Healthy Diet For Men: Guys Guide to Eating Well
Are you trying to make some drastic changes in your lifestyle? Well, it begins with eating healthy. Making sure that your body is getting all the nutrition that it needs may seem like a lot of work.
However, here is a simple guide to a healthy diet for men. The idea is to make healthy eating practical, but more importantly, fun.
Whether it is a wholesome breakfast or healthy dinner ideas for men who rarely cook, this article covers it all.
1. Why do you need a healthy diet for men?
It is a no brainer that healthy meal plans keep your body running like a well-oiled machine. But, for most men, switching to a healthy diet is only associated with either bodybuilding or losing weight. That is far from the truth.
A healthy diet for men transforms your life and offers you the following benefits:
- You feel super energetic and charged up all day.
- The mind is sharper and more attentive to all your tasks.
- Your skin begins to look healthier.
- Healthy food for men keeps your tummy feeling lighter.
- Your immunity improves when you get the right nutrition.
- Common health issues related to men such as testosterone issues, heart diseases, and GERD can be prevented with healthy eating.
- You can keep your weight in check and lead a more active lifestyle.
- Degenerative issues in your bones and joints can be prevented.
2. What does a healthy diet for men include?
Getting the components of healthy meal plans make it easier for you to plan your diet. First, you know the portions of the meal. Second, you can plan your menu easily with the right ingredients.
Healthy meals for men should comprise of the following:
- 2 to 21/2 cups of fruits and vegetables to get your dose of minerals, vitamins and fiber.
- Half the portion of all grains that you consume in a day should include whole grains like oats, brown rice, millet etc.
- Fiber is crucial for men to prevent issues like prostate cancer or bowel cancer. Men below the age of 50 years need at least 38g of fiber each day.
- lder men need 30g of fiber each day.
- Include various sources of protein each day. The thumb rule is to get 1g of protein for every kilo of body weight.
- Healthy fats from foods like nuts, fish, cold-pressed plant based oils etc.
3. Best men’s diet that is realistic with easy meals
If a healthy diet for men is complex, it is harder to stick to. In other words, here is a plan that you can actually follow long enough to see results.
Get your calories in place: When looking for healthy meals to cook, it does not mean you have to count every calorie. However, you need to make sure that your body is getting enough to stay fuelled.
Men require 2200 to 2800 calories each day, depending on their body structure and activity levels. Get these calories from nutritious sources, and you are already halfway there.
Start early, stop early: When you are planning a healthy diet for men, you must start eating as early as half an hour after you wake up and stop eating two hours before bedtime. First, this optimizes the absorption of all the healthy meals you are eating. Second, planning meals in a specific window of time is much easier.
Break your meals down: Try to include at least six meals in your plan. This is what it ideally looks like:
Pre-breakfast- Any fruit or a bunch of dry fruits to start the day. A simple smoothie is also a great idea.
Breakfast- A healthy balance of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. For example, two eggs, two slices of whole-grain bread and some fruits.
Snack- A bowl of sprouts, a raw carrot, fruits, yoghurt or a simple fruit or vegetable salad.
Lunch- A balance of carbohydrates, protein, minerals and vitamins. If you are short of healthy lunch ideas, stick with staples like brown rice, whole wheat rotis or pita bread, a portion of roasted or grilled chicken or fish/ paneer for vegetarians and some fresh salad on the side.
Snack- Peanut butter with whole wheat bread, a smoothie or a sandwich.
Dinner- Keep it similar to your lunch. However, if you are trying to lose weight, up the protein content and bring down the carbohydrate portion.
What you’ll find easy: recipes for men for best men’s diet
The next part is the hardest. Of course, we are talking about healthy meals to cook. If you are wondering how to make your life simpler, here are some types of recipes that you must try.
- Single pot recipes: Chuck a bunch of ingredients into a pot and just let them cook. One-pot recipes especially Instant Pot or crockpot ones, are life-savers for men who cannot cook. Look them up on the internet, and you will never run out of healthy lunch ideas or meal ideas.
- Smoothies: A wholesome smoothie is your best friend when you are on the go. The best part about smoothies is that there are no rules. Think of ingredients that you think will go together, blend them and test it out. Keep experimenting.
- Sandwiches: Men and sandwiches are a match made in heaven. What is easier than getting two slices of whole-grain bread and making a filling in between. You can go crazy with different kinds of meat, vegetables, dressings and occasionally, some jam, chocolate spread or peanut butter.
- Food bowls: You can get great healthy dinner ideas with food bowls. These food bowls include all the healthy components of a meal and are super-easy to put together.
- Salads: An all-time favorite for a healthy diet for men is a salad bowl. All you need is some veggies, a few pieces of meat if you like, a dressing or vinaigrette and some cheese to top it off. Then, just toss them together and enjoy a great meal.
When your diet includes healthy meals, you look and feel a lot younger. Now, all you need to do is get started.
