Attention all men! Are you trying to lose a few excess pounds? Luck is on your side. Interestingly, men typically drop weight quicker than women, according to Medical News Today. One reason may be that men generally have a greater amount of lean muscle mass than women. But even if you think you have a solid routine on deck to kickstart your fat-burning journey, there are some exercises men shouldn’t do for weight loss. We consulted an expert to share some productive weight loss tips for men, including what exercises you shouldn’t waste your time on.
The more muscle you have on your body, the higher number of calories you’ll torch, according to Medical News Today. Hence, men tend to drop weight at a quicker pace than women. This seems a bit unfair, but a 2018 study proves this to be true. The research observed more than 2,000 overweight, pre-diabetic men and women who stuck to a diet of 810 calories each day for two months. The data reveals that men lost 16% more weight than women. So that bit of info is good news for men for weight loss.
Eat This, Not That! chatted with Mike Bohl, MD, MPH, ALM, the Director of Medical Content & Education at Ro, a certified personal trainer, and a member of our Medical Expert Board, who points out that although all kinds of exercise will always be more beneficial than none at all, there are five exercises men should avoid when looking to drop weight. When it comes to burning fat, some exercises are not as beneficial at burning calories as others. Additionally, some moves just won’t help you achieve noticeable results when it comes to shedding pounds. That being said, keep reading to find out the five exercises men shouldn’t do for weight loss.
Shutterstock
First and foremost, ab machine workouts are not as productive for building a six-pack as you may think. Dr. Bohl explains, “While it’s true the machines can help strengthen the rectus abdominis—the muscle that forms the six-pack—having a six-pack has more to do with the amount of subcutaneous fat that covers the muscle rather than the size of the muscle.”
It’s still quite essential to perform core workouts for balance, spine stabilization, and good posture, but when it comes to torching calories with the goal of eliminating belly fat, ab machine work by itself is not going to get the job done.