Weight loss for men: a realistic plan for food, walking and strength

How common is obesity in men, and why is it often missed?

Obesity in men is common and still rising in most of the world. According to the latest estimates from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, which also feed the WHO figures, about 14.3 percent of adult men worldwide have obesity, up from 4.9 percent in 1990.

On top of that, around 31 percent of men are in the overweight range (BMI 25 to 30). That is a larger share than among women. Taken together, nearly half of all adult men carry more weight than is good for their health.

Worldwide, obesity is more common in women, and our page on obesity in women explains why. Yet in countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany, China and Japan, men are more often affected than women.

So why is weight in men so often missed? A large review of men’s weight management for the UK health research programme found that men are less likely to see their weight as a problem and less likely to use weight loss services.

Being told by a health professional that their weight was a health problem was one of the things that motivated men to start.

Research has also left men out. A review of 244 lifestyle weight loss trials found that on average only 27 percent of the participants were men, and just 5 percent of the trials were for men only. Much of what is known about losing weight was tested mainly on women.

Weight in men often hides in plain sight. A heavier man may be called “big”, “solid” or “built” rather than offered help. A tape measure around the waist and a quick BMI check tell you more than any label.

Why do men gain weight?

Men gain weight for the same broad reasons as everyone else: a food environment full of cheap, filling, high-calorie food, less movement in daily life, and the body’s own strong defence of its weight. Willpower is not the main story. Genes, biology and surroundings all play a part.

Some patterns are more common in men, though. They are worth knowing because each one is also a place where change can start.

• Work that keeps you sitting. Driving, desk work and long shifts leave little time or energy to move. Night shifts also upset sleep and meal times.
• Drinks. Beer, sugary soft drinks and energy drinks add a lot of calories without filling you up. Regular beer has about 43 kcal per 100 ml, so four half-litre glasses come to roughly 860 kcal, about a full meal (approximate values, USDA).
• Big portions. Many men were raised to clear the plate or to eat “like a man”. Takeaways, canteen food and snacks on the road often come in large sizes.
• Short sleep and stress. Little sleep and constant pressure raise appetite and make late-night eating more likely.
• Less activity after sport stops. Many men played sport when they were younger. When the team, the club or the time disappears, eating habits often stay the same while movement drops.

Where men store fat matters too. Men tend to collect more fat deep inside the belly, around the organs, than women do before menopause.

This deep fat is closely linked to diabetes and heart disease. Our page on belly fat explains how to measure it and what reduces it.

Obesity in men: heart, diabetes, sleep apnea, testosterone and erections

Obesity raises the risk of many health problems in men, and a reasonable amount of weight loss can improve most of them. A review of sex differences in obesity notes that men are more prone to the metabolic effects of extra weight, such as high blood sugar and unhealthy blood fats.

The main conditions to know about are listed below.

• Type 2 diabetes. In the Diabetes Prevention Program, a lifestyle programme aiming for 7 percent weight loss and 150 minutes of activity a week cut the risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent in people at high risk.
• Heart disease and high blood pressure. Extra weight puts strain on the heart and blood vessels. Losing weight, moving more and drinking less alcohol all lower blood pressure.
• Sleep apnea. Loud snoring, breathing pauses at night and daytime sleepiness are common in heavier men. Our page on sleep apnea and weight loss explains testing and treatment.
• Low testosterone. Fat tissue changes hormone levels, and many men with obesity have low testosterone.
• Erection problems. Erectile problems share causes with heart disease: damaged blood vessels, diabetes and inactivity.
• Joint pain. Knees, hips and the lower back carry the load. Pain often makes men move less, which makes losing weight harder.

Does weight loss raise testosterone?

Yes, for many men it does. A meta-analysis of 24 studies found that testosterone levels rose after weight loss, both with a low-calorie diet and after surgery. The more weight men lost, the bigger the rise.

The rise was also larger in younger men without diabetes and in men with more weight to lose. In other words, low testosterone linked to obesity is often partly reversible through weight loss itself.

Testosterone therapy is a medical treatment with its own risks and is a decision for you and your doctor only. Whether medication of any kind is right for you is something to discuss with your doctor. Obesity Foundation does not recommend or promote weight-loss medication; our focus is good food, appropriate exercise and walking.

