Guys should be specific in how they use workouts to manage their weight and body fat. Here’s what you need to do.
The great news is that, as a man, your body is primed for fat loss and lean muscle. You have plenty of those useful hormones, testosterone and growth hormone. You can eat a decent amount of calories even when you are in a dieting phase. It’s unlikely that you’ll ever need to cut your carbohydrates or calories too low. And you might not have a sweet tooth (which makes dieting a lot easier!)
A good weekly workout structure would be 2, 3, 4 or even 5 weights sessions a week, plus enough cardio to burn calories and create a diet deficit. If you work out twice a week with weights, do a full-body session each time. If you have the time (and recovery capacity) for more, start to break things down into upper and lower, push and pull, or even classic body part splits.
Handpicked content: Why is it harder for some people to lose weight more than others?
Handpicked content: What is cardio?
Not training your biggest muscle groups. When you add strength training into your weight loss workout routine, remember to train legs and back. These large muscle groups burn a lot of calories. Training them will demand a lot of calories. Plus, it will create a bigger, leaner physique as you strip the fat away.
Doing the cardio you think is best, not the cardio you enjoy the most. The very best workout plan in the world is no good to you if you only do it for a week or two. It's best to stick with an exercise and cardio plan that you enjoy enough to do for the long-haul. That will be key to managing your new weight loss and living the leaner lifestyle.
Shop our Sports Nutrition range.