Sorry ladies, but it’s true that men lose weight faster than women. In the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2,000 prediabetic overweight men lose body fat differently than women. The men participants came from Australia, New Zealand and Europe, and followed a low-calorie diet for 8 weeks. Their intake of calories was a total of 800 a day and was in the form of soups, shakes, and low-calorie vegetables. After 2 months, 35% of the participants had normal blood glucose levels and were no longer prediabetic. It was discovered that the male participants lost an average of 11.8 kilograms of body fat while female participants lost 10.2 kilograms. Men also had a lower heart rate, greater visceral fat loss, and a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. While there was a noticeable reduction in body fat for the women, there were some other results that weren’t optimal, compared to their male counterparts. Women had decreased bone mineral density, lean body mass and a greater reduction in HDL “good cholesterol”. Why it’s easier for men to lose weight faster than women:
| Men | Women |
| More testosterone levels to build greater lean body mass | More oestrogen levels that encourages greater fat around the hips |
| Greater lean muscle mass burn more calories | Less lean muscle mass |
| Different weight distribution, typically holding more visceral fat around their midsection | Has more inactive body fat around their hips, thighs and bottom in the form of subcutaneous fat |
| Less fat storage | Maintain more body fat due to the adaptations required for childbearing |
| Lose belly fat reasonably quickly that results to a more noticeable and dramatic outcome | Fat loss is typically more spread out |
Weight-loss is a difficult journey, regardless of your gender. There will be some weeks that you’ll lose weight that cannot be obviously seen physically. What is important is that you track your developments in your weight loss journey with photographs, waist-to-hip measurements, and your gains at the gym.
