Rex Ryan on left with Jets' Kerry Rhodes. Photo via Flickr user bkrieger02.

It used to be that celebrity women were known for the diets they followed. However, with the recent likes of Rush Limbaugh and his success with Quick Weight Loss Centers, NFL’s Mike Golic on NutriSystem, and now New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan on a quest to lose some of the 340 pounds he has been carrying around, diets for men are becoming more interesting.

Since the NFL is known for its large players – the average NFL player weighs 245 pounds, 25 pounds heavier than their average weight in 1970 – it is no wonder that their coaches’ size is no different.

Ready to embark on an extreme liquid diet, Ryan is not shy at all about his health, obesity problem, or his recently diagnosed dyslexia. A self-proclaimed food lover, Ryan realizes how difficult this liquid diet may be, but he’s willing to stick with it in order to improve his health and stick around for his two sons and his grandkids.

The name of his diet has not been released, but it involves consuming a vegetable or fruit juice concoction for each of his daily meals. It is unclear as to why Ryan is  following the diet for only five days given the amount of weight he needs to lose in order to get into a healthier BMI range. Right now, he is classified as obese. And despite a health scare a few years back, the coach does seem to be quite an anomaly as both his blood pressure and cholesterol levels have checked out to be very normal.

DietsInReview.com will be sure to keep you posted on Coach Ryan’s progress and whether or not his 5-day extreme liquid diet inspired him to follow a more long-term diet program.

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Jets’ Coach Rex Ryan Follows Extreme Diet to Lose Weight

Here’s the skinny: Quick Weight Loss Centers have been in business for over 25 years, helping people lose weight through their professionally-supervised programs. While each diet is customized to meet the weight loss goals of each individual, most diets hover around the 1,500 calorie mark and are comprised of real food that you purchase at the grocery store.

In addition, Quick Weight Loss Centers has a line of foods and snacks like soups, bars and supplements. Individual counseling, behavioral education and consistent monitoring of your progress is also part of the Quick Weight Loss Center program.

Rush’s diet was typical of any Quick Weight Loss Center follower: A confessed novice to counting calories, fat and carb grams, Limbaugh likened his diet to a jigsaw puzzle that changes every day and with a special set of rules he had to follow. For instance, he was and still is not allowed to consume two protein sources in one meal.

And he’s not stopping at just 79 pounds. Limbaugh is still faithfully following his diet plan and losing weight more quickly than he ever has before. Luckily for him, Quick Weight Loss Center also has a maintenance program, which will help him keep all of those pounds off once he has met his weight loss goal. Many studies show that individuals who lose weight quickly, have higher rates of weight-regain than those who follow a modest-paced weight loss program.

Quick Weight Loss Centers are located around the country, while the company also offers a home-based program that you can follow remotely.

Here is DietsInReview.com’s complete review of Quick Weight Loss Centers.

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Rush Limbaugh Loses Weight with Quick Weight Loss Centers

I also have lost more weight than any Biggest Loser contestant, 221.4 pounds to be exact. I did it all in a year without surgery or pills, and have maintained it for four months.

Losing weight is a funny thing. At 420 pounds, people advised me on so many diets. There was Atkins, Zone, Carb Haters, Carb Lovers, Protein Dandy, Jenny Craig, NutriSystem, Weight Watchers, and of course the “all-purpose” berry.

What if I told you the “Diet” has very little to do with losing weight.

Most diets work. If they did not, they would not be successful.

Diets are like snowflakes as well, two people have never lost weight the exact same way.

What losing weight takes is heart!

I recently came up with a very simple challenge called “The Missouri 60.”

One day at work my boss came up to me and was pointing out a lot of things I need to fix. The stoves needed detailing, the server’s shirts needed to be pressed, etc. Before I was going to explain, he glared at me and said:

“Hey Tony, I do not want to hear it. Just do it. See, I am from Missouri. Get it! Missouri. Show me baby!”

I finally realized Missouri is the “Show Me” state.

After fixing all of the issues, I thought about my weight loss. I did not lose the weight on a special top-secret diet that will make me millions. I lost the weight by finding a plan that worked and doing it.

