Is it true that men and women lose weight differently?

Is it true that men and women lose weight differently? And is it worth considering gender when choosing a diet and exercise regimen?

Official guidelines for maintaining a healthy weight, diet, and physical activity do not take gender into account. Because both men and women gain or lose extra pounds in the same way – through a calorie surplus or deficit.

At the same time, people of different genders have some differences in body structure, metabolic rate , response to exercise, and even motivation to lose weight. Below, we will analyze whether all these factors affect getting rid of extra pounds.

How men and women feel about their weight

Men are much less concerned about their weight than women and are less likely to try to lose extra pounds. On the one hand, this is good. In a survey of 32,000 Americans, it was found that only 6% of participants were trying to lose weight with a normal BMI, while 24% of women were doing this.

At the same time, when excess weight is actually present and can harm health, 49% of women and only 28% of men take action.

It seems that the latter simply do not understand very well when it is time to lose weight. Having checked the data of more than 4,000 people of both sexes, scientists found that only 65% of participants correctly estimated their weight, while among female participants, 84% made the right conclusions.

This makes it more difficult for men to detect actual problems and they are more likely to start losing weight when their excess weight has already crossed the obesity mark .

Are there any differences in the reasons and methods for losing weight?

A study of 419 people found that people of both sexes who lose weight most often do so for health reasons. This was the reason given by 68% of women and 74% of men.

At the same time, more than half of the participants also stated that losing weight would help them improve their self-esteem and self-confidence . Among men, this motive was found in only 35% of cases. In addition, the methods used by those losing weight also differed.

People of both sexes preferred to reduce the caloric content of their diet, exercise more, and eat less fat. But men were much less likely than women to use organized weight-loss programs and special diets, and they rarely took supplements, pills, or diuretics. The latter seems quite reasonable. But women were more likely to increase the amount of fruits, vegetables , and salad in their diet.

Is it true that men lose weight faster than women?

If a man and a woman are on a diet with the same number of calories, the former will probably lose weight faster.

In one study , overweight people with prediabetes were put on a liquid diet, consuming just 810 calories a day. After eight weeks, men lost 16% more weight than women, and also showed greater improvements in metabolic health.

Another experiment used a weight-loss program designed to create healthier eating habits . And over 12 weeks, men lost an average of 1.8 kg more than women. After six months, they weighed 3 kg less, and after a year, 5 kg less.

Scientists explain this by the difference in the body type of people of different sexes. The fact is that men are initially heavier than women and have a higher percentage of muscle mass: about 38.4% versus 30% of body weight. This increases their metabolism and energy needs.

Therefore, with the same caloric content of the diet, men will experience a more significant deficit, which means they will lose weight faster.

But if you calculate your diet based on your weight, the picture changes. In one study, men and women were put on a personalized healthy diet with a 15% calorie deficit. By the end of the experiment, both sexes had lost about 15 kg. What’s more, when scientists calculated the loss as a percentage of body weight, it turned out that women had better results: 17% versus 14% for men.

Thus, the main factor in losing weight is still energy deficiency. If you calculate the caloric content of the diet correctly, success awaits anyone, regardless of gender.

Should You Consider Gender When Choosing a Diet?

There is some evidence that low-carb diets are more effective for men. For example, one experiment involving 609 people of both sexes compared the effects of low-carb and low-fat diets. For 8 weeks, people consumed no more than 20 g of carbohydrates or fats, depending on the chosen regimen , and then gradually increased the amount of nutrients to a comfortable level. They were observed for a year.

As a result, it turned out that the low-carb diet helped men lose about 7 kg of weight, while the low-fat diet helped them lose only 4 kg. There was no such obvious difference among women. On the low-fat diet, they lost an average of 4 kg, while on the low-carb diet, they lost 5 kg. At the same time, men tolerated the second regimen much better.

Another study also showed the benefits of a low-carb diet for men . Over two years of such a diet, the participants lost about 5 kg, while the female participants lost 2.4 kg. At the same time, women lost weight much better on the Mediterranean diet . This comfortable and healthy diet helped them lose about 6 kg.

This is not to say that low-carb diets are simply not suitable for women.

The fact is that in research we see statistics on groups of people that do not take into account the individual characteristics of each person.

In one study , scientists noticed that women responded differently to diets. Five of the 13 participants lost more weight on a low-fat diet, while eight lost more weight on a low-carb diet . What’s more, 10 of the 13 women who cut carbs lost more fat, and 12 of the 13 lost more weight around their waists.

A review of the research on the effects of low-carb diets on men and women concluded that there has not been enough research on the topic to draw firm conclusions. What is currently known is that men lose an average of 2.4 kg, or 1.3%, more weight than women on low-carb diets. These values are statistically insignificant.

Thus, when choosing a diet, you should focus primarily on personal characteristics, and not at all on gender.

How physical activity affects weight loss in men and women

According to the survey, people of both sexes use exercise to lose weight. Without dietary control, this method is not particularly effective: training helps to lose less than 3% of body weight. At the same time, there is some evidence that men can benefit more from exercise.

In one study, men and women exercised for 45 minutes five times a week. After 16 months, participants had lost an average of 5 kg (11 lbs), while women had even gained 0.6 kg (1.5 lbs). However, women in the control group gained much more weight, gaining about 3 kg (6.6 lbs).

The same thing was found in another experiment, where an exercise program helped men lose weight and women maintain their weight.

Scientists suggest that this may be due to compensation for calories burned.

One study found that women had increased levels of ghrelin, a hormone responsible for hunger, after physical activity, while this did not happen in men. Another found that after 12 weeks of exercise, women had an 18% decrease in leptin , a hormone that makes you feel full. In men, its levels remained unchanged.

Two more experiments showed that 7 days of physical activity did not affect participants’ energy intake, but participants increased their caloric intake by 33%.

However, not all studies show this picture , so it is too early to recognize exercise as an ineffective strategy for women. The fact is that experiments often do not take into account the actual expenditure of calories during exercise. Since men are usually heavier than women and have a higher percentage of muscle mass , exercise costs them more in terms of energy expenditure.

Thus, in one experiment they calculated how many calories men and women would burn during the same amount of time of activity. The participants spent an average of 667 kcal per session, and the participants – 439 kcal. Such a difference may well explain the higher effectiveness of physical activity for men.

If we take into account not the training time, but the actual expenditure of calories , men and women lose weight equally. Moreover, the effectiveness of the loads primarily depends on the specific person and can either bring benefits or not give any results, regardless of gender.

It can be concluded that in this point the difference between men and women is not that big. You need to exercise regularly and control your diet so as not to compensate for the costs of activity with increased portions, and everything will work out.