Why is He Losing Weight Faster?
How Girls Can Catch Up
Welcome to a new year full of prosperity coupled with wonderful new levels of health, dear ladies of Agenda. We address the age-old question of why we cursed men hold this unfair advantage in the battle of the bulge and further yet, how to help you reap said benefits. The truth of the matter is that men do have major weight-loss advantages over you lovely ladies, combined with disadvantages as a woman. Fret not though, as there is always a way. The first male advantage involves body composition, enabling men to burn calories at an accelerated rate in comparison to women. Specifically, I am referring to greater amounts of muscle mass, extremely efficient fat burning marvels. Every extra 1 lb of lean muscle devours an extra 50 calories a day by simply existing. Might not sound like much, but should you add an extra 5 lbs of lean muscle mass to your body (which visually is one toner leg), you would burn an extra 500 calories a day. In one week’s time you will have burned 3500 calories, 1 lb of fat, simply due to you having one gorgeously toned leg. (I recommend you tone both together though. Might look odd if you don’t.) This either means you can eat an extra sandwich with 2 pieces of fruit, staying exactly the same size or change no eating habits and naturally lose nearly 1 lb a week. Not bad.
Men have been genetically designed by nature to hold and build more muscle mass, testosterone being the key player in all this. Women on the other hand are predisposed to store and retain fat due to higher levels of estrogen, a hormone that works to keep the fat on a woman’s body so it’s easier for her to become pregnant. That means women have to work harder to lose weight at the same rate as men. Realistically, women do take longer to add on the same muscle a man undergoing the same approach would; yet she will reap the same benefits once packing that gorgeous muscle. Do take note to remember that the male body originated as an expendable yet efficient hunting, gathering, defending machine. Ladies, you were beautifully designed to survive and bring in new and wonderful life into our world. Aesthetics were unfortunately not part of the original grand scheme of things. Take up any complaints with the big architect on that one.
A second grand advantage revolves around men naturally designed for more active lives, combined with faster response to exercise. Women have a lower tolerance for exercise due to smaller lung capacity, leading women to feel as though they are working harder than men even if the women are working at the same level. This makes exercise feel extra difficult in heat and high humidity. Under strenuous, unbalanced conditions, a woman’s body will enter starvation mode easier than a male’s, slowing the metabolism to hang onto more fat in the hopes of self preservation. Research has found that on average the metabolism of a man is 5 to 10 percent higher than that of a woman of the same weight and height. The American Journal of Physiology found that women burn an average of 16 percent fewer daily calories than men. Researchers found that a woman’s resting metabolic rate was 6 percent lower than that of men, along with 37 percent fewer calories burned during physical activity. They inferred that women were simply not moving as much as the men, thus burning fewer calories.
A woman’s edge in weight management stems from her uncanny intuition. Women tend to be more attentive to what’s going on with their bodies and are better able to make the connection between food and emotions, a male weakness. Bottom Line: How to level the playing field.
- Fat-Ravaging Muscle. Build that fat-burning body sculpting muscle mass so that you can eat more guilt-free and reach the highest tiers of your physical goals. I recommend finding a good class in your gym, a credentialed trainer, or a fun DVD program. Strength training can be tricky and one of those things you don’t want to learn by trial and error, as you can get very hurt. Be safe, but go hard. You won’t regret it.
- Extend Your Cardio. New studies reveal that 60 minutes per day minimum for 5 days a week to reap the benefits you seek. Once you are happy with the body that is unfolding, you can pull back to maintenance workout time, which is 3 times a week at your 60 minutes. If you have trouble with that, increase your time incrementally, or dividing up the time in the same day is fine as well.
- Realistic Goals. A realistic rate of loss is 10 percent of your body weight over a few months or 1/2 to 2 pounds a week. Pushing your body to lose too much too fast with unhealthy tricks is the reason people yo-yo. Treat your body right.
Make healthy living a routine. Women are much more disciplined and patient than most men, so make sure to capitalize on this fact. Keep a food diary to keep yourself accountable, make healthy choices a habit as brushing your teeth so that you no longer think about it. It becomes second nature. Choose water over empty calories and educate yourself on all your new changes. Don’t just listen to us health nuts. We read the books, but if your interest should spark, ask why and find your answer. By educating yourself you become that much more committed to yourself. Not a bad investment, I say.
Written by Anthony Heredia
