Are you a bloke looking to shed some pounds?
Men are often neglected in terms of slimming advice. Why do flashy TV ads address women who want to fit into bikinis but largely ignore the other half of the population?
If you are a stressed out working man who wants to get a better control over your weight, we recommend that you adopt a healthy diet that doesn't involve trying to starve yourself and doesn't involve some form of radical nutritional denial proposed by many 'faddy' diets. This will only end in failure and reversal of any short-term gains. Whether it is the daily temptation offered by the work canteen, snacks to keep you going during the day, the odd beer or three or unhealthy fast food when you are on the go, it is sometimes hard to keep a healthy diet in today's competitive and high-pressured environment.
We have compiled for you some useful information, which may help you in your quest to improve your diet (British Nutrition Foundation and other reputable sources): |
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Firstly, what are the recommended energy requirements for men?
For a 19-60 year old male the average daily requirement is 2250 kcal/day (2200-2700 range).
By the way, a calorie (as in "calorie controlled diet") is the same as a kcal, in case you didn't know. If you look at the packaging of the food you want to buy, the kcals will always be shown, together with a break down of the carbohydrate, fat and salt content, as well as the sugar in some cases. When dieting, and when trying to maintain your ideal weight, you should keep an eye on these figures - they are there to help you decide whether the product is healthy or not. |
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What constitutes a healthy diet?
You should choose a variety of foods from each of the four main food groups every day :
- Bread, other cereals and potatoes
- Fruit and vegetables
- Milk and dairy products
- Meat, fish and alternatives
8 simple guidelines for a healthy diet :
- Enjoy your food
- Eat a variety of different foods
- Eat the right amount to be a healthy weight
- Eat plenty of foods rich in starch and fibre
- Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
- Don’t eat too many foods that contain a lot of fat
- Don’t have sugary foods and drinks too often
- If you drink alcohol, drink sensibly
Did you know that beer contains around 100-150 calories per pint? Some lagers have a whopping 220 calories in a single 550ml can. That quick beer after work could ruin all your hard work! If you go out with the lads, it’s even worse. Did you know that if you drink 5 pints of larger, you could be consuming around HALF your daily calorie intake allowance in beer alone!
And don’t think you are OK to switch to something stronger – even a shot of Vodka contains around 55 calories!
Felt a bit peckish at the end of your last night out? That kebab you ate was around 700 calories. That’s for a small one (you did have a small one didn’t you?). We’re not trying to tell you that you can’t have a beer or two or kebabs ever again. Just try to become more aware of what calories these things contain.
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What is the optimum distribution of foods as a percentage of total energy intake?
A balanced daily diet relies on the following proportions, expressed as a percentage of total daily energy intake:
- 30-35% lipids (e.g. vegetable oils, butter, cheese, nuts etc)
- 11-15% protein (e.g. red meat, poultry, fish etc)
- 50% carbohydrates (e.g. fruit, vegetables, whole grain etc)
- Vitamins, minerals and 30g of fibre a day
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How should you go about slimming?
Weight loss relies on a diet low in calorific density (1200-1500 kcal) composed of 20% lipids, 30% proteins and 50% carbohydrates which is :
- rich in vegetables, fresh fruit and salad, cereals and starchy foods (e.g. steamed potatoes, pasta and rice without fatty sauces)
- contains lots of drink (but not alcohol): water, tea, light coffee, sugarless drinks etc
- has controlled fat content (e.g. veal, poultry, lean beef/pork etc); have one knob of butter or a tablespoon of vegetable oil per day
- contains limited simple sugars
- is eaten in meals taken at regular times with no meal skipping. Generally speaking breakfast should provide 25% of the energy ration, lunch 45% and supper 30%.
- is eaten slowly (divide mouthfuls in two)
- is accompanied by physical activity (sport)
Of course, we also recommend that you drink a cup of CoffeeSLENDER after every ,meal to make your diet around twice as effective!
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Special requirements for Men.
Men are more prone to carry extra weight in the abdominal area (known as central obesity or colloquially as a Beer Belly!). Excessive weight gain puts them at increased risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
• Drinking too much alcohol can increase weight, particularly around the abdominal area, and lead to other long-term health problems such as high blood pressure. Men are advised not to drink more than 3 to 4 units of alcohol a day. A unit is half a pint of standard strength beer, lager or cider, or a pub measure of spirit.
Nutrients that may be of particular relevance to men’s health include:
• Zinc which has a role in fertility as it is involved in sex hormone production and Selenium which is involved in sperm mobility and has been suggested to have a possible beneficial role in prostate cancer prevention. Good food sources of both these nutrients include brazil nuts, seafood, meat and poultry. Wheat has traditionally been a major source of selenium, with bread contributing a large proportion of the daily selenium intake. However, levels are now lower (as flour from Europe has a lower selenium content compared to that from the US) but bread still accounts for about 12% of total selenium intake due to the amounts eaten.
• Lycopen, a carotenoid, abundant in red fruits such as watermelon, red grapefruit, and tomatoes and tomato products. People who have high intakes of lycopene appear to have lower risk of developing prostate cancer, although whether this association is causal remains to be established.
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Further advice and relevant links
For further advice and tips, here are 3 sites that may help you decide what constitutes a healthy diet and some practical advice on how much of what to eat to maintain a healthy nutritional balance.
- The British Nutrition Foundation
- The Foods Standards Agency (Healthy Diet)
- BBC Healthy Living
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