Week 4 is here. You should have seen some progress by now. Instead of growing complacent, it’s essential to keep moving forward. We’re going to make some more adjustments this week to avoid hitting a plateau and keep the results coming.
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– Week 4: Nutrition
– Week 4: Fitness
– Week 4: Skin Care
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Men’s Nutrition Checklist for Week 4
Get ready to manipulate your calorie intake yet again to speed up your weight loss or muscle gain. Also, we’ve included a nice reward for all your hard work these past few weeks.
1. If you’re trying to lose weight, cut another 100 calories from your diet. This should bring your total daily calories down by 700. At this rate, you’re setting yourself up to lose almost 1.5 pounds per week; most experts agree that 1-2 pounds a week is an ideal weight-loss rate.
2. If you’re trying to bulk up, add 100 calories. The same principle applies here again. If you want to keep gaining muscle, you need to consume more calories – there’s no way around it. Continue to eat high-protein foods and take your CLA supplement for maximum muscle growth. With your increased calorie intake and your fitness plan, you’re on the path to success.
3. Eat more fiber. Fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease and an assortment of other health conditions. It also helps keep you full, which is essential to prevent overeating. Good sources of fiber include whole grains, beans, nuts and vegetables. Check out this article for some other healthy food ideas.
4. Drink more water. Chances are that you’re not drinking enough water. While some experts suggest we should drink at least eight glasses of water, others say there isn’t a magic number. If you exercise often (as you should be doing), you’re probably going to need to drink a lot more than eight glasses. In addition to keeping you alive, water can also help you avoid dry skin. Read “Common Men’s Skin Conditions” for information on dry skin and other skin problems.
5. Reward yourself with one cheat meal. If you’ve been following your diet plan to the letter, you deserve a break. The occasional cheat meal can help reignite your motivation and your metabolism. For one meal, treat yourself to your favorite dish. Whether it’s a big burger, a stack of pancakes or a slice of cheesecake, enjoy it – and then get back on the wagon. Don’t do this more than once a week or you’ll start losing the benefits of the previous steps.
Men’s Fitness Checklist for Week 4
Don’t get too comfortable with your exercise routine. We’ve got four tips to help you get more out of your workout and switch things up.
1. Don’t do more than 30-45 minutes of cardio. You might think more is better in this situation, but not necessarily. If you do cardio for an extended period of time, your body starts to produce cortisol, a hormone that can actually impede fat loss. Leave the long cardio sessions for when you’re training for a marathon.
2. Split up your weight-training sessions. If you’ve been doing total-body workouts or upper-body/lower-body splits, break your workouts down even further. Making sure your muscle groups have adequate rest between workouts is just as important as working out. Try doing chest and back on Mondays, shoulder and arms on Wednesdays and legs and back on Sundays. That’s just one of the many combinations you can try to get more out of your workouts.
3. If you want flatter abs, crunches are not the answer. Well, at least not the only answer. You can do 1000 crunches, but it won’t make your abs show if you have a layer of fat above them. Follow your diet plan and attack your abs from all angles. Crunches only attack your upper abs and not the lower abs and obliques (sides). Do a variety of ab exercises and you’ll have overall tighter stomach.
4. Drink a post-workout shake. After your workout, your muscles are starved. By giving them the right combination of nutrients after exercise, you ensure that they get what they need to repair and rebuild stronger than before. Like we mentioned last week, a men’s post-workout supplement is critical. Look for a men’s post-workout shake with a mix of carbs and protein; both kick-start the recovery process, so protein alone won’t do.
Men’s Skincare Checklist for Week 4
Who doesn’t want to look younger? Use our anti-aging checklist below to maintain a youthful complexion and eliminate the signs of aging.
1. Invest in an eye cream for men. The eye area is notorious for aging signs like dark circles, undereye bags and wrinkles. Regular use of a men’s eye cream can get help get rid of these men’s skin problems and repair damaged skin. Who says you have to look your age?
2. Use a men’s anti-aging cream that contains retinol. Study after study has shown that retinol is one of the most effective anti-aging treatments available. Retinol is an antioxidant that is widely prescribed by dermatologists and doctors to not only fight aging, but acne and hyper-pigmentation as well. Check out “Antioxidants and Aging” for more anti-aging tips.
3. Give your skin a healthy tint. A tinted moisturizer for men can revitalize your complexion by evening out skin tone and moisturizing skin to keep it smooth and supple. It’s especially useful if you have a pale complexion. Make sure you use one that is non-comedogenic, which means it won’t clog pores and contribute to acne breakouts.
4. Get rid of age spots with a pigmentation repair formula. This men’s age-spot cream helps diminish the appearance of age spots and other dark blemishes. Using a professional-grade formula with retinol, glycolic acid and kojic acid, this men’s skincare product can help you even out skin tone with regular use.
