7 Reasons It is Harder for Women to Lose Weight than Men and How to Combat This ...

1. Testosterone

Testosterone is something that men have in greater concentration than females and this is why they have more muscle. The advantage of more muscle is that they have more metabolically-active tissue and burn more calories. This is one of the main reasons it is harder for women to lose weight than men, but do not throw in the towel just yet. Pump some iron to build some more muscle so you can combat your lesser muscle mass and burn more calories!

2. Preference of Foods

Studies show that the majority of men prefer hearty meals as opposed to decadent sweets, when compared to females. A home cooked meal has a lot fewer calories than a rich, chocolate dessert, so turn your old preferences into new healthier choices.

3. Emotional Eating

Most women turn to food for comfort when battling their emotions. Sometimes you may find yourself polishing off a bag of chips because of the stress in your life. The best way to combat this is to keep a food journal and before you go for an unhealthy craving, chart your emotions, have a glass of cold water, go for a walk, and then make the choice you should be making, rather than what your emotions are driving you to.

4. Are You the Cook

If you usually the one cooking your own meals you may find yourself tasting a little bit of this and some of that, which can all add up. For married men, that are not the cook in the household, it is much easier to have a meal prepared and avoid grazing than find yourself taste testing as you prepare. I chew gum as I cook dinner to avoid grazing while I cook. Try this, it helps!

5. Compartmentalize

For most women it is tough to compartmentalize our lives so when one thing is upsetting us, we find comfort in a high calorie, high fat snack. This is not all our fault, especially if it is that time of the month; it is due to the hormones. So prepare fresh cut veggies, make your own dip and enjoy a healthier version of your high cal snack to reduce fat and calories, without affecting the taste!

6. Focusing on Self

If you are a typical woman, running here, there and everywhere, sometimes the last thing you think about is worrying about yourself. This can be a problem when it comes to scheduling workouts and making healthy food choices. So start being selfish when it comes to your health. You cannot take care of anyone in your life, until you take care of yourself first.

7. Lowering Stress

Most women get frazzled when it comes to studying for exams, planning an event or everyday rigors. Whereas men can often shut that part of life off to play a game of basketball or just relax. Start fresh in your life and reduce your stress by taking a few minutes to mediate, shut the noise off and take a deep breath. Just 5 minutes a day of meditation can help you to reduce stress and help you to avoid having your body secrete the weight gaining hormone, cortisol. So just breathe!

So ladies there is hope out there for you to win this battle, that is if you are ready to put in a little extra work. Are you ready for the challenge to lose weight and get in the best shape of your life?