Table of contents:
- Recommended adult male nutritional needs
- Healthy eating portions for men
- Healthy breakfast for adult men
- The ideal lunch for a grown man
- A filling dinner for grown men
- Planning a healthy diet doesn't mean it's boring
Men have different nutritional needs than women, and below we have summarized step by step details for those of you who are planning a healthy diet for better health. Although it can be very tempting to eat high-calorie and high-fat foods, in the end this habit will turn around to make it difficult for you.
The NHS Healthy Eating Guide is designed in such a way as to determine what types of food we should eat and in what portions. But that's not all. Keep reading this article and start planning your healthy diet right now.
Recommended adult male nutritional needs
Men should eat three main meals and three healthy snacks per day. Whether to lose or maintain your weight, you also need to track calories to ensure you burn more energy in one day than you absorb. According to American Heart Association, reported from Everyday Health:
- Men between the ages of 19 and 30 should limit their daily calorie intake to a maximum of 2,400 if inactive, 2,600 if moderately active, and 3,000 if very active.
- Men between 31 and 50 years of age should limit their daily calorie intake to a maximum of 2,200 calories if inactive, 2,400 if moderately active, and 2,800 if very active.
- Men 51 and over should limit their daily calorie intake to 2,000 if inactive, 2,200 if moderately active, and 2,400 if very active.
Healthy eating portions for men
Another key to maintaining the health of your body as an adult man is to eat food in appropriate portions. Use the list of single measurements (per 1 serving) below as a general guide:
- 1 cup of fresh vegetables or fruit
- 1/2 cup starchy vegetables or drained beans
- 1 sheet of white bread
- 1 cup dry cereal or 1/2 cup cooked cereal (oatmeal)
- 1/3 cup rice or pasta
- 1 cup low-fat milk
- 3 ounces of lean red meat, chicken, or fish
Note: 1 cup = 1 tennis ball, and 3 ounces = a deck of playing cards
But, how does this relate to you? Modify your portions with a guide fromPrecision Nutrition to find the right portion for you.
- Carbs (cereal, rice, pasta, tubers) = two cupping your hands
- Protein (meat / chicken / fish / meat alternatives) = two palms of your hands
- Vegetables = your two fists
- Savory snack (popcorn / chips / alternatives) = two cups of your hands
- Cake and bread = 2 of your fingers
- Fat (butter, margarine / butter, and jam) = twice your thumb
The 3-4 meals of the guide above will provide you with 2,500 - 3,000 calories per day.
In general, approximately 2,500 calories should be consumed per day. If you exercise for at least 30 minutes per day, you can lose between 0.5 and 1 kilogram per week with a daily intake of 1,800 calories.
Healthy breakfast for adult men
Adding protein to your breakfast is a great idea to boost your metabolism. If you're the morning exercise type, a high-protein breakfast helps promote muscle recovery and repair. Eggs are an ideal choice because they provide a good balance of protein and good fats, other options include lean cutlets, fish (salmon, cod, haddock, flatfish), as well as low-fat dairy products. Protein foods slow down the gastric emptying process, which means you can be full longer so you are likely to eat fewer calories throughout the day.
Coat your toast with sliced smoked salmon, lean red meat, scrambled egg, or chunks of avocado. If your mornings are a little more relaxed, enjoy a serving of a veggie-filled omelette, or a bowl of granola cereal and skim milk. Add chopped fruit to your cereal or eat it separately. You can make coffee or tea as a companion for breakfast (optional - recommended best time to drink coffee is after 9 am).
By noon before recess, eat a bagel sandwich with a spread of low-fat cream cheese, plain biscuits with peanut butter and banana slices, or a cup of low-fat greek yogurt topped with fruit and honey.
The ideal lunch for a grown man
Mix up the lunch menu with a blend of protein and starch carbohydrates. Empty carbohydrate foods will only supply your body with a temporary supply of energy, so you will feel sleepy more quickly in the afternoons when your body loses energy. The key, choose healthy carbohydrates that support blood sugar balance. That means, stay away from plain bread or a mountain of portions of rice! Swap out a serving of your padang rice for a whole-grains meal that's high in fiber, which will help you stay full longer and snack less frequently in the afternoon - a great way to beat the late afternoon “failing focus” phenomenon.
Choose a whole grain sandwich sandwich covered with shredded beef, salmon, tuna, turkey, or chicken breast, accompanied by a bowl of fresh salad or try the healthy version of kebab: fill a moist tortilla sheet with lean beef or chicken slices along with sliced cucumber, tomato, and salsa or guacamole sauce. Choose brown rice with chicken or fish and a number of vegetables. Drink a glass of real fruit juice (without sugar and milk). Avoid sodas or sugary coffee or creamer.
For snacks, you can choose between a bowl of mixed nuts and seeds, savory popcorn, or dried fruit (raisins, sultanas); a banana or apple slice and peanut butter; or a protein shake paired with your favorite fruit.
A filling dinner for grown men
Contrary to popular belief, don't limit your carbohydrate intake at night. But you also have to be smart to choose which one is good for you. Eat one serving of brown rice or whole-wheat pasta topped with tomato sauce - tomatoes are rich in lycopene which is good for prostate, lung and stomach health. These foods are low in fat, high in fiber, still meet your daily carbohydrate needs, while also preparing your body to relax at night.
Combine them with essential fats your body needs to last through the night for cell growth and repair. You can get essential fats from fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, as well as in nuts. Try to eat white meat (chicken, turkey, fish) as the main menu of your dinner almost every day (eat fish 2 times a week). It's okay to eat red meat, but not more than once a week.
Fill half your dinner plate with a variety of colors - enjoy a choice of vegetables that are made into a salad / steamed / setup with a canola oil or olive oil dressing, add a choice of protein (meat or nuts); with a serving of brown rice, quinoa, or whole-wheat pasta.
Provide plain water or hot tea as a companion for your dinner. Nearing bedtime, it never hurts to snack. Choose half a cup of fat-free yogurt topped with nuts or fruit, or one scoop low-fat ice cream.
Planning a healthy diet doesn't mean it's boring
Planning a healthy diet is only one way to better manage your life. Whether you're in good shape or not, you will almost certainly have health problems and worries.
To stay healthy and keep your body at its best, you need to start eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and do this consistently. It's not an exact science, just about changing your eating habits so you don't turn to potato chips, chocolate, or other "empty" snacks when you're hungry.
However, having a healthy diet does not mean you can no longer indulge yourself in your favorite foods. Once you've gotten used to four weeks of rigorous planning, start introducing one "off" day a week - whether it's a Sunday evening dinner with your partner, or in the middle of the week as a nice escape from work stress. If you spend six days eating healthy (or five, in certain weeks), indulging yourself in a pizza pan, fast food restaurant fried chicken, or burger and fries is no big deal. But still, first and foremost: avoid sugary drinks as much as possible.
