Question for Gal GOADies

Jimb376mfp

Haven't seen this topic mentioned on here in a long time. But I do remember it being discussed by guys who attended WW meetings a long time ago.

I was at my aqua aerobics class and the only other guy in the class mentioned he was on a diet and had lost 7 pounds.

The instructor said "Well you know it's easier for men too lose weight!"
Several women chimed in with comments agreeing with the "myth",
One said "Well it's because men have more muscle." (WTH?)

Questions for discussion:
1. Do you agree or think it is easier for a man to lose weight than a woman?
2. If yes WHY?
3. If no why do so many women think this is true?

I realize the TOM factor is there for some women but isn't that just temporary fluid retention?

I'm sure the guy GoaDies will add comments.
1. Have you experienced this opinion or have you heard this said at WW meetings?

Al_Howard

IMHO it's the "norm" that men start at a higher weight than women, ergo, the percentage of weight lost is a higher poundage, Especially at the beginning.

whathapnd

I believe all things being equal, men will lose more weight in the beginning due to greater lean muscle mass. It equals out over time. Also, because most men carry their weight in their gut, the loss can be more noticeable in the beginning.

88olds

Ok Jim. This is my 3rd attempt to right this post. 1st one was just angry. 2nd more bitter.

I lost steadily to goal and Lifetime. Some of the women at my meeting were just openly hostile.

Except for WW meetings I never talk about weight loss unless someone asks me directly. A lot of people I know now have no idea that I've lost more than 100 lbs.

Everybody has opinions on how it works, what to do. A lot ideas about diet are outright looney. But don't bother arguing, it will do no good.

I generally limit my conversations to the topics of religion and politics. It's a lot easier than discussing dieting.

minimyzeme

I have no idea about physiological differences that would lend credence to any 'blanket statements'. However, it would not surprise me if in general men are less weight-conscious than women. Right or wrong (wrong, actually) I think it's reflected in our culture. We can say "We've come a long way, baby!"--but have we really??

My experience with WW meetings is that 1) there are way more women than men in attendance, and 2) more women than men seem to obsess on scale numbers and by that I mean letting those numbers determine their mood.

As already posted by others, assuming the loss rate balances out over time, I suspect both genders go through the similar challenges with weight loss. Perhaps the magnitude of those challenges seems different due largely to cultural pressure and expectations.

For those of us men lucky enough to have someone else preparing all of our food for us, it's definitely easier for us to lose weight. Obviously, it takes a lot of time and effort to prepare the food. Obviously, I'm speaking to my own experience and your mileage may vary.

minimyzeme

Didn't need two 'Obviouslies' in the last paragraph but I obviously didn't proof-read closely enough.

gadgetgirlIL

Generally speaking, men have more muscle mass and thus a higher metabolic rate hence the possibility to lose weight quicker than a woman.

Remember - generally speaking - but there are always exceptions.

My DH struggles to lose weight. He is about my height and two years older. My DH is sedentary. The amount of calories he has to reduce his intake to in order to lose weight would be starvation level for me.

susan092907

I really don't like to generalize. As a 65 year old petite female, I know that many men lose weight much faster and seemingly more easily than I do, but many women do as well.

I also know that many men and women think that I don't have real weight loss challenges because I only have 5 pounds of regained weight to lose now, and that it should be so easy. In fact, it's a real struggle for me.

I think many leaders at WW meetings encourage the "men lose weight more easily" attitude.

I prefer to look at people as individuals, each with their own "thing" to deal with in terms of weight loss.

Out_of_Bubblegum

What an interesting topic.

I have not faced the "It's easier for you because you're a man" statement before...

I have observed, reading the boards and talking with others that have lost weight that:

1 - I don't have the wild day to day fluctuations that many others have (and from my limited observations, it appears that women have them more than men, especially considering TOM). I seldom fluctuate more than 1-2 lb at most from day to day.. so if I weight weekly, assuming I am on point... I consistently see a drop with few exceptions. My WL is mostly linear over time.

2 - I don't give voice to the struggle as I have witnessed many women do. Yes.. I feel the pressure. Yes, I see the fat in the pictures and mirror. I feel self conscious to get into a bathing suit, or that I worry about the example that I set for my daughter might lead her to problems in the future. I worry that I am not as sexy to my wife... and probably 100 other things I think about related... but I seldom express them openly. In fact, it is only through MFP and especially here with the LTL topics that I have really been able to express and process some of these thoughts.

3 - Women have a different caloric need than men. On average... women are shorter, with a higher "normal" level of body fat, which translates to a lower BMR... if my wife ate as much as I did at the same activity levels, she would be gaining probably about the same rate that I am losing at right now, as example.

Does this all translate to easier? Personally I don't think so... just different.

I think sometimes that NOT expressing them, means that I am not fully comprehending them... that maybe sometimes the things that are holding me back from fully embracing a lifestyle change is exactly because I am afraid that those changes are going to force me to talk about them.. that people will see my changes as admission of fault.. that they will see me as less of a person for "having to go on a diet".

