When you meet someone with a perfectly chiseled body, you probably think, “wow, the gym does miracles,” right? While you’re not entirely wrong, it’s not always about the gym when it comes to staying fit and losing weight. Sometimes it can be as simple as your dietary plans and your lifestyle. Weight loss programs don’t always have to hurt for you to see their results. Minor tweaks in your lifestyle may just be enough to do the trick. Keep reading to find out the fastest way to lose weight for men.
Up Your Protein Intake
Adding proteins to your diet can prove to help reduce your appetite and burn more fat. Studies indicate that high-quality proteins may lower the risks of you developing abdominal fat (18). So if you’ve been concerned about how to lose belly fat fast and safely, fear not. Adding protein-rich foods to your diet can help you achieve this.
Another weight loss benefit that comes with the consumption of proteins is that they preserve muscle mass and metabolism during weight loss (14). What that means is that you don’t have to worry about seeing your muscle mass disappear due to losing weight.
Also, protein-rich foods increase your satiety while decreasing your overall calorie intake. These are factors that will significantly aid your weight loss process (27). Taking more proteins is also a particularly good weight loss option for men over 50. Men are prone to developing sarcopenia after the age of 50 (17).
Increasing your protein intake can offset this condition while helping you drop the extra calories (17). However, it is always important to consult with your doctor or dietitian first before adopting this diet. So, is increased protein intake the fastest way to lose weight for men over 50? It may not be the first in the list of effective weight loss methods, but it definitely is important to consider.
Protein-rich foods you can include in your diet include lean meat, seafood, eggs, beans and legumes, soy-based and dairy products.
Read More: Workouts For Men Over 40: Your Body Will Thank You Well Into Retirement
Strive To Get More Quality Sleep
It’s interesting that how you sleep can help you lose weight, right? The secret is all in the quality and quantity of sleep that you get. Here’s how that happens: Your body is constantly working even when you’re resting. Energy is needed to sustain crucial activities in your body like blood circulation and breathing.
So your body burns calories even when you’re asleep. However, how well it does that is entirely dependent on your quality and quantity of sleep. The sleep cycle occurs in two main stages- REM and N-REm- with the highest number of calories burned in REM. Simply put, the more cycles you go through in a night, the more calories your burn- hence the importance of quantity.
Also, the fewer interruptions you get when sleeping, the better you’ll pass through the cycles, torching more calories. That makes quality important. Multiple studies have cemented these effects of the quality and quantity of sleep regarding weight loss. Seven hours of sleep is associated with maximum benefits in regard to weight loss (19).
You should, therefore, always try to get a healthy sleep cycle. To do that, have a regular sleep schedule, limit caffeine intake and minimize the use of electronics before bed. Healthy sleeping patterns combined with a good diet and exercise can help you lose weight in no time.
Give Strength Training A Try
Well, we did say weight loss doesn’t always have to hurt. However, sometimes it may be a necessary evil to achieve the ultimate goal. Whether it is the fastest way to lose weight for men or not can be debated. However, what we know is that it is one of the safest ways to lose weight.
Strength training is a workout routine that involves contracting your muscles against some resistance. Mostly, it involves lifting weights to gain muscles over time. Remember, the more muscles you have, the more calories you can burn. So, you’ll be gaining muscles while shedding off unhealthy fats.
Research has shown that strength training has multiple health benefits, especially in burning excess fats. This study showed the effectiveness of a 12-week strength training paired with aerobic exercise at reducing body and belly fat. This was in comparison to when the participants did aerobic exercises alone (25).
In another study, 78 people were subjected to strength training. This exercise significantly reduced the levels of visceral fat in their bodies. Visceral fats are the riskiest type of fats that are usually found around organs in your belly (7).
Also, resistance training helps preserve fat-free mass, which increases the number of calories you burn at rest (20). According to this review, 10 weeks of resistance training increases calories burnt at rest by 7% while reducing fat weight by 1.8kg (21). Lifting weights, use of gym equipment, and body-weight exercises are some ways that can get you started on strength training.
Working out alone may not be enough. You need to work out using the right weight-loss program. So what is the best workout program to lose weight fast and safely? Strength training and HIIT exercises are among the best weight-loss programs out there. It’s about time you tried them out, don’t you think?
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Watch What You Drink
Calories are not only found in food but can also be found in most drinks with added sugars. For instance, sugar-sweetened soft drinks like sodas have lots of calories with little to no nutritional value. Replacing these beverages with healthier options can greatly aid your quest to shed off some weight.
Alcohol is also another drink that you need to stay away from if you’re looking to lose weight. They also have a high-calorie content and are known to lower your inhibitions, which will likely make you overeat (2). These studies show that alcohol and sugar-sweetened drinks may increase the risk of you developing abdominal fat (24).
Minimizing the consumption of these beverages will ultimately reduce your calorie intake while keeping your waistline in check. As an alternative, you should opt for calorie- and sugar-free drinks like green tea or water.
A 12-week small study showed that drinking 500ml of water before meals enhanced weight loss by about 2kg (31). These results were obtained in comparison to a control group. Green tea is also an excellent alternative.