So here are the rules for my challenge. Get a huge pad of paper and a pen with a lot of ink! Ready.

• Take a picture of yourself
• For the next 60 days, learn about yourself and show yourself how great you can be.
• After 60 days, take another picture and compare.

Sounds silly, right? Well, most people hate taking pictures of themselves, and most people cannot dedicate themselves for 60 days.

I can tell you, if you can do this, you will be a better person. You will have more confidence, you will make better decisions, and you will find a plan that works for you.

Show yourself how great you can be!

Learn more about Tony Posnanski’s story here at DietsInReview.com.

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Creating Your Own 60-Day Diet

This week we invited several fathers and men from around the blogosphere to share with you their personal stories of weight loss struggle and success. Weight loss can take on a very different tone for men than it does for women, but the end result is happier, healthier people.

We hope you’ll take to heart the message that these men are sharing, and make this Father’s Day the first of many more healthy holidays.

Four Reasons Why Dad’s Good Health is a Must

Fathers who give unconditionally can find it difficult to find motivation for personal good health.  Nevertheless, for the whole family to be happy, the whole family must be healthy. Among all the hats dads wear, they must also be the example for healthy eating and lifestyle. Here’s how to find that motivation and follow through: - Tommy Galan, HappyUniverse.com

No Father’s Day Gift Necessary for Dad Who Lost 220 Pounds

In sixteen months, I have lost 221.4 pounds and maintained it for four of those months. I still eat well, work out, and live a life I never thought I could. I also write about my experiences here. So when my son asks me what I want for Father’s Day, I will tell him I do not want a thing. I have everything I want in life now! - Tony Posnanski, The Anti-Jared

Dad Thinks Losing Weight is Fun and Easy

That’s right, losing weight is fun and easy! It must be, because I’ve done it several times. In 1993 I got to my goal weight after losing 90 pounds. By 2002 I’d gained 115 pounds, so in 2002/03 I lost it again. Then by 2008 I’d gained 50 pounds, so lost it in 2008/09. Hmm…now that I think about it, it wasn’t much fun. And it’s lots of work. So what went wrong? - Bill Gookin, Daddy is Tired

Computer Programmer Becomes a Male Model after 60 Pound Weight Loss

So, it was by pure coincidence and I suppose, good fortune, that I wandered into a gym and my life changed completely. To avoid sounding hackneyed, my life went from being a prisoner of helplessness to one of freedom and adventure. It didn’t happen overnight, however. In the span of three years, I lost over 60 pounds. Initially, it seemed impossible, but the more I persevered, the less difficult it seemed. - Stefan Pinto, StefanPinto.com

Dads: Lighten up the Ego and Your Weight

Guys, when it come down to the brass tacks of the matter, heart disease and diabetes are pretty good reasons to get over the stigma of dieting. I’ve always been a proponent of dieting as a temporary thing that leads to permanent lifestyle changes. – Jason Knapfel, DietsInReview.com

At DadLabs, Motivation is the Key to Weight Loss Success

Historically, it seems the only way that I successfully lose weight is to be in some kind of fat loss competition. Six years ago after the birth of our first child, I looked down and realized that I was fat. Really fat! Fat like an old school State Senator from Alabama. So I challenged my good buddy and colleague Daddy Clay, to see who could drop the most lbs in a given period of time. – Brad Powell, DadLabs.com

Dad Starts Healthy Lifestyle with Help of EA Sports Active

On April 3, 2009, I began a journey to change my life.  In California to meet with EA SPORTS officials about the then soon-to-be released EA SPORTS Active, I made a commitment to my wife, Kari, and our kids, and the world, that I was going to change my lifestyle. At the time, I weighed a staggering 369.78 lbs.  That was too much.  Way too much. – Donny Claxton, DadsCenter.org

Most Popular Diets for Men

This week is Men’s Health Week at DietsInReview.com, and we want to highlight a few weight loss programs that are focused on the needs of men. Learn more about the four diets men just like you are using.

