National Men’s Health Month: Weight Loss for Men

By Luke E., Lifestyle Consultant, Coon Rapids

What is it about gender and weight loss? Is there a difference between men and women when it comes to losing weight? If so, why do we need to do things differently? Everyone has a unique body and a unique body composition on a physiological level. Men and women have specific differences in body composition, in general, that require their own specific and personalized plans to achieve results. Let us talk about this in more detail.

Is Men’s Weight Loss Different than Women’s?

When we help partners with their weight loss, they often share statements such as “why does he lose weight so fast?” or “the weight is just falling off him.” This is related to the amount of muscle men carry; generally speaking, men have a greater percentage of muscle mass due to their biological disposition. This is one of the main reasons why men will typically lose weight faster than their women peers. Muscle mass contributes to a higher BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate (Williams, 2015). Our BMR is the number of calories our body will burn at a resting state. The more muscle mass a person has, the more efficient and more calories a body can burn.

How We Use InBody Technology

At Livea, we utilize Inbody technology in our customization of your weight loss program and then we track and review your progress monthly with repeat scans.

In each InBody session, we look over your BMR, BMI (Body Mass Index), and PBF (Percent of Body Fat). Based on BMI and BMR scans results we can then calculate the proper number of calories needed to support healthy weight loss for any individual, man, or woman, including the proper macronutrient combination of calories to optimally burn body fat specifically while maintaining as much lean mass as possible. This helps us best determine the appropriate plan for effective and healthy weight loss. Once the correct plan is determined, and a client begins their journey, then the body fat targeted can begin to be utilized as a fuel source to be burned instead of being stored as excess weight.

Sounds nice, huh?

Correct Macronutrient Combination to Protect Lean Mass

Now, our job is to protect your muscle mass; so how do we do this? We are sure you have heard the saying “not all calories are the same.” There is a lot of truth in that statement since if most of your calories are coming from other sources such as carbohydrates or fat, over time—without enough protein—you can start to lose that precious muscle mass that keeps our metabolism high for weight maintenance.

When we determine your proper macronutrient combination utilizing the InBody technology results, this provides a formula to follow for not just the total number of calories needed to be successful, but also the appropriate macronutrient calorie breakdown of where those calories should come from: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Protein has amino acids which are the building blocks of muscles. It is incredibly important to consume enough protein to nourish the body and maintain muscle mass throughout the weight-loss phase of your health journey. Based on the different general compositions of men and women, and the innately higher muscle mass that men tend to have, it is easier to understand why it seems like men lose weight more quickly than their female friends.

Now, this is not to say that women will not experience weight loss or fat loss with great success. It is important to keep in mind that while men lose weight more quickly sometimes, they often have more weight to lose being overall larger humans. In addition, they typically need to be at a lower body fat percentage than women to be considered a healthy weight. In our experience women tend to shed inches more than they do pounds and ultimately, the goal is how we look and feel that determines our success, not simply the number on the scale. (Williams, 2015)

Tools to Help You Succeed

We have many ways to help guide through the weight loss process, at Livea. Our wellness workbook, blogs, webinars, classes, group huddles, grocery store tours, meal plans, recipes, weekly sessions for accountability, and other tools will be complete with behavior modification support, tips, and tricks on how to deal with every challenge life throws your way.

We understand that everyone has their own goals with weight loss and eating better. But what everyone needs is a safe, judgment-free space, where we can talk about our struggles with people who are health professionals and experts on helping people effectively and safely lose weight and make sustainable lifestyle changes.

Why the Men’s Weight Loss Program at Livea Works

At Livea, we create a safe and understanding environment where you can feel comfortable talking about current difficulties. We have the one-on-one interactions where we walk through your weight loss journey with you. We are there to celebrate victories and to help you through the tough times and the best part, we do all the heavy lifting for you.

The only choice you make with Livea is to lose weight and keep it off. We personalize a plan for you. Which plan do you need? Let us worry about that. We will have one that fits your specific needs. We take the guesswork out of your nutrition and give you the education on how to eat once you reach your goal.

So yes, men often can lose weight faster than women initially, with small habit changes, and women typically will lose more inches. Men also typically have more muscle that needs to be supported and nourished while losing weight to maintain a healthy BMR. Men may have different social stigmas around weight loss and asking for help and may need different support than women do. Regardless of whether you’re a man or a woman, because we customize our support to everyone, Livea’s team of health professionals are here to help.

To get started, you can fill out our online form or contact us at 1-855-465-4832.

References

Williams, R. L., Wood, L. G., Collins, C. E., & Callister, R. (2015, February). Effectiveness of weight loss interventions–is there a difference between men and women: A systematic review. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity. Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4359685/