Traqade
Fad diets come and go but the actual practice of dieting has been around for centuries. From supermodels and actresses to bodybuilders, athletes, corporate professionals, young teens and housewives, the idea of dieting is nothing new. Another thing of old is the belief that men have the advantage when it comes to weight loss when compared to women. We have all read stories after stories in diet journals of women sweating and struggling to lose a pound or two as against their male counterparts who cut back on their junk food indulgence, hit the gym and the weight simply slides down the scale.
Do men really lose weight faster than women do?
It is indeed true that men lose weight faster, at first. The subtle differences between male weight loss and female weight loss come down to the physiology of both men and women. Men have an easier time burning calories and, subsequently, losing weight because they tend to have the height, weight, and muscle-to-fat ratio advantage over women. And when men and women cut the same number of calories, men usually do lose more weight; but it’s short-term. In time, the playing field becomes more even.
A study done in England put men and women on commercial weight-loss programs and two months in, the men had lost twice as much weight as the women, and thrice as much body fat. By six months, however, the rate of weight loss had evened out among the participants, men and women.
Is strength training ideal for women in order to lose weight?
Yes! There may not be much that a woman can do to change her height, but she can do something to change her muscle-to-fat ratio. The myth that weight training will make women end up looking like she-hulks is just that: a myth. Building muscle through strength training is actually a girl’s best friend to lose weight. Muscle naturally burns more calories than fat… even while at rest. And here’s the best part: strength training doesn’t necessarily mean loading up the squat rack or bench press because women can build muscle just as efficiently with body weight exercises such as push-ups and pull-ups.
Another reason men lose weight faster than women do is their natural male hormone – testosterone – which increase muscle mass by increasing muscle protein synthesis, the rebuilding of muscle tissue. On average, women have between 6 and 11% more body fat than men (although not exactly known why, it is assumed that this may be an evolutionary adaptation to help during pregnancy).
From puberty to menopause, women maintain more average body fat than men – even when they take in fewer calories. But ‘fat’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘unhealthy’. Yes, women have larger fat stores, but as it is part of their physiology, it should not be deemed as extra weight. A perfectly fit woman will still hold 6 to 11% more body fat than a perfectly fit man. So, if a woman has 11% more body fat than a man, it doesn’t mean she’s 11% fatter.
The important thing, however, is to remember that it is not a race against each other – whether husband and wife, brother and sister, boyfriend and girlfriend, etc. – but a journey together towards the same direction. Get committed and stay focused and you’ll see the results soon enough!
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