Body fat is something that sneaks up on us with age. If you’re working out, you’re probably trying to burn off fat while building muscle. By doing this, you have a healthier body composition. But have you ever wondered why men and women seem to lose fat differently, even if they do similar workouts and eat comparable diets? It’s not your imagination – there’s science behind the differences in fat loss between the two genders. As you’ll see, some of it has to do with how men and women store fat differently.
Differences in Fat Storage Between Men and Women
White fat is the garden-variety fat that you have on your body, It’s the jiggly stuff that bounces when you jump and creates love handles. Although you don’t want to “pinch an inch” when you grab your waistline, you need a certain amount of white fat:
- To store extra calories for a rainy day.
- As a source of insulation. That’s important if you live in a cold climate!
- To make hormones that affect your metabolism and appetite.
So, there’s a sweet spot for white fat. Too little, and you wouldn’t have enough stored energy in reserve if you become ill or are forced into a famine situation. Too much and you’re at higher risk for obesity-related health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some types of cancer.
The Gender Fat Gap
Women have more body fat than men, on average, but men store fat differently than women. The female gender stores more fat under their skin in a subcutaneous pattern. However, men send more of their stored fat into deeper tissues where it becomes padding for internal organs (Think fat around the liver) and deep abdominal fat that creates a wider waistline.
Which would you rather have? Subcutaneous or visceral fat? From a health standpoint, choose the former. Visceral fat is far worse for your health than the jiggly, subcutaneous kind. When you have more visceral fat, you‘re at greater risk for metabolic disorders, like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Plus, it’s a marker for future health problems. Although subcutaneous fat might create love handles, something most people don’t love, visceral fat can cost you your health.
Why do men have more visceral fat? Men have more testosterone, a male hormone that affects where they store fat. Whereas estrogen (a female sex hormone) deposits fat subcutaneously in the hips and thighs, testosterone sends it deeper, where it emerges as visceral fat.
Exercise: The Great Fat Equalizer?
So how does exercise alter this equation? Men have more visceral fat than women (although it balances out after menopause). Yet men have an easier time losing visceral fat through exercise, as it’s more metabolically active tissue. Once guys start an exercise program, particularly a high-intensity one, some of that annoying deeply stored fat thins out.
The Female Challenge: Stubborn Subcutaneous Fat
Women have more subcutaneous fat and it’s hard to lose. Those stubborn inches that you pinch between your fingers are slow burners, especially the subcutaneous fat on your lower body. A baby’s head needs fat to protect it as it comes out. So, it’s hard to shed this essential fat. However, as estrogen levels drop after menopause, fat storage in women shifts to visceral regions, and it shows up as a wide waistline.
Cardio versus Strength Training for Fat Loss
So, what type of exercise is best for shedding fat? Studies show that cardio is an effective way for men to lose visceral fat. Studies show 12 weeks of cardio reduced visceral fat in men. This reduction in visceral fat occurred even without dietary changes. Cardio also has benefits for women, but women don’t lose visceral fat as easily with cardio as men. However, it is beneficial for supporting total body fat loss.
Hours of cardio isn’t always the answer though. Strength training helps guys build and preserve muscle while giving them a subtle metabolic boast. It can also help both genders lose visceral fat. But strength training helps women lose body fat too. Women naturally have less muscle mass than men and a higher body fat percentage. Strength training helps build metabolically active muscle for women, helping to even out men’s metabolic advantage that comes from having more muscle tissue.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): The Best of Both Worlds?
Don’t underestimate the fat-burning benefits of HIIT training for fat loss. It helps both genders burn fat in a time-efficient manner. Plus, you get an “afterburn” effect from a HIIT workout that you don’t get from moderate-intensity, steady-state exercise. Thanks to the afterburn, you burn more calories after a HIIT workout than steady-state aerobic exercise.
The Hormone Factor: How Exercise Influences Fat-Burning Hormones
Now let’s explore one of the most obvious differences between men and women – hormonal differences. Hormones are chemical messengers that direct chemical processes that affect how we store fat and other biological processes. And guess what? They work differently in men and women.
