Men have it easier to lose but they pay a higher price in failing the Weight Loss Battle?
There are many of injustices in life, one of which has to do with weight. In many respects, men have the upper hand when it comes to losing weight and keeping weight off. But they pay a higher price for failure.
In reality, all bodies are built differently, which is why every individual weight loss journey is going to be different. But yes, there are a few reasons why men, in general, will lose weight easier.
Why men have it easier
1. Calories burned
The first advantage men have in the weight loss battle is muscle. In general, men have more muscle mass than women.
This is an advantage when it comes to burning calories. At rest, more muscle means more calories burned. Therefore, a man doing nothing will actually burn more calories than a women doing nothing; up to 20 percent more. If the man is taller (which is usually the case), he will burn even more calories, because there is more muscle mass.
The second advantage isn’t necessarily an advantage in all cases. It has to do with overall weight. If a person weighs more, than that means more calories are burned in movement and normal functioning. It makes sense; a semi truck takes more power to move than a compact car.
2. Diet
Because men are bigger, they will need more calories. Some may see this as a further injustice, that men can eat more than women. But really it’s just simple physics: women have less mass to move around, therefore they need less food.
Research suggests that men may be able to suppress food cravings more easily than women. One study from the Brookhaven National Laboratory had men and women fast, and then participants were shown their favorite food, which couldn’t be eaten. The study found that men could better ignore the hunger, and that women’s brains showed a greater response to their favorite food, compared to men’s brains.
Why men pay a higher price
When men gain weight, they gain in the abdomen. That is the unhealthy fat. When women gain often the gain can be “pear shaped” and that fat is not as unhealthy. But when women do start to gain central fat the health effects are like they are for men.
It’s important to realize that dieting and weight loss are different for each gender. Spouses or couples that attempt the same weight loss strategies may fail, because really weight loss needs to be tailored to each gender.
