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Getting on Track:
Physical Activity and Healthy Eating for Men
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Introduction |
Take a minute to
think about your weight, health, and lifestyle. Are you as fit and
healthy as you would like to be? Do you think you might be carrying a
little too much weight or body fat?
You can get on
track with regular physical activity and healthy eating habits. By
making small changes to your lifestyle, you may become leaner and
energetic.
Keep reading for
tips on how to get on track with healthy habits—chances are,
you will find that it is not as hard as you thought.
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What is a healthy weight?
A
downside of using BMI is that it does not take into account whether
body weight is due to muscle or fat. Therefore, someone who is very
muscular may be thought to have excess fat, even if he has low or
normal body fat. For the vast majority of Americans, though, BMI is a
good way to tell if you have increased health risks due to your weight.
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Body mass index
(BMI) is a tool that is often used to determine if a person is a
healthy weight, overweight, or obese, and whether a person’s
health is at risk due to his or her weight. BMI is a ratio of your
weight to your height. You can refer to the chart below to find your
BMI and see what a healthy weight range is for your height.
A BMI of 18.5 to
24.9 is considered healthy. A person with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is
considered overweight, and a person with a BMI of 30 or more is
considered obese.
Table 1: Body Mass
Index
Another way to
determine if your health is at risk because of your weight is to
measure your waist. Waist measurement does not tell if you are
overweight, but it does show if you have excess fat in your stomach.
You should know that extra fat around your waist may raise your health
risks even more than fat elsewhere on your body. Also, men are more
likely than women to carry their extra weight around their stomach.
Men whose waists
measure more than 40 inches may be at an increased risk for diabetes,
high blood pressure, stroke, and other problems.
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Why do weight and lifestyle matter?
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Being overweight,
obese, or physically inactive may increase your risk for:
- coronary heart
disease
- type 2 diabetes
- high blood
pressure
- stroke
- some types of
cancer, including colorectal and kidney cancer
On the other hand,
being active, eating healthier, and achieving and staying at a healthy
weight may help:
- Improve mood and
energy levels.
- Increase fitness
and strength.
- Improve muscles.
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Getting Fit
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Pick an activity
that you enjoy and will do. This activity should get your heart and
breathing rates up, but is not so tiring that you cannot talk while
doing it.
| Types
of Physical Activity |
Moderate Intensity
- brisk
walking
- weight
training
- recreational
swimming
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Vigorous Intensity
- jogging
- fast-paced
sports, like football
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Tips for Getting Fit
Visit the "ChooseMyPlate" website from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for information on healthy eating and physical activity at http://www.choosemyplate.gov.
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- Start with a
level of activity that feels doable and gradually increase the
frequency, time, and intensity of your exercise. You might begin with
10 minutes of daily activity for the first week, for example, and then
increase your time to 15 minutes a day the next week.
- Work up to an
amount of activity that allows you to reach your goal. It may be 45
minutes a day or it may be 90 minutes a day.
- Activities like
chores, walking up stairs, and playing outside with the kids count too.
- Remember, you do
not have to do 30 minutes of exercise all at once to be healthy.
Instead, you can take three 10-minute walks throughout the day.
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Exercise Your Options
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To get on track and
stay on track, you should try different types of exercises and
activities. The chart below lists several types of physical activity,
provides examples of each, and describes how each activity is good for
you.
Activity |
Examples |
Potential
Benefits |
Aerobic
Exercise |
Walking,
jogging, swimming, biking |
Improves
fitness, burns calories, aids in weight loss, improves mental well-being |
Strength
Training |
Weight
machines, free weights, crunches, push-ups |
Improves
strength, increases muscle size, burns calories, aids in weight loss |
Flexibility/Stretching |
Traditional
stretching, yoga, Tai Chi |
Reduces
injury risk, improves blood flow, helps recovery from muscle soreness |
Sports |
Basketball,
racquetball, tennis, golf (if you walk the course) |
Improves
fitness, strength, and coordination; burns calories; adds variety |
Lifestyle
Activities |
Washing the
car, taking the stairs, mowing the lawn |
Burns some
calories and reduces health risks |
Most men can safely
increase their physical activity without consulting a health care
professional, but men over age 40 and those with a history of coronary
heart disease or diabetes, should speak with a health care professional
before starting a vigorous exercise program.
A
Healthy Eating Plan = A Variety of Foods
- whole
grains
- vegetables
- fruits
- lean meats
and seafood
- low-fat or
fat-free milk products
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Eating
Smart |
- Eating smart may
improve your health and your waistline.
- You can also
improve your eating habits by adjusting portion sizes and still enjoy
delicious foods and an occasional treat.
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Easy Tips for Eating Smart
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- Sneak in fruits
and vegetables. Add berries to your cereal or crunchy vegetables to
your sandwich.
- Be aware of what
you drink as well as what you eat. Sodas, sports drinks, and juices may
be high in caffeine or calories, especially from sugar. Choosing water
and other low-calorie drinks may help you reduce extra calories and
control your weight.
- Do not overdo it
with alcohol. Alcohol can be a major source of hidden calories. A
single shot of liquor, about 2 ounces, has about 125 calories. A
5-ounce glass of wine or a 12-ounce glass of beer has 160 calories.
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Keeping Portions Under Control
Pay attention to the serving sizes listed on Nutrition Facts labels. For
example, the label on a loaf of bread may list nutritional information
for one slice. But if you eat two slices in a sandwich, you have eaten
double the calories, fat, and other nutrients.