Testosterone: The Male Fat-Burning Ally
Testosterone is a powerful fat-burning hormone and men naturally have more of it, around ten times more than women. Testosterone also helps boost resting metabolic rate. Because they have more testosterone, men often enjoy faster fat loss than women. But as men age, testosterone production drops and they struggle more with fat loss, especially loss of visceral fat.
Estrogen: The Female Fat-Distribution Director
While women have less testosterone than men, they have more estrogen. You might think estrogen is a hindrance to fat loss, but it affects where you store fat. When your estrogen levels are high, before menopause, estrogen sends more fat to your hips and thighs and less to your abdominal region. But after menopause, fat storage shifts to your mid-section and you gain more visceral fat.
The Benefits of Growth Hormone
Growth hormone is a powerful fat-burning hormone that also helps boost metabolism and muscle mass. Whether you’re male or female, you have growth hormone, although the amount declines with age. Yet studies suggest that women enjoy a sharper rise in growth hormone with exercise than men. So, working out, especially at a high intensity, may help women benefit from a burst of fat-burning growth hormone.
Optimizing Your Workout: Gender-Specific Strategies for Fat Loss
Tips for Men
- Focus on a combination of cardio and strength training to target visceral fat and build muscle.
- Don’t shy away from high-intensity workouts – they can be particularly effective for burning visceral fat.
- Pay attention to your diet – while exercise is crucial, nutrition plays a crucial role in fat loss too.
Tips for Females
- Incorporate strength training into your routine – it’s your secret weapon against stubborn subcutaneous fat.
- Don’t fear weights – building muscle will boost your metabolism and help you burn fat more efficiently.
- Be patient with lower body fat loss – remember, your body is designed to hold onto this fat, so it might take longer to see results.
For Men and Women
- Add variety to your workouts to prevent plateaus and stay motivated.
- Be consistent with your routine.
- Keep a fitness journal.
Conclusion
Now you know that there are gender differences in body fat percentage, the type (subcutaneous vs. visceral), and how easy it is to reduce through exercise. By acknowledging the unique challenges and opportunities for fat loss in men and women, we can optimize our approaches to achieve a healthier body composition. For the best results, of course, focus on both diet and exercise. They’re team players.
References:
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- Vissers, D., Hens, W., Taeymans, J., Baeyens, J. P., Poortmans, J., & Van Gaal, L. (2013). The Effect of Exercise on Visceral Adipose Tissue in Overweight Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLoS ONE, 8(2), e56415. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0056415
- Wajchenberg, B. L. (2000). Subcutaneous and Visceral Adipose Tissue: Their Relation to the Metabolic Syndrome. Endocrine Reviews, 21(6), 697-738. https://doi.org/10.1210/edrv.21.6.0415
- Ismail, I., Keating, S. E., Baker, M. K., & Johnson, N. A. (2012). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of aerobic vs. resistance exercise training on visceral fat. Obesity Reviews, 13(1), 68-91. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2011.00931.x
- Ormsbee, M. J., Thyfault, J. P., Johnson, E. A., Kraus, R. M., Choi, M. D., & Hickner, R. C. (2007). Fat metabolism and acute resistance exercise in trained men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 102(5), 1767-1772. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00704.2006
- Stanworth, R. D., & Jones, T. H. (2008). Testosterone for the aging male; current evidence and recommended practice. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 3(1), 25-44. https://doi.org/10.2147/cia.s190
- Davis, S. R., Castelo-Branco, C., Chedraui, P., Lumsden, M. A., Nappi, R. E., Shah, D., & Villaseca, P. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 15(5), 419-429. https://doi.org/10.3109/13697137.2012.707385
- Wideman, L., Weltman, J. Y., Hartman, M. L., Veldhuis, J. D., & Weltman, A. (2002). Growth Hormone Release During Acute and Chronic Aerobic and Resistance Exercise. Sports Medicine, 32(15), 987-1004. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200232150-00003
