Why is it generally harder for women than men to lose weight?
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Also: cooties. Just a guess, mind you... But as known carriers of cooties immunosupressed males are more frail. Hence, easier weight loss.0
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http://kff.org/other/state-indicator/adult-overweightobesity-rate-by-gender/ In the US men are more likely to be over weight than women. Good thing it is easier for them, if it really is...0
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kshama2001 wrote: »I wonder if societal acceptance (in the US at least) for women to go a little nuts at TOM creates a self fulfilling prophecy. Menstruation was never a big deal with my mother and other female family members, and possibly thus not for me (until I developed a large fibroid.)
Now that I'm tracking, I notice my appetite goes up a bit, but only a few hundred calories worth. I wonder if I had had female role models who #ateallthethings at TOM if I would have developed the same habit and thought it normal.
Not really. TOM has never affected me, apart from the cramps. It's the hormonal change before TOM (a week before) that's hard on me (moreso since I lost the weight) because I'm very sensitive to hormonal changes. But TOM itself is nothing, apart from the cramps, but I've been drugging myself to get rid of those for as long as I can remember, lol.
ETA: it had no impact on my weight loss because it only started when I got within 5 pounds of my goal weight. The only thing that my cycle impacted was the weight on the scale, as I would stall every month for 2-3 weeks - which might be what discourages a lot of women and makes it seem 'harder'.0 -
....but the guys are more likely to keel over from a heart attack. I think the woman's tendency to hang on to a little fat is a perfectly acceptable survival tactic, especially in times of famine.
Not that we worry about that as much these days.
Hubby just has to glance at the weight bench and his muscles pop. It's so unfair.0 -
I think hormones is less of it than it is given credit for. I don't think obesity or overweight is shockingly different in traditional cultures.
As was said, portion sizes are often sold in sizes that work more for men - women have to scale down what they eat instead of men having to scale up.
Women have traditionally been discouraged from being competitive in sports, and women are not as likely to use physical activity as a recreational activity as a result.
Women have traditionally been taught to be afraid of intentionally gaining muscle for fear of looking masculine.0 -
Let me introduce you to my tall, athletic boss. She plays hockey goalie for recreation. Weight has started to be a problem.0
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daniwilford wrote: »I have two good male friends, technically one is a relative, that started MFP about the same time I did. They can eat way more than I do and lose weight because of greater body mass. My male relative is 10 inches taller than I am. He can walk a mile in fewer steps than I can, too. But when it comes to weight loss, they have to create the same deficit to lose the same pounds as I do. My male friend was losing at about the same percentage of body weight that I am, about 1% per week. My male relative is less comfortable with that rate of loss. If you look strictly at total pounds lost, my male friend has lost the most, I am in the middle, and my male relative has lost the least. Why is the tallest male losing the slowest? Because he has a lower deficit then we do. If you ask him, he will say it is more difficult for him than me.
Nailed it
Also perception, because it appears that more women, and there are men that do this too, get emotionally tied into food rather than focusing on the scientific principle of it's just calories
I'm a woman, I found it really easy. As did a number of my female MFP friends. There are men on here who whine constantly about how hard it is ...it's self perception too IMO0 -
I think it's just generally easier for most men to create a deficit. Before I really paid attention to CICO, I would get really frustrated, because my husband could easily drop 7 lbs in a week and I would lose maybe 1 eating basically the same healthy foods. He's a 6'5 and I'm 5'4. Now I realize how different our calorie needs are and it makes a lot more sense to me.0
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Brains burn a lot of calories, don't they?0
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DeguelloTex wrote: »Brains burn a lot of calories, don't they?
Yes they do dear, but don't worry you have height and musculature and that burns some0 -
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In the beginning of my journey my husband lost 15 lbs and I lost 0. But now he has gained back all and I am now weighing 10 lbs less than him! He just quit trying but I have continued on. It was frustrating watching someone who did not exercise and stop eating meals lose so fast but in the long run what I do is better for long term habits and goals.0
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DeguelloTex wrote: »Brains burn a lot of calories, don't they?
Yes they do dear, but don't worry you have height and musculature and that burns some
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My husband dropped 61 lbs in three months. I dropped 25 LOL We ate the same diet and he even ate more than me at meals. Shrugs. I don't view it as a race. He does have a good 100lbs more than me too lose too, so that plays a part.0
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flippy1234 wrote: »I know our bodies are different, but really, why is it harder for women? Does anyone really know?
Because they are generally smaller than men. Our bodies aren't really that different.
OP, you may also find this article of interest:
Why women lose weight more slowly than men0 -
I also don't think it's all that useful to make comparisons to others with whatever you try to do in life.
From the outside, it always looks like other people "have it easier" than us. Their lives seem effortless. But we can't really know what they're going through or how much of a struggle things are for them unless we're living their lives.
It's easier to stop making assumptions about others, and just focus on our own issues. There's probably someone out there walking around who looks at you with jealousy, thinking it's "so easy" for you. You know better.0 -
DeguelloTex wrote: »Brains burn a lot of calories, don't they?
Yes they do dear, but don't worry you have height and musculature and that burns some
LOL. Good one.0 -
I am not sure but I can defiantly see it between me and my boyfriend. We are losing weight together and I know for a fact I am more physically active than he is, and make better food choices. Though he consistently loses faster than I do. Also last week he completely went overboard and back to his old eating habits and gained around 4 lbs. yesterday he weighed himself and was down 5 lbs, after a couple days of eating at his deficient...
He didn't really gain or lose that much. Well, he did, but it wasn't fat he gained and lost.
When you're on a calorie deficit, your body's short term energy stores (glycogen) are always partially depleted, that's what increases fat burning. When you go to a surplus, glycogen fills up as your body stores the surplus.
A typical person can have 1-1.5 pounds of glycogen, but for each pound, your body must retain four pounds of water to maintain osmolarity (i.e. keep your cells from shrinking or exploding).
So that's not unusual. Go onto a surplus, fill glycogen stores, retain more water, go onto a deficit, reduce glycogen, expel the water.
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