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Men’s Health Week Inspires Healthier Fathers

Donny Claxton joins us as a contributor for Men’s Health Week. Donny is a public relations executive who has embarked on a new adventure for the benefit of himself, his wife, and their seven children. He recently completed the EA SPORTS Active 30-day challenge and continues to use it along with other healthy habits to regain his health. Donny regularly blogs at DadsCenter.org.

On April 3, 2009, I began a journey to change my life.  In California to meet with EA SPORTS officials about the then soon-to-be released EA SPORTS Active, I made a commitment to my wife, Kari, and our kids, and the world, that I was going to change my lifestyle.

At the time, I weighed a staggering 369.78 lbs.  That was too much.  Way too much.

It’s now June 19, 2009, and I weighed in this morning at 340.65 pounds.  I’m almost down 30 pounds in two and a half months and I’m still dropping.  I’ve done one EA SPORTS Active 30-day challenge and I’m now doing a second.

I’ve sworn off my daily equivalent of two IVs of straight Southern-style sweet tea.  At home we’ve done away with fried foods.  I’ve had one order of French fries since the beginning of April.  We’ve done away with white bread at home.  I only eat whole wheat bread anymore.  I don’t drink alcohol so that was easy to “give up.”  I haven’t had a Coke or carbonated beverage since April of 2001.

This second go around with the EA SPORTS Active 30-day challenge, I’ve complimented my working out with other physical activities.  Nearly every night now, I’m swimming laps for at least 30 minutes.  It’s catching on, too, because my youngest twin daughter, Haley, (by 7 minutes) is also swimming with me. Dads, what we do, the kids will often copy!

I’m drinking tons of water now.  I keep a bottle or two of it on my desk at work.  At home, I drink it with a touch of lemon or lime juice just to give it a variety of taste.

And my dog, Molly, now knows the workout routine as well.  She knows that when I finish an EA SPORTS Active workout, she and I are going for a walk around the neighborhood.  When I do my workouts, she’ll come sit close to where I’m doing lunges, running in place, shoulder presses and all, and waits.  As soon as I go to close out the virtual fitness product, and that backwards sounding music starts to play, she stands up and moves to the front door where we keep the leashes.

This morning when I got dressed, I changed belts.  The one I’ve been wearing most for the past year was about four inches too loose for my waist.  My jeans are super baggy now and it’s time to pull out the old jeans or treat myself to some new ones.  I have an EA SPORTS Active shirt on today.  I’m wearing it un-tucked.  I used to not wear it that way because my stomach, 30 pounds ago, stuck our so far it looked like I was pregnant. Now it mostly hangs straight down.

My gift to my family this Father’s Day is going to be a healthier me.  Already this summer we’ve taken our kids to Yosemite.  I hiked more with them than I ever have.  I climbed more with them than I ever have.  And I was less tired than I ever have been with them there.  And it’s all because of what I began with EA SPORTS Active and the determination that all was not lost.  I could begin a fitness program at 43 and lose weight, and lose lots of it.
I’m still on my journey.  I’m now 10 pounds too heavy to use the Wii Fit, but that beats beginning 40 pounds too heavy.  I’m so looking forward to getting to that point and adding a new variety into my exercises because the balance board works with EA SPORTS Active!

Come on dads, if I can do it with seven kids, you can, too!

Guest Blog Series: Look for the following badge on your favorite health sites to see if they have been a featured guest blogger on DietsInReview.com. See other posts in the Guest Blog series.

If you would like to apply to be featured as a guest blogger, please contact us.

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Dad Starts Healthy Lifestyle with Help of EA Sports Active

The week of June 15 is Men’s Health Week at DietsInReview.com, just in time to celebrate the special men in your life. Bill Gookin joins as a Men’s Health guest blogger. Bill is a stay-at-home dad who has constantly struggled with his weight – he’s lost 115 pounds but keeps finding it again and having to re-lose it.  This time, with the help of some friends, he’s back at goal and determined to keep it off and stay fit. You can find him posting at Daddy Is Tired among other places…as long as he’s gotten a nap.

