5 tips to improve men’s health

men's health

Did you know that men lose weight easier than women?

Men’s health is in the spotlight for Men’s Health Week, June 11 – 17, 2018. Recent statistics show that 70 percent of Australian men are either overweight or obese and the figures increase with age. The following is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics* “of men aged 45 years and over, almost four in five (79.4%) were overweight or obese in 2014-15, while two in three women (65.7%) of the same age were overweight or obese.”

According to the World Health Organization, a waist measurement of 94cm or more for men or 80cm or more for women puts people at increased risk of developing chronic disease. Men tend to carry their excess weight around their middle and that so-called ‘beer belly’ is fat and it puts pressure on the heart and major organs. Don’t ignore the warning signs that could lead to major health problems.

Switching to a balanced diet, including exercise, and making good food choices will provide huge health improvements. And the good news for men is that, due to their higher muscle mass percentage and slightly elevated metabolism, they will lose weight more efficiently than a woman of the same weight.

Five tips to improve men’s health:

  1. Cut down or eliminate alcohol and soft drink, both have little nutritional value and are high in kilojoules. Giving up alcohol completely may be too restrictive, instead I suggest limiting the amount consumed and have more days without alcohol. Switch high sugar soft drinks for water. Here’s 8 ways to increase your water intake
  2. Forget takeaway lunches, taking lunch from home is much healthier. If this is not an option, avoid bakeries and drive through burgers and instead opt for a traditional burger or salad roll.
  3. Use the 28-day menu plans in either book 5 or 6 to get started. The calorie and fat requirement for a man differs from that of a woman so be sure to choose the right level. My menu plans are nutritionally balanced with breakfast, lunch, dinners and snacks and show how much to eat.
  4. Forget the bathroom scales, what works better with men to determine progress is to measure their waist each month. Watching their belt tighten each month is also fantastic motivation.
  5. Fitness is vital for long term health. A man with a sedentary lifestyle should include some form of physical activity at least 4 – 5 times a week. Those with a physical job they may still need to look at ways to increase fitness such as doing weights, boxing or yoga.

It’s never too late to start improving health, so start now – even a small weight loss of 5 – 10 kilos can have a positive impact on men’s health long-term.


Want more? Read my article Why diets fail and what to do instead


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*Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics