Healthy Diet Options for Men: By Age, Health and Goals

Did you know that your biological sex plays a role in weight loss? Differences in body composition, metabolism and even sociocultural gender factors influence everything from your food preferences and eating habits to how much weight men lose compared to women.¹ To make choosing a diet even more complicated, there's also your age to consider, as nutritional needs and health concerns change throughout your life.

To help you choose a diet plan or weight loss program, we've rounded up popular diets for men at every age — whether you're looking to lose weight, gain muscle, improve your health or all of the above.

Diet for Overall Health: Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet isn't a specific diet, though you can find many books and websites dedicated to meal plans on this way of living that's based on the traditional eating habits of people in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.²

With its emphasis on healthy food choices, including fruits and vegetables, the Mediterranean diet is one of the recommended diets from the American Heart Association.²

Eating a Mediterranean-style diet can help prevent stroke by reducing contributing factors, including obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. This way of eating, which is traditionally rich in virgin olive oil, may even help remove excess cholesterol from arteries and keep blood vessels open.²

A Mediterranean diet is one that:²

• Emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and beans
• Includes fish, poultry and low- or no-fat dairy products
• Includes nuts and non-tropical oils, primarily olive oil
• Limits sugary beverages, highly processed foods, saturated fats, refined carbohydrates and fatty meats

Mediterranean diet pros and cons

Let's take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of the Mediterranean diet to help you decide if it is right for you.

Pros:

• It's linked to numerous health benefits.
• There's no calorie counting or tracking.
• It's not restrictive.

Cons:

• There are no specific guidelines to follow.
• Some Mediterranean flavors or recipes may not appeal to everyone.

Diet for Weight Loss: Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is less about what to eat and more about when you eat. By eating during a specific time period, you end up consuming fewer calories without having to track or count. It works because after hours without food, your body exhausts its sugar stores and begins burning fat.³

By not eating food for a long period of time, your body enters a metabolic process that starts when your body runs out of glucose and begins to burn fat for energy. Achieving this state is crucial for the success of the intermittent fasting diet.³

There are a few different approaches to intermittent fasting, with one of the more popular options being the 16/8 method. To do this, you would:³

• Eat only during an eight-hour period and fast for 16 hours — for example, eating only between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. every day.
• Consume only calorie-free beverages during your 16 fasting hours, such as water, tea and black coffee.

Intermittent fasting pros and cons

Here are some of the benefits and drawbacks of intermittent fasting to help decide if it's right for you.

Pros:

• You can choose a time frame that works for your schedule and lifestyle.
• No foods are off-limits.
• Evidence has found it to be safe and effective for most.³

Cons:

• You have to go long periods without food.
• It's not recommended for men with diabetes or those taking certain medications.³

Diet for Weight Loss: Ketogenic Diet

Like intermittent fasting, the ketogenic diet focuses on achieving a state of burning fat instead of carbohydrates (ketosis).⁴ The primary difference is that with the ketogenic diet, the goal is to maintain this state of ketosis continuously, as opposed to the intermittent diet, which allows the body to come out of ketosis during the eating phase.

Focusing on high-fat and low-carbohydrate intake is the hallmark of the ketogenic diet. The standard breakdown of this diet is 70% of calories from fat, 20% from protein and 10% from carbohydrates. A common modification of the diet increases the protein to 35% and focuses on 60% fat and 5% carbohydrates.⁴

Ketogenic diet pros and cons

Take a look at some of the pros and cons of the ketogenic diet below to determine if it's right for you.⁴

Pros:

• It's easy to find keto alternatives to common foods like bread and sweeteners.
• Decreasing carbohydrates reduces water retention, resulting in rapid weight loss.
• Blood sugar levels may be more stable with a decrease in carbohydrate intake.

Cons:

• Your energy levels may decrease due to limited carbohydrate intake.
• It may cause brain fog, irritability, fatigue and constipation — commonly referred to as keto flu.
• Weight loss may not be maintained when you come off the diet.

Diet for Weight Loss: High-Protein Diet

Consuming a high-protein diet has several benefits to help you with your weight loss journey. Increased protein intake has been shown to enhance a feeling of fullness, which can then decrease your food intake. Also, high protein can help regulate your energy levels.⁵

A high-protein diet can be an effective tool for weight reduction. Further, following a high-protein diet can help prevent obesity and obesity-related health conditions.⁵

High protein diet pros and cons

To help you decide if you should switch to a high-protein diet, consider some of this diet's strengths and weaknesses.

Pros:

• Increased protein intake can induce weight loss.

• Energy levels are regulated during weight loss.

Cons:

• High protein intake may harm the kidneys.⁶

Diet for Weight Loss or Muscle Gain: Balanced Macronutrient Diet

Like the ketogenic diet, macronutrient (or macro) diets focus on the percentage of carbohydrates, fats and proteins that you consume daily. Instead of having the same percentages for everyone, macronutrient dieting involves calculating your macros based on your body composition, age and health goals. Some people use the macro diet to lose weight, others to gain muscle or to achieve health goals.⁷

Online macro calculators allow you to determine how many grams of protein, carbohydrates and fat you will need to meet your goals. Once you have this information, it is important to track your intake so you can be sure to stay within your limits for each macro.⁷

Balanced macronutrient diet pros and cons

Consider different aspects of a balanced macronutrient diet to help you make an informed decision about following this plan.⁷

Pros:

• No specific food limitations are required as long as you stay within your macro amounts.
• It's good to use for short-term goals.
• It can be used with other diet plans and allows you to follow existing dietary preferences.

Cons:

• Tracking all of the information can be cumbersome.
• Some people may experience anxiety trying to follow the strict guidelines or feel guilty when they eat more than their macro allotment.

Commercial Weight Loss Program: WeightWatchers® (WW)

WeightWatchers (WW) is a weight loss program that offers a points-based system based on your weight loss goals. Points are assigned to foods, drinks and WW-specific recipes. Members are allotted a specific number of points per day based on their weight loss goals. Leaders facilitate meetings and offer online programs to help members set goals and explore new topics. Members can also access in-person meetings for personalized guidance and support.⁴

WeightWatchers (WW) pros and cons

Here are a few key points to consider before joining the WeightWatchers program.

Pros:

• It gives you flexibility to use the points as you wish.
• No foods are off-limits.⁴
• You have access to 24/7 support.
• It promotes healthy habits.⁴

Cons:

• Membership is not free.
• Coaches are not medical professionals.⁴
• Some find tracking points tedious.⁴

Diet for Muscle Gain: Plant-Based Diet

Gone are the days of digging into a huge steak or chugging egg whites to get the protein needed for bulking up. You can get the protein you need from a plant-based diet while also reaping the proven benefits of eating less meat.⁸

A plant-based diet is not a specific diet plan or program, nor is it vegetarian or vegan. It's a lifestyle that emphasizes eating primarily plant-based foods and limiting or eliminating animal products from your diet as you choose. Some people cut out all animal products; some choose to include only eggs and dairy, while others cut out red meat but still eat fish and poultry.

If you're looking to build muscle and lose fat on a plant-based diet, you'd aim for almost double the average amount of protein with a regular diet, which is 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.⁸

Protein powders are one way to get more protein on a plant-based diet. You can also choose protein-rich foods, such as:⁹

• Beans, lentils, chickpeas and peas
• Nuts and nut butters
• Quinoa
• Seeds
• Tofu

Working with a trainer and/or nutritionist may be worth considering if you'd like extra guidance on eating to gain muscle and how to meet your nutritional needs with less or no meat.

Plant-based diet pros and cons

If you're wondering if a plant-based diet is right for you, consider these benefits and drawbacks to help you make a decision:

Pros:

• It's linked to numerous health benefits, including a lower chance of several diseases.
• You have the flexibility to limit or eliminate some or all animal products.
• Plant-based sources of protein are lower in fat than meat protein sources.

Cons:

• It may be difficult to meet nutritional needs, such as iron, especially if you eliminate all meat.

Diet for Heart Health: DASH Diet

DASH is short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.¹⁰ The diet was designed to help treat and prevent high blood pressure.¹⁰ High blood pressure increases your chance of heart disease and stroke — the two leading causes of death in the United States.¹¹

The DASH diet lowers blood pressure by reducing the amount of sodium, added sugars and saturated fats, and it includes foods rich in potassium, magnesium and calcium, which help control blood pressure. The diet also helps lower cholesterol — another significant contributing factor for heart disease and stroke — and has been shown to help manage type 2 diabetes, improve celiac and liver disease and reduce the chance of colorectal and other cancers. It can also help with weight management.¹⁰

Along with lowering your daily serving of sodium, the DASH diet promotes eating low-glycemic fruits and vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy and non-starchy carbohydrates, such as whole grains, beans and legumes.¹⁰

DASH diet pros and cons

Let's examine some aspects of this diet so you can make an informed choice about your nutritional needs:

Pros:

• Numerous evidence-based health benefits have been shown.
• Major health authorities recommend it.
• It's flexible.

Cons:

• It requires tracking salt intake.
• Reducing salt can be difficult for some.
• It may not be suitable for people with kidney disease and certain other conditions.

Diet for Men in Their 20s, 30s and 40s: Whole Foods Diet

A whole foods diet isn't a specific diet plan per se. It's a way of eating that focuses on foods that are as close to their natural state as possible, as well as avoiding overly processed foods, which often remove nutrients and add in high amounts of sugar and salt.¹²

Eating mostly whole foods or minimally processed foods is a flexible way to get healthy and set yourself up for long-term good health.¹² This way of eating is in keeping with the recommendations for young adults, which involve choosing to consume foods and drinks high in nutrients and limited in sugars and sodium.¹³

It's also less restrictive than keeping to a specific diet plan, which can make it easier to follow through this stage of life when most are busy with school, work and activities, or are starting or raising a family.

Here are suggestions for what to eat on a whole foods diet:¹²

• Beans, seeds and nuts
• Fruits and vegetables, including canned and frozen without additives like sugar
• Meat, seafood and poultry
• Milk and minimally processed dairy, like yogurt and regular cheese
• Whole grains, such as brown rice and oats

Some tips that can help you follow a whole foods diet:¹²

• Avoid foods that are high in sugar, sodium and saturated fats.
• If you're eating out, avoid fast food.
• Read labels and avoid products with a lot of ingredients that aren't easily recognizable.
• When grocery shopping, start on the outside aisles, where most whole foods are located.

Whole foods diet pros and cons

Consider both the benefits and drawbacks of the whole foods diet to decide if this is right for you.

Pros:

• It's suitable for most.
• It's sustainable.
• It eliminates highly processed foods.

Cons:

• It requires more prep and planning.
• Whole foods tend to be more expensive than processed foods.
• It's not as convenient for some compared to diets that allow fast or processed foods.

Diet for Men Over 50: MIND Diet

The Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, or MIND diet, is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets.¹⁴ While a healthy diet is important throughout all stages of life, the chance of chronic disease increases with age. The MIND diet targets the health of the aging brain and has been shown to protect against cognitive decline better than either of the two diets independently.¹⁴ It also offers the benefits of the Mediterranean and DASH diets when it comes to heart health and a lower chance of diabetes and certain cancers.¹⁴

The MIND diet involves eating the suggested servings of healthy and unhealthy foods. While the focus of the diet is keeping the brain and body healthy, the emphasis on eating more greens and lean meats can result in some weight loss, especially if you're careful with portion size.¹⁴

Healthy foods include:¹⁴

• Beans
• Berries
• Fish and poultry
• Leafy greens
• Nuts
• Olive oil
• Vegetables (other than leafy greens)
• Whole grains

Unhealthy foods include:¹⁴

• Butter or margarine
• Cheese
• Fried foods
• Red meat
• Sweets and pastries

MIND diet pros and cons

Here are some considerations of a MIND diet to help you figure out if it's right for you.

Pros:

• There are proven benefits for brain health.
• It combines two of the best diet plans for better health.

Cons:

• It may not result in significant weight loss compared to other diets.

Before Starting a Diet

It's important to speak with your doctor before making a drastic change to your diet. While these diets are highly reviewed and considered safe and effective for most men, they may not be right for you if you're on medication or have an existing medical condition.

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Author Bio

Steve Marshall, D.N.P., M.S.N., B.S.N, R.N., has over 30 years of nursing experience, with diverse expertise in clinical leadership, ER, oncology, infectious disease and more. Using his clinical knowledge, he has written for top publications including Everyday Health, the National Council on Aging and Next Avenue. He is dedicated to combining his extensive nursing knowledge with well-crafted storytelling to help those seeking factual medical information.