Green tea is made up of caffeine and is rich in antioxidants. These components may enhance fat burning while increasing cellular metabolism (16). A study in 12 moderately active adults showed a 12% increase in fat burning compared to a placebo (12).
Trade in that high-calorie beverage today for a glass of water or green tea to potentially boost fat burning in your body.
Consume More Healthy Fats
It probably sounds counterproductive to encourage someone to consume healthy fats when they’re trying to lose weight, right? However, healthy fats are not like other fats that are common in junk food. They help you lose weight while increasing your satiety (23).
Fats usually take longer to be digested, which will ultimately result in reduced appetite and hunger. This study showed that a Mediterranean diet rich in healthy fats like olive oil ultimately reduces the risk of weight gain. This study was done in comparison to low-fat diets (1).
Also, in another study, two groups of people were put on weight loss diets. The first group was given two tablespoons of coconut oil daily while the other, the same amount of soybean oil. The results were that the first group lost more belly fat in comparison to the second (8).
Unhealthy fats have the inverse effect of increasing your body and abdominal weight and waist circumference (11). However, as with every food that contains calories, you should consume healthy fats in moderation. Taking them in excess may end up negatively affecting your health.
Reduced Your Intake Of Refined Carbs
Excessive intake of refined carbohydrates may lead to you gaining weight at unprecedented levels. During processing, bran and germ are removed from grains, resulting in a product with lower nutrients and fiber. Additionally, refined carbs usually have a higher glycemic index. This is attributed to the high levels of added sugars in these foods.
Therefore, when you consume them, there could be erratic spikes and crashes in your blood sugar levels that ultimately increase your hunger level. Also, studies suggest that refined carbs may lead to an increase in abdominal fats (3). In a survey done on 2,834 people, those who took higher amounts of refined grains had more visceral fat (32).
Replacing refined carbohydrates from foods like white bread with whole grains such as barley, buckwheat and millet to get the best results.
Read More: How To Lose Thigh Fat For Men: Maximize Your Leg Training Results With These Thigh-Blasting Moves
Try Out Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is a dietary plan that is all about alternating between periods of eating and fasting. As much as it sounds complicated, it’s pretty manageable. However, you should be careful not to go for long periods without food altogether. This may end up harming you rather than helping you.
Multiple studies show just how bad going long periods without food can be. From the studies, this is the fastest most dangerous way to lose weight for men and women (15). Sure, you could probably lose a lot of weight in under a month if you skip many meals. This would then make it the fastest way to lose weight for men in a month. However, it’ll also leave you with major health issues.
So, you should always be keen when practicing intermittent fasting not to overdo it. However, when practiced correctly, research shows that intermittent fasting enhances weight and fat loss.
In one review, the effects of intermittent fasting were compared against eating normally. It was discovered that alternate-day fasting for 3-12 weeks reduces body weight by 7%. Body fats were also reduced by 5.5kg in the same period (10).
In another study, eating once during an 8-hour period helped reduce muscle fat while maintaining muscle mass. The results improved when this was combined with resistance training (9). There are several types of intermittent fasting that you can choose from—for instance, the warrior diet, 5:2 diet, and 16/8 method.
Always make sure you go for the one that best suits your schedule and lifestyle. If you’re not sure, you can always experiment with each to find which you’re most comfortable with.
Eat More Fiber
Soluble fiber can absorb water while it moves through your digestive tract slowly. This effect increases your satiety level. According to these studies, high-fiber foods could help with weight management (5).
A survey was done among 1,114 adults to look at the effects of soluble fiber on belly fat. It was discovered that they lost 3.7% of their belly fat over 5 years. This was, however, only in the participants who increased their daily intake of soluble fiber by 10 grams daily (13).
In another review, increased fiber intake was found to promote feelings of fullness and decreased hunger. A 14-gram increase in daily fiber intake prompted a 10% decrease in calorie intake. Also, there was a 2kg drop in weight over four months (6).
Also, soluble fibers contain helpful gut bacteria that help in reducing belly fat. Since your body doesn’t digest fiber by itself, it reaches the gut mostly unchanged. Specific enzymes in your gut are then released to aid in this process through fermentation. Short-chain fatty acids are then released during this process (5).
These fatty acids regulate your fat metabolism by enhancing the rates at which fats are burned. Also, they decrease the rate of fat storage, ultimately reducing your body and belly fat (5).
Some of the best sources of fiber include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. So if you want to take your weight loss and fat burn regime up a notch, add these foods to your diet. Doing that will guarantee you a winning combination.
Try Some High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
You don’t go through articles on how to lose weight the fastest way for men without coming across HIIT. This is a workout routine that combines quick bursts of activity with short recovery periods. This keeps your heart rate elevated throughout the exercise. Multiple studies show that HIIT revs up fat burning while promoting weight loss.
In one study, young men were made to perform HIIT for 20 minutes three times weekly. After 12 weeks, they had lost an average of 2kg of body fat. Also, there was a 17% decrease in belly fat and a major decrease in waist circumference (26).
HIIT is more effective at burning calories in shorter periods compared to other forms of cardio. In one survey, people burned up to 30% more calories when performing HIIT than other exercises like jogging or cycling (4). An easy way to start HIIT is by alternating between walking and sprinting for 30 seconds at a time.