That’s right, losing weight is fun and easy! It must be, because I’ve done it several times. In 1993 I got to my goal weight after losing 90 pounds. By 2002 I’d gained 115 pounds, so in 2002/03 I lost it again. Then by 2008 I’d gained 50 pounds, so lost it in 2008/09. Hmm…now that I think about it, it wasn’t much fun. And it’s lots of work. So what went wrong?

I tried to do it by myself.

Each time I’ve successfully lost weight, I’ve taken advantage of support groups.  The first time it was some hiking friends, while the other times it’s been Weight Watchers combined with friends who motivated me to exercise. When I moved away from my support groups after the first two times, I was confident I could do it on my own!

*sigh*

While it may be easy to take on some tasks without help, studies show that people are more successful losing weight (and maintaining weight loss) if they have group support. Based on my own experience, I’m confident the same applies for exercising. I’m sure there are exceptions, but I’m not one of them. Without someone keeping me accountable I slip back into old habits, my favorite of which is holding down the couch.

Remember that your support system doesn’t necessarily have to be in person. Many people find online weight loss programs helpful, although I need the accountability of attending Weight Watchers meetings.  On the other hand my fitness group (the Shredheads, a group of mostly moms) is entirely online through blogs and Twitter, which is perfect as I don’t like working out in front of other people. Would these groups work for you? Maybe – or maybe not – it depends on you. The key is finding what keeps you accountable and motivated.

So as you begin (or continue) your journey of losing weight and getting fit, remember to take advantage of all the support available.  And good luck!

Guest Blog Series: Look for the following badge on your favorite health sites to see if they have been a featured guest blogger on DietsInReview.com. See other posts in the Guest Blog series.

If you would like to apply to be featured as a guest blogger, please contact us.

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Dad Thinks Losing Weight is Fun and Easy

This week is Men’s Health Week at DietsInReview.com, and we want to highlight a few weight loss programs that are focused on the needs of men.

Weight Watchers Online for Men

Their advertisements kind of say it all – “Real Men Don’t Diet.” Following queues from the more than 45-year-old plan that women have successfully used, Weight Watchers Online or Men has recreated the program to fit a man’s lifestyle. You won’t have to tell your buddies you’re watching your Points at the football game, or ask the waitress for calories at a business lunch; you’ll simply eat and live in a more mindful manner. Plus, you can maintain anonymity by accessing the entire plan, resources and tools conveniently online.

Learn more about Weight Watchers Online for Men or click here to get started now.

NutriSystem for Men

Some very famous guy’s-guys have followed NutriSystem for Men with great success. Dan Marino, Mike Golic, Larry the Cable Guy, Don Shula and many others have openly used the weight loss program and proudly boast positive weight loss. The plan is suited for men, and the customizable program delivers meals directly to your home. You’ll supplement the meals with fresh fruits and vegetables, and incorporate a regular fitness regimen.

Learn more about NutriSystem for Men or click here to get started now.

Men’s Health Personal Trainer

This weight loss program for men was created by the experts at Men’s Health Magazine. Everything is accessible online, and you’ll follow a completely customizable meal and fitness plan to help you learn how to eat more nutritiously and get in better shape. If you choose, you can communicate with a trainer as well.

Learn more about Men’s Health Personal Trainer or click here to get started now.

Abs Diet

Men and women alike crave the picture-perfect six-pack abs. This program, also delivered by Men’s Health, was developed to help men achieve that washboard stomach. You’ll learn that it’s not all about sit-ups, as the Abs Diet introduces you to a balanced eating approach that won’t leave you feeling hungry. The workout program has you doing weight training and cardio so that you’re burning fat while building muscle.

Learn more about the Abs Diet or click here to get started now.

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Most Popular Diets for Men

The week of June 15 is Men’s Health Week at DietsInReview.com, just in time to celebrate the special men in your life. Tony Posnanski joins as a Men’s Health guest blogger. Tony is the author of The Anti-Jared. Tony struggled with weight loss his whole life until he realized he was not going to be fooled anymore. He has lost over 200 pounds and maintained it for four months. Tony works out six days a week, eats better than before, and has a new outlook on things!

