Obesity is a common yet costly health problem that increases the risks of chronic diseases and reduces the overall quality of life. Obesity affects 39% of adult men worldwide. Excess weight gain is usually caused by unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity, genetics, illness, and other environmental factors.
Living an active lifestyle and managing healthy weight loss can combat the health and economic consequences of being overweight or obese. Here are a few things men need to know about weight loss.
Weight is linked to testosterone levels
As the major sex hormone for males, testosterone plays a role in sperm production, libido, muscle strength, and bone growth. But metabolic diseases such as obesity can be associated with a decline in testosterone levels, thus leading to reduced sex drive, increased feelings of fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Since men who are obese or overweight are more likely to have low testosterone levels, it is suggested that they lose weight in order to regain hormonal balance and restore the body’s health functions.
Belly fat poses major health risks for men
Because men carry weight differently than women, they tend to gain weight around the abdominal area. A large amount of belly fat or visceral fat which sits under the muscle and lies deep inside the abdomen is dangerous. It poses higher cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure risks. Losing belly fat is thus essential not just for improving appearance, but also for living a healthier life.
Some of the best exercises for reducing belly fat and overall body fat are aerobic activities that increase your heart rate and incorporate cardio into your daily routine, such as jogging, swimming, and biking. Remember that you don’t lose belly fat overnight, so be consistent and exercise regularly!
Individualized weight loss plans for men can help
Healthy weight loss can be achieved if you take a individualized approach to diet and exercise. There’s no universal formula to losing weight and keeping it off, so weight loss plans for men must be tailored to their individual lifestyle and nutritional needs.
Rather than resorting to diet fads that falsely promise quick results, diets which are based on nutritional and behavioral science are more likely to be effective for managing weight loss. A customized food plan also paves the way for healthier eating patterns that can be sustained in the long run.
Weight loss can also have behavioral and social factors
Weight loss is more than just physical—especially since behaviors and social factors also influence how much weight you lose, and whether or not you lose weight in the first place. Since most men are socialized to keep to themselves whenever they feel stressed or frustrated, there is a huge risk of turning to emotional eating to deal with negative emotions. Emotional eating can affect weight loss when mood, instead of physical hunger and nutritional needs, dictates eating patterns.
Men can avoid emotional eating and other unhealthy habits by managing stress in ways that make full use of the body, like going for a quick gym session or taking a short walk around the block. You can also never go wrong by spending time with friends and family to talk about life and seek support in your weight loss journey.
The bottom line is that weight loss can be complex and challenging no matter the differences between men’s and women’s physical bodies. It takes the right amount of discipline and motivation to lose weight and gain health benefits. Instead of focusing on instant yet short-term weight loss, incorporate healthy habits into your daily routine so that a healthy weight can both be achieved and maintained.