There is a common belief that men lose weight faster than women. But is this common belief true? The answer is yes…mostly. Men have a genetic advantage because we naturally have more muscle due to testosterone. There is also a school of thought that the reason it takes women longer to lose weight because of food preferences. According to Katherine Tallmadge, RD, the author of Diet Simple. “Men love their meat, and women are attached to carbohydrates,”
But Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD has some ways to even the odds for women. Lifting weights at least 2 times a week can help jump start weight loss in women. Having a positive attitude towards weight loss also goes a long way. It is important to remember that everyone in this contest has the same goal, to lose a bunch of weight and feel better about ourselves, so don’t get discouraged if other contestant lose more weight at the beginning of the contest. Everyone’s body is different and we all have different methods that work for us to lose weight.
Its also not all bad news when it comes to how women store fat. Women typically store fat lower on their bodies than men do. This means that men store fat around their heart and liver first which comes with a higher risk of heart disease, the #1 killer of Americans.
More information on this subject can be found here: Men vs. Women: Weight Loss Wars
