Weight-loss tips for men: Sizing yourself up

Weight-loss expert Andrew Dickson has advice for blokes who think of themselves as ‘naturally big’.
I'm going to talk about the reality and fantasy of ‘big men’. I’m not talking about the Jonah Lomus of the world, but average men who think of themselves as ‘naturally big’ when really, they just ‘eat big’. I was one of them.

Size matters

I spent many years eating huge quantities of food, while my wife Anna looked on with amazement and concern. When she remarked on the quantity, I would say, “But I’m a big bloke. I need to eat this much.” I ate what I thought I needed to – hunger and satiation were largely irrelevant.
One weekend, Anna and I were staying with my brother Mark and his wife. Anna suggested that for the entire day, I should try and eat exactly the same as Mark, who is about the same height as me and has always been in the normal weight range. I agreed to give this a go and although I was intensely anxious that I would starve, I didn’t. This was a turning point. I realised I was eating for what I thought I was, not for what I am – a normal-sized bloke.
Today, Mark weighs about 76-82kg and I weigh about 89-94kg, so at times I can still be 18kg heavier than him, and our BMIs can be fairly different. However, we are both active, healthy blokes. The interesting bit is that today Mark and I eat a similar amount, even though I am still physically bigger than him – the key is to realise our size difference does not mean I necessarily need to eat a lot more.
If you think you might be eating for the body you think you are rather than the body you truly are, check out the following tips for some tricks to put your perception of yourself to the test.

Tips to challenge your inner big bloke

Try out these strategies – you may actually find you are a normal-sized guy.

1. Con one of your mates into doing the ‘eat what he eats’ day. Pick a mate who you think of as a ‘normal-sized bloke’, and who is about the same height as you. Don’t ask Ma’a Nonu!
2. When you’re at a restaurant, order the same meal as the smallest adult at the table. See how you feel an hour after you have finished eating.
3. During your next café breakfast or brunch, order the vegetarian or cereal option instead of the ‘big breakfast’ – then take note of how you feel for the rest of the day.

Brain Power Foods

Brain power is characterized by how alert, energetic, and concentrated your brain is in response to a task. Information in your brain passes through neurotransmitters, which are manufactured by the nerve cells using precursors. Different neurotransmitters will have different impacts on your brain activity. For example, serotonin is the calming neurotransmitter that usually makes you more relaxed, drowsy, and fuzzy-headed. While dopamine and norepinephrine are neurotransmitters that make you more alert, more attentive, motivated and mentally energetic.
Food affects your brain power by affecting the production of neurotransmitters in your brain. By supplying amino acids, which are used as precursors to manufacture neurotransmitters, and by affecting the entry of the amino acids into brain, foods can have a significant impact on your brain activity. High-carbohydrate foods in general tend to subdue brain activity. Protein foods, on the other hand, can counteract carbohydrate food induced sluggishness. In addition, foods and herbs can have effects on brain activity by affecting blood circulation - the supply line of oxygen, nutrient, and hormone to the brain.

Successful Weight Loss

You already know how to lose weight. At it's simplest, you need to burn more calories than you eat, right? And exercising and eating healthy is the healthiest way to do that, right? But, successful weight loss doesn't start with your body--it starts with your mind.
As we've all discovered, the mind is a powerful thing--it can take you to success or failure, depending on your attitude. What you think about yourself can make the difference between reaching your goals and quitting before you even get started. So how do you get your mind right to make exercise and healthy eating a part of your life? Below are some key ingredients you can rely on to reach your goals.

Commitment
You already know you have to commit to being healthy, but what does that actually involve? Being committed means you have to wake up every day and decide you're going to make healthy choices. Being committed is a choice and something you have to reinforce each day. So how do you do that? Use these tips to help you commit to your goals:

• Plan and Prepare. The night before, plan your workout for the next day and get all your stuff (gym bag, clothes, etc.) ready to go. Decide what and when you'll eat and get your meals ready. Make it as easy as possible to follow through with your plans.
• Motivate Yourself. Remind yourself throughout the day of your workout plans--send yourself a reminder or have a friend call and ask about your workout, so it's always in the front of your mind.
• Hold Yourself Accountable. What will happen if you skip that workout? You need to have consequences so that missing your workout isn't an option--maybe you can't watch your favorite TV show until you exercise. On the other side, you can also reward yourself for working out--just make sure you don't reward yourself with food.
• Remember Your Goals. As you're getting ready for the day, remember what your goals are. Weight loss? More energy? Whatever it is, that workout is an important step in reaching it. Remind yourself of the big picture--what you do today counts.

4 Breakfast Items To Avoid

1. Carrot Cake Muffin
   Perhaps the word "carrot" make it sound like a healthy breakfast item, but most commercial carrot cake muffins are high in fat and calories. One serving of this favorite breakfast muffin from a coffee chain store contains a whopping 680 kilocalories and 40 grams of fat! Indeed, most muffins and scones are high in fat. Scones, in particular, usually contain trans fat as well.
2. DoughnutsDoughnuts are fried breakfast foods. If you do not eat french fries for breakfast, why would you eat fried doughnuts? One piece of glazed doughnut from a doughnut chain store contains 200 kcal of empty calories with precious few nutrients. What is worse is that it contains four grams of trans fat per serving. That is already two times more than the recommended amount of trans fat a day. Doughnuts with fillings contain even higher amounts of calories and trans fat, so stay away from this breakfast treat!
   
3. Frozen Waffles Similar to doughnuts, frozen waffles are another example of empty calories when it comes to breakfast foods. Most store-bought frozen waffles are basically refined grain combined with refined sugar and trans fat, lacking health-promoting vitamins, minerals and fiber. Most people add syrup and margarine on their breakfast waffles, hence adding even more calories and fat. Not a smart choice to start your day!
   
4. McDonald's Deluxe BreakfastWith such breakfast items as scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausages, pancakes and dressing and syrup, this deluxe breakfast contains a shocking 1,120 kcal and 61 grams of fat! With that much fat, it is like swallowing 13 teaspoons of vegetable oil in one setting! What is more shockingis that this breakfast item at McDonald's contains 11 g of trans fat, that is is 5 times more than the daily recommended amount of trans fat!

The recommended daily intake for dairy is three servings a day and whole grains is at least three servings daily. If you do not normally eat these foods for lunch or dinner, it is easier to include these items in breakfast. Hence, choose whole grains such as whole wheat bread, whole grain cereals or oatmeal if possible. In addition, include a serving of dairy such as low-fat milk or low-fat yogurt, which is rich in protein, calcium and potassium. In general, try including at least three food groups in your breakfast so that you do not need to prowl for a mid-morning snack.