It's OK! You're not alone. There's a lot of misinformation out there, and just the idea of starting a health and fitness plan after years of a sedentary lifestyle can seem daunting.
But it doesn't have to be overly strenuous, restrictive, or turn your life upside down!
You've probably heard all the statistics of why belly fat is extremely detrimental to our bodies. You've started wearing shirts at the beach and possibly moved up a size in pants.
If you've started to accept the fact that you have belly fat, you need a wake-up call.
Men over 40 do not have to have belly fat! It's as simple as that.
If you have 20-30 pounds of fat that you want to lose, listen up. All you need to do to start losing weight is decide you want to and commit to the process.
In this article, you'll find the tools you need to start losing weight — and how to keep it off.
We'll teach you:
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- How to change your diet — and we don't mean by just eating ‘rabbit food.'
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- How to make simple changes to your daily routine that will lead to major health improvements.
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- How to build a mindset of commitment and positivity.
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- How to create healthy habits and stick to them.
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- And more!
But before we get into all that, check out this video that shows you EXACTLY how men’s weight loss REALLY works.
Welcome To The Fit Father Project – Your New Nutrition and Workout Resource!
At the Fit Father Project, we specifically help busy men over 40 get back in shape by offering free information and resources on our website, backed up with our Fit Father 30X (FF30X) Program.
This article will teach you how to start losing weight, but we're here to help you make a whole slew of healthy and sustainable lifestyle changes that will last.
Everything we do here at the Fit Father Project aims to simplify eating and exercise for you, so you can get in great shape and stay strong and healthy for your family — without any unnecessary complications.
Sound good? Good. Let's dive in!
How To Start Losing Weight: 4 Steps To Long-Term Success
1. Change Your Diet
The word “diet” does not always have positive connotations. Here's how a lot of men define the word:
Diet (noun, verb): The action of restricting what, when, and how you eat — essentially depriving yourself of the good stuff — for the goal of (hopefully) slimming down.
If this is how you think of dieting, get ready for a good surprise!
We have developed a free 1-day meal plan that is delicious, unrestrictive, and EFFECTIVE.
Here's our secret: We don't base our meal plan around what you cannot eat and confine you to broccoli, chicken, and rice on repeat.
Here at the Fit Father Project, we have a very simple and straightforward healthy eating strategy that we call the Perfect Plate. Using our Perfect Plate method is simple and doesn't take much planning. It's basic but effective; here's everything you need to know about it.
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- Half of each plate should be vegetables, particularly lower-calorie, non-starchy ones (remember, green is good).
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- One-fourth of each plate should be nutritious, protein-rich foods (turkey, chicken, lean beef, tuna).
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- One-fourth of each plate should be fiber-rich carbohydrates (sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa).
Also, be sure to mix in healthy fats at each meal, consume three servings of dairy foods or plant-based alternatives (plant milk or plant-based yogurt) daily, and eat about two servings of fruit each day.
This method is perfect for men at any stage of weight loss because it can be completely customized to your food intake. As you start to slim down and “cut,” you can start to limit your portion sizes. But when you're just starting out, it's so important that you simply eat nutritional meals.
Here’s A Free Weight Loss Meal Plan For Busy Men 40+
Discover exactly what to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to lose belly fat & feel energized 24/7 without hard dieting...
2. Change Your Routine
Like with your diet, your exercise routine should gradually get more challenging as you move through the weight loss process. For men just starting out, the initial challenges can seem like too much.
But you don't have to spend hours in the gym or slog away on a treadmill!
So many excellent exercise routines exist — from HIIT workouts to full-body dumbbell routines and so much more — many of which can be done in minutes from the comfort of your home!
First, you need to identify where you are in your weight loss journey.
If you don't currently work out or go to a gym, start with integrating a walk or jog around your neighborhood every morning. This is a great way to form a new habit of fitness and gear your body up for more intense exercise.
If you are a little further along, look into our 24-minute fat-burning workout. This full-body workout only requires a set of dumbbells and five feet of floor space.
If you're not sure what type of exercise you'll enjoy and want to commit to, check out our fitness archives or our YouTube Channel. You're sure to find some exercises you enjoy that will help you find your groove!
Remember, as you start integrating exercise into your routine, it is a marathon, not a sprint. Never push yourself too far in the beginning. This will only result in injury and frustration.
Find a rhythm that works for you and monitor your weight loss through the weeks.
Check out these 5 simple steps on how to start working out at home!
3. Change Your Mindset
In order to lose weight, you need a mindset of commitment and positivity.
Like any challenge in life, you will hit obstacles in your weight loss journey. This is inevitable, and you can't always control it.
What you can control is how you respond!
With crazy schedules and a demanding job, you may not be able to work out at the same time every single day. What is important is that you actively find time to work out every week, no matter how you fit it in.
There are so many ways to do this!
Try biking to work if you live close enough. If it's your job to take your son to soccer practice, stay and work out in the next field over instead of leaving or sitting in your car. Include your wife or partner in your workout routine, as they're usually your best source of motivation.
There is NO excuse to ignore your health.
As I learned with my father, many realize it's a priority when it's too late.
Here are the 10 BEST weight loss mindsets that you can have to achieve your weight loss goals!
4. Change Your Habits
Building good habits is the foundation of a successful weight loss story.
Think about it — the easiest choices to make in life come out of habit.
Habits are the secret weapon for men to begin to lose weight.
Whether you shower in the morning or evening or park in the driveway or the street in front of your house, these choices come naturally, without any thought.
The best thing you can do when you start to lose weight is to form good, healthy habits.
Since you know that habits are actions that you repeat until they become second nature, then all you have to do to create a good habit is to repeat good behaviors.
Sounds pretty easy, right?
The challenge is following through. Think about what you struggle with the most in your fitness journey and start with one goal.
This might be eating the correct nutrients or making time for exercise.
Any habit can be made with the right amount of time and commitment!
Learn about 9 of the most common bad daily habits! How many of these are you doing?
Get Started Today!
No matter how many pounds you have to lose, you will be successful if you follow the advice above.
How am I so confident? Because we've helped thousands and thousands of busy fathers just like you lose weight — and keep it off.
Just look at these guys!
They all started where you are now. Today, they are seeing lasting results through perseverance and tools like our 24-minute fat-burning workout and comprehensive weight-loss transformation program.
We encourage you to reach out to our team if you have any questions before starting your weight loss journey.
Remember, you don't have to do this alone!
After watching his own Dad lose his health and pass away at the young age of 42, Dr. Balduzzi founded The Fit Father Project and Fit Mother Project to help busy dads and moms get and stay healthy for their families. Dr. Anthony Balduzzi holds dual degrees in Psychology & Nutrition from the University of Pennsylvania, a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine, and is also a former national champion bodybuilder. He’s is most proud of the fact that he’s helped over 40,000 families in over 100 countries lose weight and get healthy for life.Dr. Anthony Balduzzi, NMD
Men's Health Doctor & Founder
Fit Father Project & Fit Mother ProjectFounder, Fit Father Project & Fit Mother Project
This proven "Fit Father Program" has helped 38,000 busy men 40+ lose weight, rebuild muscle, and finally keep the weight off. If you're frustrated with stubborn belly fat, failed diets, and time-consuming workouts, this is the answer you’ve been looking for…Here’s How Busy Fathers Over 40 Are Finally Burning Stubborn Belly Fat & Getting Healthy Without Restrictive Diets or Time-Consuming Workouts
GET STARTED TODAY ON FF30X
*Please know that weight loss results and health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on how to start losing weight.