taken from ww website
Is it true that men can eat more than women without gaining weight and also lose weight faster? Yes, and the reason can be found in biological differences between men and women.
Metabolism Differences
There are relatively small metabolic differences between men and women. On average, women's total energy expenditure, which is the number of calories burned for metabolic needs, including breathing, blood circulation, digestion and physical activity, is around 5%-10% lower than men's.1 The reduced energy expenditure can be partly explained by body composition.
Body composition, that is the amount of muscle, bone, and fat that make up the male and female body, are quite different. Men, in general, have more muscle mass, heavier bones, and less body fat than women. For example, a typical man in his 20s who weighs 11st has 69lb of muscle, 23lb of bone and 23lb of fat. A typical women of the same age who weighs 8st 13lb has 45lb of muscle, 15lb of bone, and 34lb of fat. The recommended percentage of body fat for a woman is between 20%-30% which is thought to be higher for childbearing, while the recommended range for a man is between 12%-20%.2 Because of these differences in muscle mass, men burn more calories than women at rest.
Physical activity differences appear to also play a role. Women, in general, tend to be less active than men. One study that measured metabolism in both men and women found that the main reason women's energy expenditure was lower was due to significantly less calories burned from physical activity.3
These two factors – more calories burned at rest and more calories burned during activity – make it easier for men to eat more without gaining weight and also to lose weight faster than women of a similar size. The differences in terms of total weight loss, however, are modest. For example, in two 12-week weight loss studies, one in men, and the other in women, the men lost 17.6lb, while the women lost 13.4.4,5
Bottom Line
While gender differences in metabolism do exist, the differences in terms of total weight loss are modest. For both men and women, making positive lifestyle changes will result in successful, lasting weight loss..
