Men typically lose weight faster than women, and usually when they’re trying only half as hard. Women typically hit the gym for weeks before seeing a single pound difference on the scale.
But guess what? According to weight loss experts, the typical male weight loss techniques can work for women, too!
8. Eat FOOD
Guys don’t usually munch on things like 100-calorie snack packs; research shows men are less likely to eat goods labeled diet or low-cal, thus they get in more nutrients (and avoid unhealthy saturated fat) by fueling up on whole foods, which are also more psychologically filling, says Heidi Skolnik, former team nutritionist for the New York Giants. So that means snacking on nuts, yogurt, hummus, cheese sticks, fruit and vegetables and skipping that totally unsatisfying small serving of crackers.
7. Simplify Your Strategy
Whether it’s for hitting a golf ball or dieting, men tend to have great focus when they choose to. “They’re wired to concentrate on a single thing, whereas the female brain evolved to approach tasks from a wide perspective,” according to Helen Fisher, Ph.D., a biological anthropologist at Rutgers University at New Brunswick, New Jersey.
So a guy might decide to cut out beer entirely or do a Saturday boot camp; that’s his big plan. Most women try to tackle the whole problem at once, vowing to nix all carbs, cut out alcohol, steam every vegetable, and hit the gym daily at dawn. No wonder we fail; it’s a chore just thinking about it!
So instead of taking on too much, pick your single worst eating habit and a challenging fitness goal and deal with only those two things for a month. Totally doable, right? Now add a second goal: Keep building on good habits and watch the pounds drop off.
6. Strength Train
Strength training, which only about 17 percent of women do, revs metabolism, torches calories and sculpts sexy muscles. It’s so effective, you should try to think of your cardio routine as secondary to strength training, which should be 60 percent of your fitness commitment right now, says Holly Perkins, an ExerciseTV trainer in Los Angeles.
Also, spend less time on machines and embrace free weights, especially barbells, which work more muscles.
Lastly, don’t be discouraged if the needle on the scale nudges up a smidgen at first: Remember, the muscle you’re gaining weighs more than the fat you’re losing; you may not drop pounds, but you’ll be smaller and leaner—go by how your favorite jeans fit!
5. Just Knock It Out!
Men don’t really plan.
“Most men throw themselves into an exercise program without much planning; most women ask a lot of questions and may even overthink things, which can create excuses and lead you to put off starting,” says Tracie Rogers, Ph.D., assistant professor at the Arizona School of Health Sciences.
Skip right to the action—and results! Why not lace up and go for a quick jog right now? Curious about a class? Sign up right now.
4. Have A Healthy Ego
We women are as competitive as guys, but our ego isn’t as tied to how fast we run or what we bench-press. Maybe it should be! Turns out, one’s ego is a powerful motivator. The next time you have an amazing workout, tell a friend, boast to your brother, post it on Facebook, or even just say to yourself, Boot camp busted my butt today!
To pump up your body confidence even more, work out with a super-fit friend and don’t let her out-exercise you.
3. Be More Confident
Men worry less than women do about what most people think of their body. Walk with your head high, and where your cute workout clothes proudly – this will make it easier to focus more on your gym routine, which will get you fit.
2. Improve Your Relationship With Food
A guy sees burger and thinks, “Mmmm, that burger looks good!” Women think, “Oh no, a burger? I’ve had such a bad day that it would help me feel better, but I know it’ll ruin my diet!”
One study found that women binge eat more than men do, possibly because we eat to soothe ourselves. And when emotions, not your stomach or brain, drive choices, it can be a diet disaster.
Instead, try to think of food as fuel. Take bites because you’re hungry or need energy, not because of stress, unhappiness or just plain boredom. Think about what your choices will do for your health and let yourself indulge occasionally without the guilt.
1. Adopt The Right Attitude
Men’s attitudes definitely affect their weight loss success. They give themselves credit for the smallest victories, whereas women have a tendency to be too hard on themselves.
“My female athletes become distraught or beat themselves up if they don’t notice results right away,” says Robert Pennino, president of Terrier Tri coaching in New York City.
Forget that! Keep telling yourself that, some days will be better than others, you will win at weight loss. A skipped trip to the gym, or eating something that you feel you shouldn’t have, doesn’t mean failure – your next meal or workout is yet another chance to keep at it and succeed!
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