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In addition to what you eat, how much you eat also affects your weight. The pictures below give you an idea
of what portion sizes look like for some foods. Try to
“eyeball” your portion sizes using everyday
objects—it may help you control how many calories you consume. |
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Serving Sizes = Everyday Objects
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1 cup of
cereal = a fist |
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1/2 cup of
cooked rice, pasta, or potato = 1/2 baseball |
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1 baked
potato = a fist |
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1 medium
fruit = a baseball |
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1/2 cup of
fresh fruit = 1/2 baseball |
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1 1/2 ounces
of low-fat or fat-free cheese = 4 stacked dice |
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1/2 cup of
ice cream = 1/2 baseball |
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2 tablespoons
of peanut butter = a ping-pong ball |
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Eating slowly or
eating from a smaller plate may help you control how much you eat.
Before you reach for a second helping, stop and ask yourself if you are
still truly hungry. When you eat out, try splitting a meal or dessert
with a friend or significant other, or taking half of your meal home in
a take-out container. You may save big on calories, and it is tough to
beat two meals for the price of one.
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Achieving Your Goals
Goals
should be realistic and specific, so set yours carefully. Running a
marathon is likely not the best goal for someone just starting to get
in shape. Similarly, a goal such as “eating
healthier” may not be helpful because it is too vague. |
Set
the Course
Focus on what you
want to achieve in the short-term and over the long run. An example of
a short-term goal might be to replace soda with water for a week. A
good long-term goal might be to walk or run at least three times a week
in preparation for an upcoming charity walk or fun run.
Expect
Roadblocks
Everyone runs into
roadblocks sometimes, so expect them, think of ways to overcome them,
and get back on your feet if they set you back. Common roadblocks
include:
- loss of
motivation
- lack of time
- an upcoming
vacation
To manage or
overcome a setback:
- Find a workout
partner to boost your motivation.
- Try exercising
at lunch if you are short on time in the evening.
Chart
Your Progress
To track your
efforts, simply jot down your physical activity or healthy eating
choices for the day in a small notebook. Several websites also offer
online physical activity and nutrition trackers for this purpose. See
the “Additional Resources” section at the end of
the brochure for more information about these websites.
Stay
Motivated
Setting goals may
boost your motivation to eat smart and stay active. But you may need
more sources of inspiration—so set rewards along with your
goals. Examples might be new workout clothing after you complete a week
of regular workouts, or buying a new CD when you lose 5 pounds.
Finally, try asking
friends or family members to join you in eating healthier and being
more active. Healthy choices become easier when everyone is working
toward similar goals.
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The Big Picture
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Being more active
and eating better are two of the best ways you can take care of
yourself. Other ways to improve your physical and mental health include:
- Getting adequate
sleep.
- Quitting smoking.
- Reducing alcohol
intake.
By rewarding
yourself with a fit and healthy lifestyle, you are taking control of
your future and setting an example that your family and friends can
follow. That is really something to take pride in.
* Participants in clinical trials can play a more active role in their
own health care, gain access to new research treatments before they are
widely available, and help others by contributing to medical research.
For more information about current studies, visit http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov.
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Additional Reading From the Weight-control Information Network
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Just
Enough for You: About Food Portions. August 2006
Tips
to Help You Get Active. April
2006
Weight
Loss for Life. July 2006
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Additional Resources
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American
Heart Association
Just Move
This website features a free online physical activity tracker.
Internet: http://www.justmove.org/ 
Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
Health Information for Men
These web pages offer information on a variety of men’s
health topics.
Internet: http://www.cdc.gov/men
Phone: 1–800–311–3435
National
Diabetes Education Program
Diabetes and Obesity Information
The National Diabetes Education Program provides information and offers
a recipe and meal planner guide.
Internet: http://www.yourdiabetesinfo.org
Phone: 1–888–693–NDEP (1–888–693–6337)
National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Aim for a Healthy Weight
This website includes a “Portion Distortion” quiz
and BMI assessment tool.
Internet: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/
Phone: 301–592–8573
U.S. Department of
Agriculture
ChooseMyPlate
This interactive website provides dietary and physical activity guidelines and interactive tools.
Internet: http://www.choosemyplate.gov
Toll-free: 1–888–779–7264
U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services
2008 Physical
Activity Guidelines for Americans
This website provides helpful information and recommendations for
fitting physical activity into your life.
Internet: http://www.health.gov/PAGuidelines
Inclusion of
resources is for information only and does not imply endorsement by
NIDDK or WIN.
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Weight-control
Information Network
1 WIN Way
Bethesda, MD 20892–3665
Phone: 202–828–1025
Toll-free number: 1–877–946–4627
Fax: 202–828–1028
E-mail: win@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/
The Weight-control
Information Network (WIN) is a service of the National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National
Institutes of Health, which is the Federal Government’s lead
agency responsible for biomedical research on nutrition and obesity.
Authorized by Congress (Public Law 103–43), WIN provides the
general public, health professionals, the media, and Congress with
up-to-date, science-based health information on weight control,
obesity, physical activity, and related nutritional issues.
Publications
produced by WIN are reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside
experts. This publication was also reviewed by John M. Jakicic, Ph.D.,
Chair, Department of Health and Physical Activity, and Director,
Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center, University of
Pittsburgh.
This publication is
not copyrighted. WIN encourages users of this brochure to duplicate and
distribute as many copies as desired.
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
NIH Publication No.
09–6272
December 2008 |
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