Why do females gain weight faster than males?

Ever wondered, do females gain weight faster than males or as a woman why do I gain weight so fast? When it comes to losing weight, women stand at a disadvantage as compared to men. It has been observed that women accumulate fat and experience weight gain quicker than men and lose it far more slowly. Also, when men and women cut an equal number of calories, men lose weight faster. This only confirms what many women long suspected. “My husband eats so much, yet does not gain an inch!” said one of our clients from Andheri West, Mumbai, center. Another from our Colaba center said, “I only have to look at the food to put on weight.”

Weight Gain in Women

If you are wondering do women gain weight easier than men? Here is the answer. Women are naturally fatter than men, even though as new-born both the sexes start with the same i.e. body fat totalling up to 12% of body weight. During puberty, girls get fatter without a weight gain diet and boys become leaner. By the age of 18, girls have 20-25% body fat and boys have 15-18%. By adulthood or by middle age, both sexes have 35-40% fat.

Most of the Health Total clients ask us: “When my husband and I are both following the health program and are put on the same food plan, why does he lose weight with more ease than I do?”

In this respect, we are in step with the animal kingdom. Female animals accumulate fat more quickly than their male counterparts. Women are designed to carry extra weight during pregnancy. She can cater to the additional supplies of nutrition to her baby even when enough food is not available to her.

Why women gain weight? Women have a lower resting metabolism than men. This means they burn fewer calories to maintain their basic life functions such as respiration, digestion, and elimination, than men do. The difference is quite significant. A small-framed woman may need only 1,000 calories a day to maintain normal body functions, while a large-framed woman may need about 1,600 calories a day. Conversely, men need anywhere between 1,400 and 2,000 calories a day to carry out normal bodily functions.

As women burn fewer calories for basic life functions than men, she loses lesser weight than men daily. So, weight loss in women is slower than in men. Women happen to have more weight than men despite eating a normal diet and not having weight gain foods. This is why women need a well-planned diet for weight loss for females for good weight management.

Fat also settles differently in men and women. Men usually tend to store fat around their bellies. In women, the fat gets stored on their hips and thighs. Research on weight gain for women has shown that fat deposits on the hips and thighs are difficult to lose. The reason: women’s hormones favour depositing fat in that region and not removing it from there. Except during breastfeeding, a woman burns approximately 800 calories a day, allowing the fat deposits on the hips and thighs to be converted into energy to fuel milk production in the breasts.

Thus, women who have accumulated weight in the thighs and hips find it difficult to lose weight. However, following a customised diet plan for weight loss for females can help women melt away all undesirable fat and get in shape effortlessly. The guidance of certified dieticians can help you receive a personalized weight loss diet plan for women to shed those extra kilos without comprising health.

Read more: Ways to avoid weight gain at wedding

Weight Gain in Men

Men have an apple-shaped body and an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. Women usually have a pear-shaped body with less fat deposits around the abdomen & more in the lower body. Such bodies, even if obese, do not stand a high risk of heart disease. This goes to show that two people with the same amount of body fat may have different health risks. Since excess fat in women is a part of the cosmic plan, they can gain weight even with healthier eating practices and even without a healthy diet for weight gain.

Most men gain weight because of a rich diet and a lack of physical activity. As a result, obesity in men is associated with a greater likelihood of health problems than obesity in women. Obese men who have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures and higher levels of cholesterol and triglycerides are at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular conditions. Going for a well-planned weight loss diet chart for males  can prove beneficial for men to lose weight and lower the risk of health complications.

A point to note here is that women who have male-type fat distribution (apple-shaped bodies) also share the same increased health risk as men. Men lose weight faster because abdominal fat is easy to burn than fat around the hips and thighs (the place where women tend to store fat.) This also explains why weight gain for women is more in their lower body during pregnancy. And most women have a hard time losing it after childbirth. Women can find a diet plan for weight loss for females beneficial to lose weight after delivery while nursing their baby healthily.

Read more: How to lose weight in a month

As mentioned earlier, breastfeeding is an excellent way of losing weight around the hips and thighs. All this means that most women who are counting calories, always suffering from hunger, working out, and always watching their diets are still likely to put on extra weight or maybe lose it very slowly. This causes confusion and frustration in many women. But, don’t lose hope. There are ways and means of achieving weight loss by changing the composition of your diet. It is possible to be thin and attractive without much effort and lose undesired fat by opting for a healthy diet food for weight loss.

At this stage, we are talking about a lifetime commitment to health and optimum weight. Ask your doctor or nutritionist for a health-based food plan to avoid weight gain. It should be the one that works with your nutritional and physical needs, not against it. This way, you will be able to not only lose weight and maintain it but also work effortlessly for a longer duration than before. In short, you’ll feel more active from within by following a well-planned diet chart for weight loss.

For a personalized weight loss diet plan, as per your current health status and body type, get in touch with our health experts. If you are underweight and need a customized healthy diet for weight gain, our certified dieticians and nutritionists can also provide you with it. Call toll-free  1-800-843-0206 to Book an Appointment at our centers.