We’re all made a little differently, but only a little. When it comes to what we put in our bodies, there’s a lot of common ground around what we should and shouldn’t be eating. Obesity affects 42% of American adults, so it’s pretty clear that people are having issues with what contributes to a healthy men’s diet.

A healthy diet is a foundation on which you can build your best “non-dadbod” life. We’re here to take away the dread from the word “diet.” In this article, we’ll take a look at how you can sustain healthy eating long-term, enjoy what you eat, and get in the best shape of your life.

How Many Calories Should You Eat for Your Body Weight?

Every man has different caloric needs. This varies depending on your weight and your level of physical activity. Fortunately, the equation to work out how much food you should be eating remains the same.

Here’s how to work out how many calories you should be consuming daily.

First, you need to calculate how many calories you need to consume to maintain your current body weight. Start by taking your body weight. For this example, let’s say you weigh 200 lbs.

If you live a sedentary life and don’t currently exercise, you can multiply this by 10. This means you need 2,000 calories to maintain your current weight.

If you work out once or twice a week, then multiply it by 12 (2,400 calories). If you work out 2-4 times a week then multiply it by 14 (2,800 calories). And finally, if you’re a super active male and you’re working out five or more times a week, then you can multiply your weight by 16 (3,200 calories).

That’s right! The more you exercise the more you get to eat. However, this is just what you need to maintain your current weight. If you’re looking to lose those unwelcome layers of fat from your midriff, then you’re going to need to put yourself in a calorie deficit.

This is easy to work out, but perhaps not so easy to apply. A general rule of thumb is to eat 500 calories fewer than your maintenance calories every day. So if you’re working out six times a week and you need to eat 3,200 calories to maintain your weight, then drop that down to 2,700 and you’re well on your way to saying goodbye to your dadbod.

What You Should Be Eating

Not all calories are made equal. Now that you know how much you should be eating, it’s time to get a solid grasp on what you should be eating.

Healthy eating involves a balanced and healthy diet that provides your body with all the nutrients it needs to function at its best.

Lean Protein

Protein is the building block of the human body. Not getting enough of it will cause weakness, fatigue, and muscle wasting, and can even cause you to lose the last of that precious hair on your head.

You can use this free protein calculator to work out how much you should be eating. We recommend using the upper end of the CDC recommendation, meaning that protein should make up about 30% of your dietary intake. This will accommodate all the exercises you’re about to include in your new “non-dadbod” life.

Some proteins are better than others. You want to stay away from processed meats like hot dogs and bacon because they contain a lot of sodium and saturated fats. Instead, fuel your body with lean sources of protein such as:

• Lean beef
• Skinless poultry
• White-fleshed fish
• Egg whites
• Shrimp
• Bison
• Low-fat milk
• Low fat cottage cheese
• Beans and lentils
• Tofu

As you can see, there are plenty of good protein choices to help make up a varied and healthy diet. Try to avoid processed and grain-fed meats where possible to reduce your saturated fat intake.

Carbohydrates and Fat

We know what you’re thinking. There are so many men’s diets that propose a fat and carbohydrate way of life. So many so-called nutritionists tell you that carbohydrates and fats will make you fat. Well, we’re here to tell them to pipe down.

Fats and carbohydrates are an essential part of a healthy diet. They provide the body with energy, maintain cell integrity, and help the body to absorb vitamins and minerals. Fats help to protect your organs, and carbohydrates are going to fuel all those workouts you’re planning on doing.

You just have to make sure you’re eating the right ones. Try to stick to unprocessed carbohydrates and unsaturated fats.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are responsible for carrying out several functions within the human body. They can fight off disease, help to keep your immune system healthy, balance your mood and even protect your brain. People who eat a well-balanced diet consisting of plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, and nuts will get all the vitamins and minerals they need.

Some of the most important vitamins and minerals for men include:

• Zinc
• Magnesium
• Vitamin B
• Vitamin D
• Calcium
• Potassium
• Folate
• Vitamin C

It can be difficult working out just how much of these vitamins and minerals you are getting daily, so make sure you’re incorporating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and nuts into your healthy meal plan.

These Don’t Belong in Men’s Diet

Once you know what you need to be eating, it’s time to start saying goodbye to the food choices that no longer serve you. Truth be told, they never did.

First things first: ditch the sugar. Your body already makes glucose from the carbohydrates you eat for energy, so there is no need to be adding sugar to your diet. There are plenty of natural sugars in fruits too, so ditch anything with added sugar, stop drinking soda, and stop adding sugar to your cereal and morning coffee.

Next comes the processed stuff. The easiest way to do this is to eat fresh. It might mean learning how to cook, but if you’re a grown man, you should be able to cook. If it comes pre-made in packaging, it’s probably laced with sodium, trans fats, sugar, and other things that are designed to make food taste better and last longer.

It’s also time to ditch refined carbohydrates like white bread and white pasta. Refined carbohydrates are products made from grains, but they have been stripped of fiber, bran, and nutrients.

They give you all the negatives of foods with a high glycemic index, meaning they will mainly get converted into sugar. And they do so while providing you with next to no nutritional value.

Eating for the Long Term

If you’re used to eating unhealthily, then suddenly cleaning up your act might feel like taking on too much. It’s okay to gradually phase out the bad stuff and introduce the good men’s diet, but the quicker you do it, the quicker you get to say goodbye to your “dadbod.”

Remember, this is how humans should eat, and making these changes now is an investment in your future health and well-being.

If you’re serious about living the best “non-dadbod” life possible and using healthy eating and exercise as your pathway to feeling awesome, then contact us today to find out how we can help.