weight loss for guys?

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honeysprinkles
honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've lost 35lb. so far pretty much just from eating at a deficit. I do cardio pretty regular and weights only occasionally, but it's working fine for me. My fiance wants to lose about 20lbs to get in better shape and I want to help him but I don't know if what works for me will be the best approach for him too so I need some advice. He doesn't have a lot of interest in fitness and spending a lot of time working out or anything like that. Ideally, he just needs a plan that would allow him to lose 20lbs of mostly fat while maintaining his current muscle mass (and hopefully not losing much of it but obviously not gaining any at a deficit). Does anyone have any advice for how to do this and what he should do differently, as a male, than I do?

He's currently 5'10 and 180lb (and 20 years old if that helps). He doesn't work out or do any sort of strength training currently and it's not something that he has a lot of interest in. We have a gym at our apartment that he would probably go to a few times a week with me that has weights, machines, and a cardio section.

I really need some advice and opinions from the male perspective, so anything is really appreciated! :)

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  • honeysprinkles
    honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
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    bump! I need advice!
  • MetilHed
    MetilHed Posts: 101 Member
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    Pretty much works the same for all of us : ) It may be somewhat easier for men, and at age 20 should be pretty easy.

    Defecit = weight loss. More exercise= more defecit.

    If you can drag him to the gym a few days a week, he should be good to go. Make sure he eats plenty of protein for sparing his lean body mass (same for everyone of course, man or woman).

    If he gos consistently for awhile and does weight training, he may see results fairly quick that will motivate him to continue and/or become addicted to it : )
  • winf
    winf Posts: 764 Member
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    All exercise burns calories... cardio burns more calories than strength training, but speaking as a guy, pumping iron is a lot more fun than jogging, eliptical or other "girly" exercises and that makes it something that is easier to actually stick with. Honestly, at 5'10 and 180 lbs, serously hitting the weights with a program like starting strength, big beyond belief, or stronglifts combined with a moderate calorie deficit would be more than enough to go from pudgy to built. Strength training helps change your physique and build, lowers your bodyfat %, even if the numbers on the scale dont chage a whole lot. At 20 it is a hell of a lot easier to make "noob gains" weightlifting then it is for someone who is 30, so now is the time to get on it!
  • boxbert8
    boxbert8 Posts: 2
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    I see the answers you received so far are concentrating on exercise, even though you said he is not interested in that sort of thing. Well I had not been very interested in exercise either, but I have been successful at losing weight and getting in better shape for 6 months now. So here's the easy plan: substitute 2 meals a day with 2 scoops Muscle Milk protein powder mixed with ice water in a blender. He could also use something like Slim Fast, but Slim Fast has a lot of sugar vs. Muscle Milk with high protein. Both have high fiber and that is what will make it satisfying as a meal. If you're members of Costco, they have the Muscle Milk powder in a big jug for a good price.

    Have a small apple at least 5 days a week, and I don't mean crappy Red Delicious, I mean something good like Gala, Fuji, or especially Braeburn when you can find them. Have 1/3 Cup sunflower seeds (the kind you crack and spit out the shell) every day. Have a sensible dinner. And finally, go for a walk with him for 15 to 30 minutes every day. After reaching the goal in 3 or 4 months, he can continue substituting 5 meals per week with Muscle Milk to maintain, and continue the sunflower seeds and apples.

    Incidentally, as I have improved my health, I have come to like exercise, and so-called healthy foods which used to taste like dirt to me now taste good. The same may happen with him. If you are successful motivating him with this for a month or so and he's making progress, check out a copy of The Spark by Chris Downie from your local library and have him read the first couple of chapters and see if that gets him going even more.
  • jfan175
    jfan175 Posts: 812 Member
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    I agree with getting him to work out. That alone may give him the motivation to take losing weight more seriously. It has to come from within, you can't be handheld through it.
  • eric5150ii
    eric5150ii Posts: 53 Member
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    One simple approach is to make small changes - we all know that to lose a pound a week it requires a calorie deficit of about 3500 calories. If the is drinking beer and/or soda, switching to water may be an easy way to induce a bit of a deficit. Include a walk in the evening for the two of you around the block or what have you, and he can possibly shed the weight relatively painlessly, albeit over a longer period of time.
  • MikeyPsychee
    MikeyPsychee Posts: 2
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    I concur with all of these suggestions, but my suggestion is to have him use MFP to track his calories; but set it to lose no more than 2 lbs per week. This is realistic and he won't be famished. Besides, he only has 20 to lose.
  • Alexdur85
    Alexdur85 Posts: 255 Member
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    My boyfriend has dropped weight before by drinking water instead of his regular Coke. It took him the same amount of time to drop 20lbs as it took me to drop 10.... Men just have it easier I guess :)
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,835 Member
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    Highly unlike that anyone will lose about 10% of their BW from fat only without any resistance training.

    Calorie deficit alone is a great way to lose weight...and end up skinny fat.

    Regular exercise will also help maintain a lower weight.
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
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    Just answering specifically to maintaining LBM when he isn't into lifting weights, he should, at least, do some body weight stuffs, like push ups, pull ups, etc.

    My DH is 34 and recently lost 23 lbs in about 2.5 months, so your BF can definitely do it.
  • honeysprinkles
    honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
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    I concur with all of these suggestions, but my suggestion is to have him use MFP to track his calories; but set it to lose no more than 2 lbs per week. This is realistic and he won't be famished. Besides, he only has 20 to lose.
    He signed up yesterday and he's been following it since then, I'm pretty excited about that because I've brought it up plenty of times (I've been on here since November) and he had no interest before!

    I'm still reading through everyone's replies, but thanks so far to everyone who's answered! I'll probably show him some of them too!
  • honeysprinkles
    honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
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    Just answering specifically to maintaining LBM when he isn't into lifting weights, he should, at least, do some body weight stuffs, like push ups, pull ups, etc.

    My DH is 34 and recently lost 23 lbs in about 2.5 months, so your BF can definitely do it.
    That's good advice. He isn't into getting really built or anything like that, but clearly there are still benefits to incorporating strength training so I'll try to get him interested in that if I can! thanks for the reply!
  • Spartan_Maker
    Spartan_Maker Posts: 683 Member
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    In my view, if he's not interested in strength training or being especially active, the best three things he can do to lose fat while preserving most of his muscle are as follows:

    1. Maintain a reasonable calorie deficit (no more than 500 a day);
    2. Eat 160 grams of protein a day; and
    3. Walk for an hour a day.
  • gregpack
    gregpack Posts: 426 Member
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    Yep, if he's not going to work out, he need slots of protein and not too big a caloric deficit to help maintain muscle mass. A little resistance training would be hugely beneficial, 30 min 3x a week .
  • trevpimp
    trevpimp Posts: 170 Member
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    I would say to not get too slim. Cuz girls need some meat yaddadamean

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