Remember, HIIT is a combination of different exercises performed at high intensity. So it’s okay to cycle between multiple exercises like burpees and squats with short resting intervals in between. HIIT exercises, however, should be done in moderation.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking for the fastest way to lose weight for men in 2 weeks. Doing these exercises daily for two weeks will leave you burned out while putting you at risk of injuries. So always ensure you practice moderation when working out.
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Try Adding Vinegar To Your Diet
Vinegar has a great reputation that can be attributed to its health-promoting properties. In addition to its effects on your heart’s health and blood sugar regulation, it can also help in weight loss. According to this research, vinegar ramps up your fat-burning rate (28).
This study showed that taking 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar daily reduces your body and belly weight and average waist circumference. These results were collected over 12 weeks (30).
Vinegar can also increase your satiety while reducing your appetite. In a survey conducted among 11 people, adding vinegar to their diets decreased daily calorie intake by 200 to 275 calories (29). There are numerous ways you could incorporate vinegar into your dietary plans.
For instance, you could dilute apple cider vinegar with water and take it as a beverage multiple times daily. This, however, does not sound appealing since vinegar is not the sweetest thing there is out there.
If you share this sentiment, you can always use it to make sauces, dressings, and marinades. That way, you’ll have a more subtle and indirect way of introducing it in your diet.
Conclusion
Staying fit is one of the most crucial aspects of leading a healthy life. Fitness, on the other hand, is determined by the lifestyle that you lead. Funny how each depends on the other, right? Your diet and how you exercise will significantly determine how fit your body will be.
However, everyone seems to be on a tight schedule nowadays, necessitating fast, safe, and efficient weight loss techniques. Pairing these simple tips with a nutritious diet and an active lifestyle will improve your overall health while boosting fat breakdown.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- A 3 years follow-up of a Mediterranean diet rich in virgin olive oil is associated with high plasma antioxidant capacity and reduced body weight gain (2009, pubmed.gov)
- Alcohol, Appetite and Loss of Restraint (2015, pubmed.gov)
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- Caloric expenditure of aerobic, resistance or combined high-intensity interval training using a hydraulic resistance system in healthy men (2015, pubmed.gov)
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- Different modalities of exercise to reduce visceral fat mass and cardiovascular risk in metabolic syndrome: the RESOLVE randomized trial (2013, pubmed.gov)
- Effects of dietary coconut oil on the biochemical and anthropometric profiles of women presenting abdominal obesity (2009, pubmed.gov)
- Effects of eight weeks of time-restricted feeding (16/8) on basal metabolism, maximal strength, body composition, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk factors in resistance-trained males (2016, pubmed.gov)
- Effects of intermittent fasting on body composition and clinical health markers in humans (2015, pubmed.gov)
- Effects of trans fatty acid intake on abdominal and liver fat deposition and blood lipids: a randomized trial in overweight postmenopausal women (2011, nih.gov)
- Green tea extract ingestion, fat oxidation, and glucose tolerance in healthy humans (2008, pubmed.gov)
- Lifestyle Factors and 5-Year Abdominal Fat Accumulation in a Minority Cohorty: The IRAS Family Study (2011, nih.gov)
- Normal protein intake is required for body weight loss and weight maintenance, and elevated protein intake for additional preservation of resting energy expenditure and fat free mass (2013, pubmed.gov)
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- Physiological effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate on energy expenditure for perspective fat oxidation in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2016, pubmed.gov)
- Preserve your muscle mass (2016, harvard.edu)
- Quality protein intake is inversely related with abdominal fat (2012, pubmed.gov)
- Relationship between sleep quality and quantity and weight loss in women participating in a weight-loss intervention trial (2012, pubmed.gov)
- Resistance training conserves fat-free mass and resting energy expenditure following weight loss (2008, pubmed.gov)
- Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health (2012, pubmed.gov)
- Sarcopenia: What you need to know (2017, medicalnewstoday.com)
- Specific food structures suppress appetite through reduced gastric emptying rate (2013, nih.gov)
- Sugar-sweetened beverages consumption is associated with abdominal obesity risk in diabetic patients (2017, pubmed.gov)
- The effect of 12 weeks of aerobic, resistance or combination exercise training on cardiovascular risk factors in the overweight and obese in a randomized trial (2012, nih.gov)
- The effect of high-intensity intermittent exercise on body composition of overweight young males (2012, pubmed.gov)
- The effects of consuming frequent, higher protein meals on appetite and satiety during weight loss in overweight/obese men (2010, pubmed.gov)
- Vinegar: Medicinal Uses and Antiglycemic Effect (2006, nih.gov)
- Vinegar and peanut products as complementary foods to reduce postprandial glycemia (2005, pubmed.gov)
- Vinegar intake reduces body weight, body fat mass, and serum triglyceride levels in obese Japanese subjects (2009, pubmed.gov)
- Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults (2009, pubmed.gov)
- Whole- and refined – grain intakes are differentially associated with abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adiposity in healthy adults: the Framingham heart Study (2010, pubmed.gov)
