Ladies, how often are you drowning your sorrows away in salad while the men at the table next to you are eating pizza, burritos, and subs? I used to be that girl, sitting in the cafe, making love to salad thinking that’s all I’m allowed if I wanted to stay slim. I deprived myself of everything that wasn’t sliced turkey, chicken, fish, and salad. I was successful at losing 15 lbs, but I gained it faster than I lost it and put on an extra 10 lbs. I was constantly hungry, never satisfied, and began to pick up the habits that I noticed my male friends lived by.
We all know that men are born with certain physical advantages that help prevent weight gain. We can’t change that biology. Since picking up these manly habits after reaching my weight loss goals I have maintained the best physical shape of my life for two years.
1. Avoid the crash diet
Photo by Tamara Katoni
We tend to be turned on to the latest bikini body diet because it is a 30-day routine. We want to look hot in that sexy black dress. Weight loss actually lasts longer when weight melts off at a slow pace. Men are not as obsessed with losing weight fast. It often happens men aren’t even trying to lose weight. It just happens.
2. Eat a lot
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Our tendency is to eat small portions less frequently; therefore, we are left unsatisfied. Before you know it, we end up shocking our system and eat even more than we should later. Even worse, we turn to sugar. To avoid that, start your day with a big meal.
3. Order steak and eat it too
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When we are at a restaurant “being healthy,” we automatically think of salad. Get rid of that assumption. How many times have you had a big salad with all of your favorite toppings and an hour later you’re starving? A lean cut of steak and potatoes will be far more satisfying than a pile of leaves with salad dressing.
4. Swap a girly drink for a beer
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Beer is quite filling. You will automatically eat less after one or two beers. There is not much fat in beer. Think of all the calories that come with a margarita or some other girly cocktail. Diet soda is far worse than beer, thanks to all of its added chemicals. Cocktails and wine are proven to make you eat more because of the added and natural sugar.
5. Drink a lot of water while you work out
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Have you ever noticed the gallons of water that men carry around at the gym? We are supposed to be drinking a lot of water anyway. Get yourself a BIG water bottle, it can still be pink.
6. Hit that weight room floor
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Ladies, we need to step up our game. Men have more muscle mass; therefore, they can burn more calories. Men already obsess over weight training, which is why they burn calories at rest like crazy. Katie Heimburger, an exercise physiologist in Atlanta, shares that weight training is extremely beneficial for women. Keep doing cardio, but add some strength training.
7. Eat protein between bread
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Roast Beef Sandwich. Meatball Sub. Chicken Burrito. Steak. Beef Hamburger. Most men love meat. These meaty selections provide great protein, helping with satiety and muscle building. These will all be far more satisfying than salad, yogurt, and those homemade flourless oat clusters you made ahead of time.
8. Step away from Lean Cuisine
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Most of those frozen “healthier choice” dinners are a bunch of nonsense. Those things do not satisfy me one bit. They are way too small. Give a glance at the sodium content on them. YIKES. You might as well splurge in some nachos with the rest of the guys.
9. Pizza can still be a part of your life
Photo by Megan Peterson
Never deprive yourself of your favorite things. We are quick to “diet” and deprive ourselves, and that does nothing but lead to disastrous overeating. If I deprived myself of pizza, you best know that the next time I take one bite, the entire pie will go straight to my thighs. Focus on habits, not the D-word (diet).