Traditionally dieting and weight loss has been a concern for the ladies. However, this is no longer the case. Men are becoming a lot more aware of their appearance and how it can affect all aspects of their life. So I'm going to take a look at the factors that contribute to weight gain for men.

Fortunately for you guys, you have a head start in the staying slim game comparedt to women due to physiological factors. Here are some of the reasons why:

Higher Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Your BMR is the amount of energy, measured in calories, required to keep the body functioning when at rest, or energy used for physiological processes like breathing, digestion etc. The male basic metabolic rate is 5% to 10% higher than in women of the same weight and height. The higher basic metabolic rate is attributed to differences in body size and body composition. This is why the average calorie intake should be about 2000 for women and about 2500 for men.

Lower body fat percentage compared to women.

The average man has a greater proportion of muscle tissue than the average woman and 50% less body fat. The average man has14% body fat compared to 24% in the average woman. This is because you don't have to go through the whole child bearing process and therefore don't require the extra fat.

The presence of testosterone.

The male hormone, testosterone, acts as an anabolic agent to promote increased muscle mass.

However, despite these factors, men can still gain weight. So let's have a look at reasons for gaining weight.

Increased Energy Intake

If you consume more calories than you expend then the excess will be laid down as fat. 3,500 calories is the equivalent to a pound in fat. Therefore, if you eat an excess of 500 calories a day, then you will gain a pound of fat every week - scary isn't it?

Decreased Energy Expenditure

Similar to the above point really. In today's world of modern conveniences, everybody is less active, including you guys.

If you take into account that men were 'designed' to be physically strong and participate in strenuous physical activity since the dawn of time, then it is understandable that the modern world with its vast array of time- and labour-saving devices, automated transport and sedentary lifestyles, has reduced the amount of physical activity most men do to a fraction of what was once the norm.

So the moral of the story is GET ACTIVE! And there are plenty of fun activities, wink wink!

Alcohol

Men tend to consume more alcohol than females. As boring as it is, if you cut out the booze you will see an improvement in your waistline. Not only is it the actual alcohol itself that leads to the numbers creeping up on the scales but it is the extra food that seem to crave when drinking. I am sure you are all familiar with the munchies after a night out and that kebab stop on the way home from the pub. That said, you can still lose weight by just reducing the amount you drink and making a few subtle changes, such as switching to diet mixers with your spirits. The theory is the clearer the drink the kinder it is - so swap the rum for vodka if you are weight conscious.

Another thought....

As the gap between men becoming financially independent and the time when they settle down is increasing there are more bachelors living alone and having to cook for themselves. This may mean for some of you that you rely on fast food or convenience meals and not stick to three balanced meals a day. For those that this applies to, why not try cooking properly for yourself, you never know you might even enjoy it!