“Daddy! What do you want for Father’s Day?”

In a couple of years, this is the question my son will be asking me! It is so amazing to believe that I am going to have a son this year! What is even more amazing is that my doctor’s projected me to be dead of a heart attack this year.

Weight has always been an issue for me. I have always been around 250-275 pounds since I was 12-years-old. I would lose a little once in a while (always in an unhealthy way), but I maintained a “chubby” appearance for a majority of my life.

Poor eating habits would get to me, and fast-food was a way of life. I would go eat at five different restaurants a day, not even realizing what I had eaten. This would happen for quite some time.

Then, it hit me. In 2008 at the age of 32 , I was 5 foot 6, and I was over 400 pounds. 420.2 to be exact! Very few people get to this level, and it is horrible. I could not wear a seatbelt in my car, or get on an airplane. I would keep our house at 67 degrees because I would sweat all the time and I had a hard time going to the bathroom. My doctor put me on four medications for my heart and cholesterol (210 over 140 at one time, and 300 cholesterol rate), and he told me if I did not get gastric surgery, I would die.

Not only that, but it was killing my wife, who loves me dearly. Every time I would be home late, she would think I died of a heart attack, and it would scare her. Finally, it scared me, too.

So I made the decision to lose weight. I joined Weight Watchers. I started to read books on fiber. I started to work out.

I learned to love myself. I changed my life for the better. I realized that I was a better person than the fast-food I was eating. I wanted to eat foods that would make me stronger, not make me feel guilty later on.

In sixteen months, I have lost 221.4 pounds and maintained it for four of those months. I still eat well, work out, and live a life I never thought I could. I also write about my experiences here.

So when my son asks me what I want for Father’s Day, I will tell him I do not want a thing.

I have everything I want in life now!

Guest Blog Series: Look for the following badge on your favorite health sites to see if they have been a featured guest blogger on DietsInReview.com. See other posts in the Guest Blog series.

If you would like to apply to be featured as a guest blogger, please contact us.

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No Father’s Day Gift Necessary for Dad Who Lost 220 Pounds

Could you have imagined that he’d be one of the biggest stars on the planet if you were watching him on his cult TV show Freaks and Geeks way back at the turn of the millennium? But alas, he is… however, now he’s big only in the figurative sense. The normally stout star has slimmed down a waist size or five to play the Green Hornet. You would think this is a totally positive experience. But apparently he has “let down” some of his fans.

“I think for chubby guys, I was their guy, so they were like, ‘I can be chubby. Seth Rogen’s chubby, so who cares.’ But now I’m not so chubby anymore. So now they’re like, ‘I have to lose weight.’ I’ve let them down. I’ve blatantly sold out. It’s only for money.”

Rogen’s girlfriend of four years, writer Lauren Miller, has been supportive.

“She’s stuck by me through thick and thin – literally,” Rogen said. “She claims she doesn’t like me any more now than when I was heavier, but I think that’s completely not true.”

I find the apparent backlash towards people who lose weight to be a fascinating phenomenon. On the surface, it’s bothersome. How can someone let their own emotional insecurities get in the way of the logical response: happiness for someone who has bettered their health. But since it must be a fairly deep-seated psychosis, I guess I have a little bit of sympathy for those people. Here’s a blogger who openly admits to her resentment of thinness, at least in an implied way, since she talks about the few heavyset female icons in Hollywood.

One should always be comfortable in their own skin, yet not so much that they don’t care about improving their own health.

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Seth Rogen Slims Down, Angers Some

views of dieting

Formal dieting is largely a female endeavor. I figure this has something to do with the male psyche, as if watching what you eat may make you less of a man. But if your belly is expanding, you may have a particularly masculine issue to deal with: your sexual prowess.

In a new study, researchers found that obese men had lower levels of testosterone in their blood than their thinner counterparts. Researchers found that among 87 healthy men, ages 19 to 48, those who were obese were less likely to have ever fathered a child

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Men: Diets Make You Manlier!