Do Men Lose Weight Faster Than Women?

By John A. Mays, MSEd

What you can take from this myth lies in the fact that studies were conducted on young men and women in their early 20's. During the early stages of adult life, men have higher muscle to fat ratios until they reach college age. After that, men begin to age and gain fat just like their female counterparts.

Up to age 25 or so, men are generally stronger, larger and typically weigh more; they also have more muscle than women due to the hormone testosterone. They are genetically designed to have a higher percentage of muscle and less fat until age 25 to 30.

Women are predisposed to store and retain fat. Women have higher levels of estrogen. On average, women have between five and 15 percent more body fat than men. These larger fat stores are part of a woman's physiology as an assumed adaptation to help women become pregnant and carry to term.

Men tend to have more lean muscle tissue, which burns more calories than body fat, even at rest. When men and women cut the same number of calories, men will typically lose more weight. We all know that this changes as men approach 30 to 40.

The part women get frustrated with is, men will lose weight where they need it most (around the middle), making it immediately noticeable when overweight men trim down. Women's fat stores are more spread out, which is partly why they lose at a slower rate, and when they lose it isn't immediately noticeable. But, there is one thing women can be happy about

while women are better at storing fat, they also tend to burn more body fat during exercise than men do.

The bottom line. Losing weight is equally hard for women and men, but anyone can lose weight. With a little work to build more muscle mass and decrease fat stores by lifting weights to build muscle, you will burn more calories. It will also strengthen your bones and prevent osteoporosis while allowing you to stay lean and

feel great.

Starting a program and committing to it is going to get you to your goal no matter your gender.