Interviewing men about their weight is interesting, and when given the chance to talk, I find them surprisingly open. Men talk about weight in totally different terms to women because they have less emotional vocabulary.
Women are inundated with images of perfection and just looking at a slim woman can make many women feel jealous. Young men are now also influenced by images they see in advertising, magazines and films and they too want to look toned and trim. Men are becoming more aware of the weight issue and those over fifty naturally start to think seriously about their health. Men look for physical evidence and they notice their weight when confronted by the facts. When buying trousers, do they need a bigger size? Is their belly sitting over their belt? As male obesity rates soar, the body image of men is now creating pressure. One man that I interviewed said that his boss had asked him to lose weight as his size was not presenting the right corporate image!
Most men that I spoke to did not talk directly about anxiety over weight but would say that they needed to go to the gym more often, or that their wife wanted them to lose weight. Very often men do not get the support they need. They find it difficult to discuss their anxieties because they feel it is not a manly thing to be discussed. A young man told me that because he was bigger, he was picked upon at school. Unwilling to take part in sports because of his size, he felt that his confidence was low.
It is just as important for men to realize that men come in all shapes and sizes, just like women. There is no perfect shape, but it is important to take care of yourself, starting with small steps. Small steps lead to great results. If you are concerned about your weight, seek the advice of a doctor or dietician who will not judge you, but will guide you towards good health. You can email me for a free copy of my Healthy Eating Guide at [email protected]
Recipe of the Week
Red Snapper with Garlic
Serves 6
Ingredients
10 g unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dry vermouth
2 red snapper steaks
Method
Melt butter in a heavy non-reactive saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and sauté until garlic just turns golden. Add vermouth and season with black pepper to taste. Turn on broiler. Arrange fish on broiler pan and brush with seasoned butter. Broil 10 cm from heat source 10-15 minutes, or until fish is opaque. Serve with remaining seasoned butter.
Ask Alva
Q: During the past three years I started gaining weight which shot up to 95 kilos. Before gaining weight I used to have a balanced personality and my waist never reached 33 inches. Currently my waist is 44 inches. I purchased a treadmill 3 months back and started walking 4 – 5 kilometers a day but despite this I do not feel any change in my body. Instead I feel uneasy and am worried about my bulky appearance. As I am very conscious about my personal appearance I would like to know if I am doing things the right way. Mohammed
Good for you! While walking is certainly a good form of exercise, you would need to walk at approximately 6.5 kph for an hour to burn off around 90 calories. 4,000 steps a day is the minimum you should be taking to have a positive impact on your health. 10,000 steps per day would make you fit and contribute to weight loss. You can measure your steps by buying a pedometer and attaching it to your belt. You really need a combination of exercise and healthy eating to begin the process of losing weight — just walking and doing my mini-morning workout are only going to have a minimal effect on your weight loss. You need to think about high-energy exercises like jogging or skipping. My best advice to you is to aim to lose 4 kilos a month on a regular basis. Certainly there is no reason why you should not recover that figure you had three years ago!
