Believe it or not, men and women are actually quite different. Apart from the obvious differentiators, women have a number of barriers towards maintaining a healthy weight that men have probably never considered.
The first weight loss problem to discuss is the fact that generally women won't lose as much fat as men or at the same rate. The reason being is that female fat is stored around the hips, butt and breasts and is there to support the female through pregnancy even during periods where food may be scarce. This fat is less mobile than the fat men store around the mid-section. This is a good thing for women as it reduces their risk of cardiovascular disease when compared with men of the same age. Post menopause women change in how they store energy and can begin to store fat more readily around the mid-section thus increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease as compared to their level of risk prior to menopause. Therefore it's important for women to manage their body fat prior to menopause as it becomes more difficult with time.
Another weight loss problem for women is that they are typically under more pressure than men to achieve an unrealistically lean body shape. This can lead to significant psychological consequences especially if the female is not genetically predisposed to looking like the desired body shape. As a result, many more women than men have attempted to and achieved weight loss through various crazy and unproven, although popular, weight loss strategies. This can result in the yo-yo or rebound effect, which is another common weight loss problem for women. The main thing to realise is that the body has gone on strike. With each severe bout of weight loss the body becomes more and more protective of the energy it has left making any further weight loss even more difficult
Women are also at greater risk of the vicious cycle of dieting than men. A person can feel unhappy about their body image and decide to go on a diet. As a result they can feel deprived, then angry. In this state of mind the person is more likely to binge which can lead to the person feeling anxious and depressed and food can become a coping strategy. Men are also susceptible to this cycle but women are much more at risk. This situation can lead to a person becoming an 'over restrained eater'.
Over restrained eating is a common weight loss problem as these people are at a greater risk of relapse due to the thin line they are walking and the feeling of guilt they associate with food. The over restrained eater can last for long periods of time until a situation arises that they are unable to cope with or provides them with an excuse to break their restriction and the gorging begins. Pregnancy is a prime example; the female restricts herself for a number of years then falls pregnant. This provides the over restricted eater with the excuse that they are eating for two and off they go only to find the stored energy doesn't come off once the baby is born.
The final point to discuss is the role of stress, worry and anxiety. Women experience anxiety much more than men and are therefore more exposed to the effects stress, worry and anxiety have on weight loss. "Stress Management" is an essential tool for the female when it comes to weight loss.
If the above sounds like you or someone you know it is important to understand that this cycle can be difficult to break and professional support may be required. The key factor is to reduce the guilt about eating. If you can stop the feeling of guilt you can break the cycle and actually eat less. If you hear the statement of "I deserve it" stop and think. Should you really have to earn food? If the above sounds like you try the following tips:
Tips to overcome weight loss problems for women
- Give yourself a bit more lee way when it comes to losing weight
- Be aware of overly restrictive eating and the tendency to binge when things go wrong
- Practice eating to live – not living to eat
- Don't try to compare directly with Men – set your own goals and targets
For more information on weight loss and your health go to
www.lifestylemedicine.net.au.
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