Can losing weight help with erection problems?

It can. In an Italian trial, 110 men with obesity and erection problems were split into two groups. One group got detailed help to lose at least 10 percent of their weight and to move more; the other got general advice only.

After two years, the men in the first group had lowered their BMI from about 37 to 31 and raised their activity from about 48 to 195 minutes a week. About one in three of them regained normal erectile function, against very few in the comparison group.

Erection problems can be an early sign of heart or blood vessel disease. If this applies to you, mention it to your doctor; it is a common question and nothing to be ashamed of.

How many calories does a man need to lose weight?

A man needs fewer calories than he burns to lose weight, but a heavier man burns a lot. That is good news: most men can lose weight while still eating proper meals.

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the standard formula in many clinics, estimates how much energy your body uses at rest. Heavier, taller and younger men use more.

Daily movement adds on top of that. Our calorie calculator does the sum for you.

The table below gives rough examples for a man aged 45 and 180 cm tall. These are estimates for illustration, not targets. Your own needs may be several hundred calories higher or lower.

Two things stand out. First, a man at 125 kg who walks a little each day may still lose weight on around 2,400 to 2,500 kcal. That is not a starvation diet.

Second, as you lose weight, your needs drop, so the gap gets smaller over time.

How big your gap should be depends on your health, your medicines and how you feel. Our calorie deficit calculator shows the options, and a doctor or dietitian can help you choose. If you have diabetes or take blood pressure tablets, ask your doctor first, because your medicines may need checking as you eat less.

You do not have to count calories forever. Some men like the numbers, others prefer simple rules for plates and portions. Our page on calorie counting helps you decide which suits you.

Weight loss diet for men: what to eat

The best weight loss diet for men is one that fills you up on fewer calories and that you can keep eating for years. The UK review of men’s weight management found that the type of diet mattered less than eating less overall, combined with activity and habit change.

So there is no special “men’s diet”. There are, however, a few changes that tend to make the biggest difference for men.

1. Put protein on every plate. Chicken, fish, eggs, lean meat, beans, lentils, low-fat yoghurt and quark keep you full for longer. A higher protein intake also helps protect muscle while you lose fat. Ideas are on our page on high-protein meals.
2. Cut the liquid calories first. Swapping regular soft drinks, energy drinks and some of the beer for water, sparkling water or zero-sugar drinks is often the easiest big win. Our page on weight loss drinks lists the swaps.
3. Look at alcohol honestly. Alcohol adds calories, loosens food choices and disturbs sleep. Our guide to alcohol and weight loss explains how to cut back without giving up social life.
4. Keep the plate big, change what is on it. Fill half with vegetables, salad or fruit if you like them, a quarter with protein and a quarter with potatoes, rice, pasta or bread. More volume, fewer calories.
5. Plan for the road and the shift. Bring food from home, keep a filling snack in the car or locker, and decide before you walk into the petrol station what you will buy.
6. Eat regular meals. Skipping breakfast and lunch and then eating a huge evening meal makes portions hard to control.

Men often like a plan that is clear and factual. Our free eating plan gives you ready-made days with everyday food, so you do not have to build your own diet from scratch.

Fat burning workout for men who are starting heavy

The best fat burning workout for a man starting out heavy is the one he can repeat several times a week without pain: daily walking first, strength training next. A hard session that leaves you sore for a week burns less over a month than steady, gentle work.

Many men go back to what they remember from school sport or the army: running, push-ups, heavy lifting. With a much heavier body, stiff joints or years of sitting, that often ends in pain or injury. Starting lower is not weakness; it is how you get to the harder stuff safely.

Step 1: walk

Walking is free, low risk and easy to build on. The WHO advises adults to do 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, and every minute counts.

You can start far below that and grow week by week. Our walking for weight loss page has a full plan.

Step 2: add strength

Strength exercise two or three times a week protects your muscles while you lose fat. A review in Advances in Nutrition found that both endurance and strength exercise help keep muscle during weight loss, and that strength training also makes you stronger.

You do not need heavy weights. Sit-to-stand from a chair, wall push-ups, resistance bands and light dumbbells are enough to begin. Our strength training page has a beginner routine.

Step 3: choose your setting

Some men enjoy the gym, others would rather train at home. Both work.

