Why men lose fat faster than women
Men lost 16% or 26 pounds more than women over the course of an 8-week study in the journal Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism. All participants ate an 800 calorie diet of soups and shakes and other low-calorie foods. At the end of the eight weeks, the men had a lower heart rate and less body fat. They also ended with a lower risk for diabetes than the women did. This is excellent news for men and frustrating news for women who want to lose weight and change their health. Let’s discuss why this happens.
Men have a higher metabolism
“Men’s metabolism is designed for size, strength, and speed,” explains Dr. Christopher Hollingsworth of NYC Surgical Associates. “Men generally have more lean muscle mass, and men’s bodies burn through visceral fat reserves more quickly, using more of that energy for activity and saving less for periods of fasting.”
Their bodies were physiologically built to burn more fat and men simply have a higher metabolic rate.
Guys have higher amounts of testosterone
Another reason why men lose fat faster than women is testosterone. Testosterone is a hormone found in both men and women but found to be significantly higher in men. This hormone is most often associated with sex drive and plays a vital role in sperm production. It also affects bone and muscle mass and the way men store fat in the body. Men’s testosterone levels decrease with age which can contribute to lower sex drive as well as more visceral fat around the belly, and more fat storage around the hips and butt. Men naturally have greater amounts of testosterone in their bodies, so that fact combined with less body fat and more muscle, in general, leads to a better metabolism—at least one that burns more calories.
Men have more lean muscle mass
What is lean muscle mass? It’s an equation. The total weight of your body minus the weight from your fat mass (or total body fat). Men are generally leaner than women, and they always have been. If you can think about caveman days, we weren’t sure when our next meal was coming around. So men hunted and needed muscle mass and a good metabolism to help them effectively bring home dinner. In those days, women stayed back and kept the children and home safe.
Women have slower metabolic rates
“In contrast, female bodies are genetically predisposed to store energy for certain activities, such as pregnancy and breastfeeding, says Hollingsworth. That basically means women “convert less of their dietary intake into muscle and bone, and burn less fat at baseline,” he notes.
According to the American Council on Exercise, your basal metabolic rate drops roughly one to two percent per decade and by a woman’s late twenties, many women will notice they can’t eat the same things they used to without gaining weight.
Okay, so what now?
This all seems frustrating if you are a woman or a man who has significant weight to lose, right? It doesn’t have to be frustrating if you are eating the right foods, exercising properly, and practicing self-care with the goal of lowering your body fat.
- My first suggestion, cut out sugar.
- Increase healthy fats, mostly from plants
- Eat a moderate amount of protein
- Practice stress relief that doesn’t include food, drugs, or alcohol
- Incorporate Interval Training in your workouts as it is the most effective workout to burn stored body fat
If this all seems too hard to navigate on your own, that is what we are here for. With a team of caregivers, the Wellthy Soul team and I will guide you towards less body fat, less lifestyle disease, and a more vibrant life. Book a free, 10-minute call with Layne today and learn more! BOOK CALL NOW.