Why It’s Harder For Women To Lose Weight
Alright Ladies, this one's for you...
The bad news is after coaching hundreds of people to their dream bodies I can say there are very real reasons women have a harder time losing weight than men. The good news is that these limitations are entirely habit based and completely within your control if you truly want the change.
No, it doesn’t have anything to do with your hormones or metabolism. Yes both of those things change as you age, but not enough to overwhelm your ability to lean out and live in an athletic, energetic, and toned body at any age.
Let's get into it…
Meet Meat
The first thing holding women back is an odd but very common aversion to eating meat. While very few people entering my programs are strict vegetarians, none of the women I work with start out eating anywhere close to enough meat to satisfy their daily protein needs.
Somehow along the way our culture has given the impression that eating more meat is “heavy” and that the super fit women with enviable bodies are primarily plant fueled. Nothing could be further from the truth.
A high protein diet supports lean muscle mass which you need lots of to achieve a toned athletic look. In addition to aesthetics, carrying more muscle improves overall health in countless ways.
Meat also is highly satiating, keeping you full longer and avoiding the risk of getting snackish and falling off the rails between meals.
Lastly, protein isn’t a primary fuel source for the human body like fats and carbs are, meaning that an excess of protein consumption is unlikely to be stored as body fat. Eat too many carbs and it absolutely turns to body fat while excess protein simply gets eliminated without risk.
It often takes my female clients a little while to get over how much meat they need to eat, but when they do they LOVE how it makes them look and feel.
Resisting Resistance
The second habit that puts ladies a step behind when it comes to weight loss is craving cardio. Yes, aerobic and HIIT workouts can give you a great boost of endorphins, and while there’s undoubtedly health and fitness benefits to heavy breathing exercise, it won’t help you much when it comes to weight loss.
The role of exercise in a weight loss program is to stimulate the preservation of muscle mass, not pursuit of increased calorie burn. Those that do heavy resistance training in a calorie deficit lose almost entirely fat mass while those that don’t lift lose more muscle than fat. You have to keep your muscle mass to look good once you’ve lost the fat! Again, more muscle = huge chronic health benefits.
Cardio not only doesn’t preserve muscle mass as well as lifting, it has the tendency to make you ravenously hungry. The uptick in hunger from an intense HIIT workout usually causes an inadvertent increase in caloric intake that can easily double or triple what you burned in your workout, eliminating any chance at sustainable calorie deficit.
Stick to heavy lifting for gains you can see without the added stress of fighting huge hunger pangs.
Selfless Sabotage
The last thing I see putting women at a disadvantage when it comes to weight loss is perhaps the toughest to tackle. Most common amongst moms, women often have so much on their plate that they put themselves last in their daily priorities. Their kids, careers, errands, spouses, and social events are all vying for time, energy, and attention.
While these women deserve respect and applause for their superhuman efforts, it’s worth a reminder that putting your own oxygen mask on first is necessary if you plan to be at your best.
The women I work with that see the best levels of success get comfortable taking time for themselves. This can be tough at first, but is well worth the investment.
They prioritize feeding themselves clean, nutritious food at consistent times throughout the day, not just what they can grab on the go or snack off the little ones plates. Time gets set aside for exercise, meal prep, and (gasp) a healthy bedtime that allows for sufficient rest and recovery.
If you want to see a force of nature at work, watch a poorly fed, sleep deprived mother who hasn’t worked out in years start to carve out time for herself. Bit by bit the energy levels, confidence, and mood start to shoot through the roof. The time you take away from other things to invest in yourself comes back to your loved ones and other priorities in spades.
Turning Weaknesses Into Strengths
Now that you know, as a woman, what puts you at a disadvantage for weight loss, you’ve got the upper hand. Turn those weaknesses into strengths!
Prioritize a high protein diet with 4-6oz servings of meat spaced evenly throughout the day.
Start a weight lifting program 2-3x a week to support those all too important muscles for health and aesthetics.
Don’t feel guilty when you take a little time to put your own oxygen mask on first. You'll be better at all the hats you wear when you're fueled, rested, and exercised.
It’s not too much to ask that you get to eat clean and regularly, make time to exercise, and protect your bedtime and recovery.
Feel like you might be more successful on your journey with some expert guidance and a seasoned pro on your team? We want to see you win…