Why is it so hard for women to lose weight?
Weight loss is difficult for women because women’s bodies use weight differently than men’s. Men tend to store fat in their abdomen, while women store it in their hips and thighs. This means that when a woman starts to lose weight, she loses more muscle than fat. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, this actually makes it harder for her to lose weight. There are various reasons why weight loss may be difficult for women. Knowing those reasons (given below) may help you to choose the right approaches that work well for women.
Inactive Lifestyle:
Women can have a hard time losing weight due to their lifestyles. They often lead more sedentary lives than men and do not have the same level of muscle mass which makes it harder for them to burn calories. Women also have a lower metabolism than men due to different muscle mass and an inactive lifestyle also means that they don’t burn as many calories as they should.
Overeating / Choosing Unhealthy Foods
In the perfect world, we would be able to eat as many bowls of healthy food as we want without there being any risk of gaining weight. Unfortunately, that world doesn’t exist because no one is immune from the temptation of over-eating.
The struggle is real for many women who are trying to lose weight. Over-eating and choosing unhealthy foods make it difficult for women to lose weight because those habits can suppress fat-burning hormones as well as increase the risk of other diseases.
Stress
Women who are stressed or depressed can experience more difficulties when they try to lose weight. Stress in the workplace is a common cause of weight gain because when you feel stressed, you may often turn to food for comfort. If you experience stress at work you may likely overeat and not exercise. These factors contribute to gaining weight instead of losing it.
The hormones that are released when you are stressed can make it more difficult for you to lose weight. These stress hormones, like cortisol, work against your body by changing your metabolism and making it harder to burn calories.
Birth Control Pills
Birth control pills are used by women to prevent pregnancy. Women who take birth control pills often have weight gain as a side effect. This is because the contraceptive suppresses the natural hormone that regulates metabolism and hunger levels. Some women may feel hungrier or may not be able to resist temptation as easily because of this change in their body’s chemistry. And if they also diet or exercise regularly, it can make weight loss more difficult to achieve.
Higher Body Fat Percentages
Weight loss is a difficult journey for many women, especially if they have a higher body fat percentage. A person’s waist-to-hip ratio is a good indicator of their body fat percentage. The waist circumference should be less than half the hip circumference. It’s been found that as a woman’s body fat percentage increases, the more difficult it becomes to lose weight. Women generally have a higher percentage of body fat than men and they also have a hormone imbalance that prevents them from losing weight easily.
Menstrual Cycle Disruptions
Women’s menstrual cycle can affect their weight loss efforts. Women who are trying to lose weight may be surprised to learn that their menstrual cycle can affect how their body responds to the best weight loss methods. For example, women who are trying to lose weight often find that they have the greatest success when they cut out sugar and carbs during the week. However, this may not work as well for women during their menstrual cycle because of hormonal changes which make female bodies more sensitive to sugar cravings.
The Female Hormones
The female body and hormones play a huge role in weight management. One of the reasons that females have a harder time losing weight than males is because the female body and hormones play a huge role in weight gain. The female body is different from the male body, which is why they experience different health issues. In general, women are more likely to be diagnosed with autoimmune diseases, depression, and anxiety when compared to men. This is largely due to biological factors such as genetics and hormones.
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders affect women’s weight loss efforts. When people think of eating disorders, they usually think of teenagers who suffered from body dysmorphia and anorexia nervosa. However, the reality is that these illnesses are more common among women over the age of 50. One of the reasons for this is that older women tend to work out more and pay more attention to their diet than younger ones, which leads them to develop anorexia nervosa.
Body dysmorphia is a mental disorder where people will be obsessed with their own appearance and will usually see themselves as overweight or underweight even though they may not actually be so. This leads to unhealthy weight loss efforts such as throwing up after meals or exercising too much. Bulimia nervosa is a form of eating disorder that typically involves periods of excessive food intake and consequent purging. It is an unhealthy and potentially dangerous way to try and lose weight.
Weight Loss is different for women
Weight loss is difficult for women (in some aspects)
But, with appropriate strategies, weight loss is not impossible for women.
Relevant Article:
The Holistic Approach to Female Weight Loss
About the Author:
Deborah Arul Golda is an eclectic individual with a wide range of interests and talents. She is a counselling psychologist who provides counselling services to youth, couples, parents and community organizations. She is a health coach who helps moms navigate the health journey with their family and kids.“Mom’s Manna” is her new startup business that’s all about good food and better health. Her YouTube channel, “Mom’s Manna,” is made for those who are looking for healthy and creative recipes. She is a mother of two beautiful kids who are her motivation for creating something that will make the world a healthier place.