B vitamins for blood development. If you're still drinking full-fat milk, step down to fat-free during weight loss by moving first to 2 percent and 1 percent varieties. If you usually drink a 12-oz. soda, switching to 1 cup of fat-free milk will save you 54 calories, with increased nutrition.

Vegetables and Fruits

Men who reach age 40 and rarely eat vegetables and fruits miss out on important low-calorie sources of vitamins and minerals. A balanced diet to lose weight should include foods from these two food groups at every meal, for their contributions of fiber, vitamins A, B, C and E, and iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium. Cooked spinach contributes all of these nutrients in a single, low-calorie serving. Other vegetables such as tomatoes, broccoli and carrots have high vitamin and mineral values in under 50 calories per ½ cup. Oranges, strawberries, pears and bananas are major sources of vitamin C to maintain a strong immune system while changing your eating habits.