Men-Only Strategies for Weight Loss

Some great points, I think it depends on the person, but maybe for the group those comments are true. I know I am a guy and I tend to emotionally eat, but I don't think most guys do.

My partner emotionally eats - although he wouldn't say he does. If he's had a bad day at work he grabs a packet of chips, a beer, and a bag of jelly beans and plonks down to watch TV. If you ask him he's just kicking back and relaxing... in my opinion quite a few guys are not good at connecting the dots between their emotions and what they do. So there may be more emotional eaters out there, but they don't recognise their behaviour or motivation.

Thought-provoking post. Now that I think about it, you are correct - men seem to have different reasons for eating unhealthy food and/or overeating than women.

Also, some men seem to thrive on tracking calories or exercise output or whatever. Maybe that's just another way of "keeping score" - like you say, they tend to be more competitive about losing weight. Great post!

True about #4. "badge of honor", despite they're having health problem. Certainly true that both genders can learn a thing or two from each other.

Good points.

One thing I had noticed a few years ago, too, and that still seems to hold true when I talk with men, is their take on exercise vs. food. When people want to lose weight, most women I know immediately think about counting calories and 'cutting back', while most men I know immediately think 'I have to exercise more'. I don't know if it's like this in general or if I just happen to know people who think differently, but somehow I think it's closer to the first case.

Clearly this was written by a female. Good grief, men do not ware their weight like a badge of honor that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Just because men do not publicly moan and groan about their weight like women do doesn’t mean we do not feel bad/disappointed in our appearance.
It would be great if once in awhile weight issue could be truly geared toward men and not a snippet like this written from a woman’s perspective, which couldn’t be more wrong. Men suffer in the same way women do about their weight lost problems, but like most predominantly female issues (like weight loss) men are lumped into the caveman group and stereotyped so there are very few outlets for really good info that are truly from a male perspective.

The only 'tactic' that works for fat loss (please STOP saying "weight loss") is a caloric deficit.

If you aren't in a caloric deficit, all the 'tactics' in the world aren't going to do a damned thing.

The idea that men and women need different approaches to drop body fat is preposterous and completely without scientific merit.

I disagree; it is all about weight loss. There is no magic pill or supplement, which will make overweight folks change why they eat too much. Over eating is both an emotional and physical problem and those of us who are overweight know we need to eat less and move more to lose weight. It is a numbers game. The simple fact is that it is less food intake and more physical activity and most people will lose weight. Is the mechanics of weight loss simple, yes! Is it easy, hell no!

My partner is in his 40's and probably about 40 or 50lbs. overweight. I have only been seeing him for six months, and right before I met him I lost 25 lbs. Now I am at a healthy weight, watch what I eat, and get out and walk as much as I can. He goes walking with me, but could care less about his diet. I love him how he is, but from a health perspective I know his weight isn't doing him any favors. Any ideas about how I can approach this subject without offending him or sounding like I'm nagging? I think he knows he should lose weight but he is very stubborn about what he will and won't eat. p.s. I don't think he is proud of his belly hanging out, but has the "if you don't like me how I am then too bad" attitude.

I loved this post!

Barry, the post was not saying that men & women need different approaches to weight loss. It was saying that studies show they take different approaches to weight loss & that some things work for men that don't for women & vice versa.... Like the betting on weight loss stuff. Yes, some women like to do this type of challenge but men seem to like it more.

And, as much as I hate to admit it, I have seen thru the years that women are more emotional eaters then men. Yes, men can be too but it is more prevalent in women OR at least they are more likely to admit it!

Also, I do see that women are more willing to read labels & get the info then men. Again, there are men that do this but I have seen it is more a women thing.

And yes, biology does matter. I know people like to poo poo this at times & especially men, but until you stand in a women's shoes & deal with the biology of it all, the hormones and the changing hormones all thru the years, ya just will not get it. And yes, more lean muscle tissue means you burn more calories at rest and in general... that is why weight training is a big part of my exercise program along with the health benefits.

And yes, you need a calorie deficit to lose weight but again, all studies show that people that create that calorie deficit to lose weight in combination with exercise are more likely to reach their weight loss goals & keep the weight off. BUT, the resistance training is needed to create muscle, encourage fat loss & the muscle burns more calories.

Interesting points. My husband has gained about 25 lbs since we got married and he's borderline obese. Of course, he doesn't see it that way. He could care less that he's got a tummy because to him, I'm the only one seeing it now, so why should he try to impress people?

And it's totally true that men either don't care to learn about nutrition or just don't think it's that important. My husband has a very warped idea of what's "healthy" and what isn't. He doesn't really eat vegetables unless they are chopped up so finely that you can't see them and thinks meat of any type is the best food out there. Ask him to name a food that's rich in vitamin A or calcium and he'd draw a total blank.

And I think that men DO emotionally eat, but it's in a different way than women do. My husband will down a whole frozen pizza and 4 beers in one sitting while he's trying to figure out things on his computer. Or he'll grab a bag of chips and eat the whole thing while doing something stressful. He definitely gravitates toward different comfort foods than I would, though...he's not a sweets guy; he'd prefer to eat pizza, cheese sticks, hot dogs, casseroles, chips, etc. over cake or cookies.

Got me! Your partners/husbands are pigs that have no self image and have caught the bus so there is no reason to keep trying – I get it!

Men suffer with the same issues as women do it just manifest itself in different ways. As a man who has been married for 28 years nothing would make me happier or be more helpful to me in my goal to lose weight than my wife working with me to reach that goal.

Too often we treat strangers with more kindness than those we spend our lives with. Instead of judging your partner how about treating them like you would a girlfriend in your weight loss group. Not going to happen is it – nope it’s not! We use adversarial tactics with our partners and set unrealistic expectations and then wonder why they are not the person we want them to be.
Later Phil D

The bottom line is that men and women gain fat when they eat too much. And both men and women lose weight when they eat a calorie-deficit. Whether that weight is fat or not depends largely on the type of exercise they do.

I am a 40 year old man who is border line obese. I used to be incredibly athletic. I have tried and tried to lose weight. I exercise, I eat a variety of healthy foods and to be truthfull a lot of unhealthy food too. I am stressed out because of work, bills, age, etc. I notice that the more stressed I am the more I eat. I have been to the dr. this year and according to my blood and his assessment I am healthy. But, I wiegh 210-220 on most given days when everything I read says I should only wiegh 175-180. I hate the way I look. I hate the sore knees and feet. I think that it is all because of my weight.

I don't really have a problem exercising regularly but I do with the diet stuff. I have tried to lower my calorie intake and I have been successful over short periods of time but I always slip back to my old eating habits because I feel like I am starving all of the time. It makes me miserable and in turn I make everyone else in my house miserable too.

I totally get exercise more, eat less but it seems like the more intensely I exercise the hungrier I get. I need help bad. I don't want to be fat but I don't want to be unhappy all of the time either.