If you like machines, our gym workout for weight loss page explains which ones suit a heavier body. If your knees or back hurt, choose seated or low impact moves without jumping.

Leave your ego at the door. Choose a weight you can move with good form, stop before pain, and finish each set with a little left in the tank. You can always add more next week.

Talk to your doctor first before you start a new exercise routine, especially if you have chest pain, shortness of breath, high blood pressure, diabetes or joint problems. Stop and get help if you feel chest pain, severe breathlessness or dizziness.

What helps men stick with it? What men-only programme trials show

Men stick with weight loss best when the setting feels like theirs: a group of other men, plain facts, a focus on activity, and a place they already care about. The strongest evidence comes from programmes run through football clubs.

In the Football Fans in Training (FFIT) trial, 747 men aged 35 to 65 with a BMI of 28 or more took part. Half joined 12 weekly 90-minute sessions at their club’s stadium, led by the club’s own coaches; the other half waited a year.

After 12 months, the men on the programme had lost almost 5 kg more than the waiting group. About 39 percent of them had lost at least 5 percent of their weight, against 11 percent of the others. Three and a half years later, on average, men were still close to 3 kg lighter than at the start.

What made it work? The programme was designed around how men like to learn:

• men-only groups, in a place they felt loyal to;
• simple science about how weight loss works;
• open talk about alcohol;
• a walking programme that built up step by step;
• humour and banter, which made sensitive subjects easier to discuss.

A larger European follow-up, EuroFIT, tested a similar programme in 15 clubs in England, the Netherlands, Norway and Portugal. A year later the men walked on average about 680 more steps a day than the comparison group, and their weight, diet and wellbeing had also improved.

The UK review found similar themes across many studies. Men preferred fact-based, flexible advice in plain, business-like language, settings outside the doctor’s surgery and a strong focus on physical activity. Fewer men signed up than women, but once in, men were less likely to drop out.

You do not need a football club to use these lessons. A walking partner, a group of colleagues or an online group can give you the same team feeling. Our page on weight loss support groups shows where to find one, and our guide to choosing a weight loss program explains what a good one includes.

Why men ask for help late, and how to start the conversation

Many men put off seeing a doctor until a problem is hard to ignore. A literature review on men’s help-seeking found a clear pattern of delay when men become ill, often explained by traditional ideas about how men should behave, such as coping alone.

That delay costs time. Problems such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar and sleep apnea often cause no symptoms for years, and they are much easier to treat early.

A check-up is not a sign of weakness. It gives you the facts to plan with.

If you are not sure how to bring up your weight, keep it short and practical:

• “I want to lose weight. Can you check my blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol before I start?”
• “I snore and I am tired during the day. Could it be sleep apnea?”
• “Could any of my medicines affect my weight or my energy?”
• “My knees hurt when I walk. What exercise is safe for me?”
• “I have had erection problems lately. Could that be linked to my weight or my heart?”

Write your questions down before the appointment. Our doctor visit checklist covers what to bring and what to ask. If you have ever felt judged about your weight, you have every right to ask for respectful care.

Your first month: a step-by-step start for men

The first month is about building habits you can keep, not about losing as much as possible. Talk to your doctor first, then use the table as a starting point and adjust it to your body and your week.

At the end of the month, check more than the scale. Measure your waist, note how far you can walk, how you sleep and how your trousers fit. Those changes often show up before big numbers on the scale.

Expect some weeks to go better than others. A bad weekend does not undo a good month; start again on the next meal.

If you have a lot of weight to lose, plan for the longer road; our main guide on how to lose weight brings all the steps together.

Free help for men who want to lose weight

Obesity Foundation helps men lose weight and get healthier with good food, suitable exercise and walking. Everything is free, and there is nothing to buy.

• A free eating plan with filling, everyday meals and plenty of protein. Get your free eating plan.
• 150 free workout videos in three levels: Start, Build and Strong. Level Start suits men with a heavier body, sore knees or no recent exercise. Get the workout videos.
• A free video meeting (in English) to talk through your situation and questions with our team. Book your video meeting.
• The free Obesity Foundation Club, with your plan, videos and progress in one place. Join the Club.

We are not doctors, and our advice is general. Before you change your food or start exercising, talk to your doctor first, especially if you have a health condition or take medicines.