Male or Female? Who Wins at Weight Loss?
Aug 22, 2018
The constant and somewhat eternal question of whether or not gender makes a difference in weight loss is not easy to answer.
It involves a look at gender-specific traits as well as general points relating to weight loss.
Let’s look at a summary list of these various issues and then explore some of them a bit more closely.
1) Men have more muscle and tend to have a lower percentage of body fat due to hormones differences.
2) Men have higher metabolic rates. They have the ability to tap into stored fat as energy. Women, with lower metabolic rates, tend to burn fat at a slower rate.
3) Women do not usually store visceral adipose tissue, or abdominal organ fat, as readily as men. Instead, women store fat in the lower part of the body and at the subcutaneous level (butt, hips, and thighs).
Several studies have demonstrated that on a diet plan, men and women can lose the same amount of weight! However, the men in the study saw greater reductions in body fat % and had better lean body mass maintenance than women. This means that the women lost more muscle mass.
- Women have a lower BMR (basal metabolic rate) than men. This means that even at rest men burn more calories than women.
- Another study proved that dietary balance had more to do with fat loss than gender did. Both males and females on the highest protein plan (moderately reduced carbs) had the most success with losing weight and fat.
First - Exercise!
Men and women can shed body fat and unwanted weight if they use the right exercise and diet. They don’t tend to require radically different methods to shed weight, but in fairness, women do have to work at it longer and harder to get the same outcomes.
Does this mean that identical exercise plans can be put to use for men and women, and identical weight loss will occur? No. Though weight training, cardio exercise, and low-carb/high lean protein diets tend to trigger the same weight and fat losses, the studies have revealed that various hormonal issues can make it very difficult for women to eliminate lower body fat and to enjoy the same amount of energy release during workouts.
What does this mean for the women of the world?
Essentially women have to do regular and very rigorous exercise in order to build lean muscle mass. They have to perform a better balance of both cardio and strength training than men and need high intensity interval training to truly see their results. This is much easier to do with the energy and metabolism boosting Liquid L-Carnitine included in Nutrakey's Slimming Starter Stack.
Next – Diet
Though men and women need different amounts of calories, there are some psychological differences where diet is concerned. For example, one study noted that women are emotional eaters and will experience stress, low self-esteem, depression, and mood-swings as part of the eating and dieting experience. Due to the lack of societal pressure, men usually underestimate how overweight they may be! This could be a possible link as to why men do not often experience emotional eating.
Goal setting with dieting is also different between men and women. On average, women eat much healthier than men and tend to set their own dietary restrictions. They are also more realistic when setting weight loss goals even if they aren’t always able to keep the weight off.
Both women and men have to eat adequate amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates each day, but they need different numbers of calories and, therefore, different quantities of the macronutrients as well as the standard nutrients. Dietary issues are unique to the individual, more so than anything to do with gender. If you feel you do need guidance and a diet plan you can take advice from our free diet plan included in the Slimming Starter Stack.
Finally – Gender Specific Supplementation
According to a 2014 report from the Council for Responsible Nutrition, gender-specific supplementation is on the rise. At the time of the survey, nearly 70% of those asked were regularly using dietary supplements!
It is best to use a supplement that is gender specified. For example, men’s health issues might focus on athletic performance, fat burning, testosterone boosting, muscle building, and sleep support. Women, on the other hand, may tend to explore supplementing for athletics, sleep, health and beauty, and muscle development.
This is why NutraKey recommends the 30 Day Slender Challenge for women as the ultimate weight loss combination! It powers through cravings, heightens metabolism, burns fat, and gives an amazing boost of energy.
In the end, gender does play a role in weight loss, training, and overall results. While women have to work harder at exercise to burn off the unwanted pounds, both genders can follow similar diets to experience optimal nutrition and weight loss outcomes. Age might also play a factor in addition to gender, and this is when supplementation is of even greater value, helping to retain nutrients and support weight loss or dieting goals. At all times, it is best to consume the appropriate amount of calories, do strength and cardio, and consider supplements to support and increase the positive results.
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