5 Reasons Why Weight Loss Is Harder For Women

Are you diligently eating a balanced diet? Going on a walk every now and then? Doing housework? Great! But despite all that, is your weight, especially in the post-pregnancy period, still high? Well, don’t feel down in the dumps. Science now confirms that there are some reasons which actually make weight loss HARDER for women – which means the fault isn’t with you!

Weight issues can surface as the biggest challenge for women, particularly so after they become a mother. Most of us try to get back in shape after some months have passed since our delivery. Those of us who are fitness enthusiasts even sweat it out for hours and hours while the rest of us go on a diet, get walking, and control our portions. But the numbers on the weighing scale and the love handles on your tummy just don’t seem to budge!

To make things worse, you notice your husband is shedding pounds without putting in as much effort. Just what is going on here? Why do women have it so difficult when it comes to weight loss and what can we do about it?

Well, research has proven that shedding the pounds is definitely harder for the fairer sex. So it’s not your fault if you are unable to lose weight, really, but the problem could be biological in nature. Check out the five reasons that could be at play in spoiling your weight loss plans – and also find out how to STOP them!

1. You have a slower metabolism rate

Genetic make-up is largely responsible for the difficulties that women face with weight loss. By nature, the metabolic rate of a man is faster than that of a woman. Additionally, a large proportion of a man’s body is made of muscle, while a woman’s has more fat. Both these factors account for men being able to burn more calories faster (even in the resting state) as compared to women. Bah!

2. Your hormones are messing things up

As incredible as it may seem, hormones are also a reason why it’s tough for women to lose weight as fast as men. Bloating and water retention are a part and parcel of your monthly period, which can make you look and feel fatter. PMS also integrates symptoms like depression and a sudden increase in appetite, which may have an adverse impact on your plans to lose weight. As far as pregnancy and delivery are concerned, the hormones are in a mad rush!

3. You are getting the wrong kind of exercise

This one can be particularly depressing – you have been exercising hard but weight loss is still not happening and your post-pregnancy sagging skin continues to sag! Well, it is possible that you are exercising wrong – and this is actually worse than not getting any exercise. Traditionally, cardio exercises are recommended for women while men go for strength training. The former is effective for burning calories while the latter increases metabolism by building up muscle mass. As a result, men tend to derive greater benefit from exercise. In your quest to tone up, you need to combine different workouts or you’ll just be wasting time.

4. Your emotions are making you fatter

Yes, it is very much possible! Women have to deal with more stress and anxiety in their daily lives than others in the family. This increases the incidence of emotional eating in women and gives them a tendency to fall prey to sudden spikes in appetite (especially chocolate, fries and chilled soda…) As a result, you can find it tough to bring down weighing scale numbers. This is particularly too when you become a mom and have new stressors in your life, as well as increased hunger owing to breastfeeding.

5. Your environment is not health-friendly

Finally, another strange but definite cause of why it’s harder for women to lose weight is the environment. Stay-at-home mommies may eat their kids’ leftovers to avoid wastage. Tasting while cooking is another culprit as is snacking when there’s no time to enjoy a proper meal. Coupled with everything else, it’s easy to see why women consume more calories and tend to fail more in weight loss efforts.

When you don’t lose weight despite rigorous efforts, you may fall into a negative pattern. But depression can worsen the situation. So, if your weighing scale is not budging and your plans are not giving you the desired results, it doesn’t always mean you’re doing anything wrong. Just be positive, focus on fitness and give yourself time to lose weight. It will happen with time.