Need to have a "heavy" talk with your man?
Somewhere around the age of forty the average Kiwi bloke gets a wake up call concerning his health. It might be a passing remark from his doctor or wife, but it doesn’t usually sink in until he’s had a horrifying experience in the mirror. I’m talking about the precise moment when he realises that he no longer looks like an underwear model and he’ll probably never be able to mow the lawns with his shirt off again.
In New Zealand we have one of the highest active populations in the world. In fact we were the highest represented country in the Hawaiian Iron man (per capita population). We host some of the worlds toughest endurance events, the Coast to Coast has a 2-3 year waiting list and our rugby team is one of the most feared in the world. So how come we recently ranked third in the global obesity scale?
We don't drink as much as our Australian neighbours, we eat less than the Brits and we live in a beautiful country with a lovely climate. Maybe it’s because we are lulled into a false sense of security that if we play sport, we’ll be right. Maybe it’’s because healthy eating is just too damned confusing to figure out. Whatever the cause, those magazine diets just won’t cut the mustard for the average Kiwi guy.
The diet industry typically caters for the female market, which is a shame because in New Zealand men don’t live as long as their female counterparts. Men might have better metabolisms, but they tend to accumulate fat around their waist, which increases their risk of weight related diseases. I’m talking about high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Don’t believe me? How many men do you know over the age of sixty who are not on long term pharmaceutical drugs for the above conditions?
The most important health goal for our middle aged, kiwi bloke is to maintain a healthy body composition. That’s the ratio of fat to lean tissue in the body, but checking his weight on the scales each morning could be sabotaging his weight loss efforts. Men typically lose precious muscle each year after the age of thirty, up to a kilo a year in some cases. So the scales are a completely inaccurate way to measure success.
Most men don’t like the idea of dieting, it’s a deprivation girlie thing and I’m glad most men don’t do conventional diets, because the best weight loss diet for men is the non-diet approach. Here are a few tips to help your bloke out.
Waist not Weight
He doesn’t need scales. His waist is the best indicator of success or failure. In the ideal world, your bloke’s waist measurement should be half of his height. So if he’s 1.75 metres tall, get him to aim for an 88 cm waist.
Meal Timing
Yes, he can eat carbs at night, but he’ll get better results if he spreads his food intake evenly over the day. Don’t let him make the mistake of skipping breakfast or not eating after exercise. He needs to fuel his body throughout the day with healthy food and water.
Male Menopause
Beyond forty there is a predictable decrease in his basic biological function. Every indulgence, every holiday, every bottle of beer and every illness or injury sets him back a little bit more. The choices he makes around the foods he eats become more important. This is a good time to get him taking nutritional supplements like a multivitamin, omega 3 fish oils and resveratrol.
Maintain Muscle
Weight bearing exercise is the key. Jogging just doesn’t provide sufficient resistance to maintain his muscle. Walking the dog will not make it easier for him to lift your shopping bags out of the car. Even if he’s doing weight-bearing exercise such as walking, only the lower limbs are involved. The best exercise for bones, joints, and fat loss is a moderate resistance-training program that can help him maintain strength and flexibility.
Now if we can just get him to put the toilet seat down, remember our anniversary and buy flowers every week, we’d have nothing to complain about!
Jacquie Dale
www.realnutrition.co.nz