What can we learn from men regarding losing weight? I hate to admit it girls, we can learn a ton from men on their approach to weight loss. This can range from them not constantly looking at calories, not caring what others think of their bodies, or their chill way of viewing the world around them. Not only can we reflect on the above, but let's be real, women from all walks of life are always absorbing weight-loss advice. Be it from the media or from peers, advice on fighting the bulge is always aplenty. However, men could be giving us clues all along on what advice we should really heed.
The fact is men lose weight quicker than women. Males have leaner muscle tissue and this burns more calories, even at rest, Shape.com reported. According to the latest stats, the average American man weighs 26 pounds more than the average woman, which allows him to burn slightly more calories per hour. Guys have more muscle from the hormone testosterone, and they are hardwired to burn fat. This allows them to burn calories more and drop off weight quicker than us gals. Now that we have touched on our physiological differences, we can now take tips from our male friends.
What can I learn?
Maybe you are thinking "What can I learn from a guy?" Plenty, and it starts from making a list and sticking to goals. When men create lists they focus on completing the tasks needed. If losing weight is on the agenda, they make it happen. One is working out. Men exercise more than women! A national study from Oregon University found that women were not likely to exercise as much as men. Men averaged 30 minutes of exercise, compared to women who spent 18 minutes on exercising. On the contrary, women also had less time to exercise as they were in their childbearing years, the study found. But this there is something that can be done to bridge the gap. Change your habits and how you look at exercise. Try to walk or jog during the morning. Men who adopted this routine in the morning were successful to stick with it. Paul Loprinzi, who was the lead author of the study, believed that men seemed to have more confidence. He found evidence which indicated that women, compared to men, have less confidence in their ability to overcome their exercise-related barriers, and failures. We can learn from men to be more determined and work on our confidence in order to achieve a desired result.
Let it go.
Guys tend to let things go quicker than women. When they miss the mark of a goal, or have a personal setback, they don't dwell on it as long as women do. This could be due to women being more emotional than men. But stress is a killer of the body. It releases cortisol and it is linked to weight gain. Instead of dwelling on mistakes take another approach, Shape.com reported. "Having potential answers to your dilemma helps you gain control of a situation." You can start by taking action. Look at what you can do, not what you can't. For example, make a list of possible answers and solutions on why you are not losing the weight you need to. Look for ways to deal with stress. Make yourself accountable and be clear on what you want. If you can't control stress, reach out to a trusted friend to vent. Men don't hold back, so let the disappointment or situation go to tame stress, and to help weight loss.
Eat breakfast.
Add breakfast to the list. Women tend to eat less in the morning than men do. Having breakfast will keep metabolism going and keep you from running to sugar or caffeine as the day goes on. Make it a point to eat. Experts recommend that if you eat breakfast it will keep you from cheating on your diet, and stop mindless snacking before lunch. You can keep the calories low by having one egg with cheese, and whole wheat toast. For lunch, instead of ordering fast food, bring your own food. This helps with portion control.
Pump iron.
You can always hear a guy talk about building muscle at the gym, and they are correct to do so. Women tend to stick to cardio, but lifting weights is important to build muscle to maintain strength. Incorporating weights into the routine will help you lose more fat, up to 40 percent more. Lifting will increase "The number of calories you burn while your butt is parked on the couch. That's because after each strength workout, your muscles need energy to repair their fibers," Women's Health Magazine pointed out. People who lift also found that their metabolism increased compared to those who did not lift weights, they were more productive, happier and improved their heart health. There is more good news. Lifting will help you burn even more calories and help you stick to your diet plan by adding some variety. Exercising really helps you remain on track and to live longer. Start pumping!
Add more protein.
Now that you have let stress go and are lifting weights, it is essential to eat protein to boost metabolism and aid weight loss. We should consume 40 grams of protein or more a day. Protein uses more energy and will keep you feeling full as it takes time to digest and metabolize. This means you start to burn more calories. How can you keep the body going during the day? Men, who are dieting, talk about protein shakes, and eating protein to help build and maintain muscle. Women do not differ in this area as the body utilizes amino acids in the protein to build lean muscle. "This makes you stronger and more toned but also fries calories even when you're not active, unlike lazy fat," Women's Health continued. This makes having a scoop of Ben & Jerry's ice cream less haunting since calories are being burned even at rest. Some foods to consider are peanut butter, almond butter, fish, tofu, beans, eggs, brown rice and nuts like almonds are solid sources of protein.
So ladies take heed, we can learn many things from men. We can learn to chill more, let go of stress better, stick to a diet plan and build more muscle for a healthy body. Maybe we are not too different after all.