And finally:

I participated in a 12 week challenge recently, mostly women on it.. and there was a woman that dropped weight like it was no big deal... like 15% of their BW in 12 weeks, with barely any exercise and eating reasonably. She didn't do anything extraordinary that I could see, yet she was incredibly successful during this challenge... But it would be WRONG for me to say that she had it "easy" - I have not earned that right, because I am not her.

It is Wrong to marginalize someone's struggle, no matter what it looks like from the outside.

88olds

Still thinking about this one. It took me 5 months to lose 32 lbs to get to goal. 21 weeks I think. At the end of 21 weeks I had 21 of those little blue tracker books listing what I ate everyday and the points.

Pretty darn sure there wasn't anyone else at my meeting that had that.

linmueller

I agree with much of what has already been said.

Re. do men lose easier, I don't think so. Consider the cultural difference. Men are expected, praised even, for eating large amounts of food. Women are judged. No man proudly tells his buddies how little he's been eating or about his latest diet. I think that the challenge is real for the dieting man

Also, if it was so easy, wouldn't most men be thin? And if it's 'easy' to get to goal, it certainly isn't easy to stay there, for anyone.

And re. hearing comments in my meeting, I have an awesome group of mostly women, but some men too, in my WW meeting. BUT we recently got a new women who did make a rude comment about a man, something like 'well you're a man so it's easy for you'. The guy she was directing her comment to didn't hear her. I could see her immediately winding up to comment again, so I piped up and told her I didn't agree. That stopped her cold. And I now sit on the other side of the room from her and her negative energy!

cakeman21k

I think that men can lose differntly, but the assumption that it is easier is false.

I will say that one difference that I see in meetings today vs ones that I joined 25 years ago is that the meeting leaders shut that kind of talk down pretty quickly. I have to assume that they have been coached to do so. (assuming that they hear the comments)

goldenfrisbee

When I went to meetings a couple years ago, I heard this a couple times. And it seems like it is easier for men to lose weight at the beginning, but once the first couple of weeks have gone by, the weight comes off very slowly. So no, I don't think it is easier for men to lose weight.

countcurt

Easier? No.

More quickly/larger numbers? Yes and no. Keeping in mind there are a million variables, here are some observations:

-Typically, men have greater muscle mass than women. Which plays a role (of uncertain quantity) in metabolism.
-The average male is taller than the average female. Which plays a role (of uncertain quantity) in determining baseline caloric needs.
-The average male is also heavier than the average female. So an equal percentage of body weight loss would translate to a larger quantity weight loss.
-Women have a higher number of attempts to lose weight. There is evidence to support the notion that multiple weight loss attempts followed by regaining impacts metabolism unfavorably. More diets = slower future loss.
-The social pressure on women to lose weight is much more overt than the pressure on men. And probably much greater overall. As such, I have observed there are many women who have self-identified as needing to lose weight AND who feel judged for not making an effort to do so. Consequently, many of the women at my meeting come to the meetings no matter where they are in their weight management process.
-OTOH, many men feel awkward about 'being on a diet' and a social stigma attached to participating in diet programs such as WW (NOTE: I used the word diet here intentionally). Consequently, I have rarely, if ever, met a man at a meeting who wasn't already fully determined they needed to lose weight and committed to doing so. While they may enjoy the social aspect of their meetings, they are there, first and foremost, to lose weight.


Overall, in the aggregate, I think the answer is yes, men tend to lose weight faster than women. But there are, as noted above, men whose weight loss is very slow, even when they're 'doing everything right'. And women whose weight loss is quicker, even when they're 'doing everything right.' So, in the end, it really doesn't matter. I'm not 6'5" and I've been on a thousand diets in the past. So my loss rate was, indeed, slower than many other people's. Which didn't prevent me from losing the weight when I was ready, focused and committed.

countcurt

The topic used to arise every so often in my meeting as well. My ML usually handled it by saying something along the lines of 'even if that's true, it's not really relevant'.

Jimb376mfp

@countcurt Thanks for your input.

You continue to educate me and I appreciate it.

GoRun2

My brother said it used to really irritate him when people said it was easier for men to lose weight than women. It wasn't easy for him.

When I'm on eating on plan and trying to lose weight, my husband who doesn't need to lose weight loses without trying. It's easier for him.

So I agree with @countcurt said, especially with the physiology. I also think losing weight is hard for many of us regardless of gender.

MurpleCat

One other piece in terms of the ability to stick to the plan -- prioritizing oneself and one's needs is a key factor in many aspects of weight loss success. While both genders experience the pressure to self-abnegate for the sake of family, women in particular are penalized socially for prioritizing their needs over those of their children, husbands, and other family members. That includes setting aside time for working out, planning meals that work for them, shopping, etc. I'm not saying that men don't have to deal with those issues, but that men don't have as much trouble (generally) asserting themselves when they've identified something they need/want.

Consider for example mothers & father's day. Celebrating mothers day (at least among my friends & neighbors) involves breakfast in bed or taking mom out for a special meal. Father's day, however, is the dads getting together to golf or play poker without their families. Imagine if Mom said she wanted to spend mother's day without her kids? It could happen, but there's a pretty high social cost to that.

That plays out on a smaller scale every day, and many women struggle to adhere to a weight loss plan when they are so used to subordinating their needs to those of their families.