A diet and exercise plan for men that fits around real life

Posted 31 October 2026

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Most men who want to lose weight already know the theory: eat a bit less, move a bit more. The hard part is turning that into something you can stick to around work, family and a social life. That's what a good diet and exercise plan for men should do. It shouldn't involve shakes, cutting out whole food groups or training twice a day.

This guide explains why your waist size matters, how fast to aim to lose weight, and what a realistic week of food and training looks like. You'll also find a version for men over 50. For more on the bigger picture, see our guide to men's health in the UK.

Why weight and waist size matter

The government's Men's Health Strategy for England reports that 67.2% of men were overweight or obese in 2022, compared with 60.8% of women. So if the scales have crept up, you're far from alone.

According to the NHS, living with overweight or obesity raises your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, some cancers, osteoarthritis and fatty liver disease. Living with obesity is likely to lower life expectancy by between 2 and 10 years.

Waist size for men's health: the half-your-height rule

BMI has its limits. It can't tell the difference between muscle and fat, so a muscular man can be classed as overweight even with little body fat. That's why waist size for men's health is such a useful extra check.

The NHS says you should try to keep your waist to less than half your height. So a man who's 180cm tall should aim for a waist under 90cm. If your BMI is under 35, the NHS waist to height ratio calculator can help you see whether you're carrying too much fat around your middle.

How fast should you lose weight?

The NHS advises aiming to lose 1 to 2lbs (0.5 to 1kg) a week. It might not sound dramatic, but that's up to a stone in seven weeks, and steady weight loss is far more likely to stay off. The NHS also notes that losing just 5 to 10% of your body weight can improve your health.

On average, men use around 2,500 calories a day, but your own needs depend on your size, age and activity. To lose weight, you need to take in fewer calories than you use. You don't have to count every calorie to do that, though. Sensible portions and better food choices get most men most of the way.

Building a nutrition plan for weight loss for men

A good nutrition plan for weight loss for men is built on the NHS Eatwell Guide rather than a fad diet. Here's how to put it into practice.

• Build every plate the same way. Fill half with veg or salad, a quarter with protein (chicken, fish, eggs, beans, lean mince) and a quarter with wholegrain carbs.
• Keep carbs, just watch the portions. Starchy foods are a good source of energy and fibre. Choosing wholegrain versions helps you feel fuller.
• Cut down on the extras. Foods high in fat, salt and sugar aren't needed in your diet. Have them less often and in smaller amounts.
• Watch what you drink. Alcohol is high in calories, and the NHS recommends cutting down if you're trying to lose weight. Sugary drinks add up quickly too.
• Plan ahead. Batch cooking and taking lunch to work make it much easier to avoid the vending machine.

For more on what men need at different ages, see our guide to nutrition for men.

A sample men's diet and exercise plan for one week

Here's what a realistic men's diet and exercise plan could look like for someone starting out. It's a framework, not a prescription, so adjust it to suit your schedule and fitness.

This plan covers the NHS guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate activity and strength training on at least 2 days. When you're actively trying to lose weight, the NHS suggests getting active for 45 to 60 minutes a day, which you can break into shorter sessions.

Why strength training belongs in the plan

Many men try to lose weight with cardio alone. Adding strength work means you're more likely to hold on to muscle while you lose fat, and you'll get stronger along the way. Our guide to strength training benefits for men explains why it's worth the time.

Can you lose belly fat with exercise?

Not by doing hundreds of sit-ups. You can't choose where your body loses fat from, so crunches won't shrink your waist on their own. What does work is losing fat overall through a combination of eating a little less and moving more. Your waist usually follows.

A diet and exercise plan for men over 50

A diet and exercise plan for men over 50 follows the same principles, with a few tweaks.

• Check in with your GP first if you haven't exercised for a while or have a health condition.
• Prioritise strength and balance. The NHS guidelines for older adults recommend activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week.
• Keep protein in every meal. It helps you hold on to muscle, which naturally becomes harder with age.
• Look after your bones. Calcium and vitamin D matter more as you get older.
• Go steady. Weight loss is still worth it, but slow and sustainable beats fast and gruelling.

If you train older clients, our blog on personal training for seniors has more advice.

When to get extra help

The NHS recommends seeing a GP if your BMI is in the overweight or obese range and you want help to lose weight, if your waist is more than half your height, or if you have conditions like pre-diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. A GP can refer you to weight management programmes and other treatments. Very low calorie diets aren't suitable or safe for everyone, so they should only be followed with medical support.

Help other men transform their health

Helping someone lose weight steadily, get stronger and feel better in themselves is one of the most rewarding parts of working in fitness. If you'd like to do it for a living, our Elite Nutrition Personal Trainer course gives you the qualifications to train clients in the gym and a Level 4 nutrition qualification. It covers human metabolism and energy balance, applied nutrition for health, common diets and food labelling, and how to set nutritional goals for clients. That means you can build a diet and exercise plan for men that's tailored to each client, not copied from the internet.

The course is 100% online, so you can study at your own pace, and it comes with guaranteed interview opportunities with our partner gyms. Visit the course page for fees and payment options, call our course advisors on 01202 006 389, or send us an enquiry.