Weight-Loss
for Women
By David Kathmann, MS, RSCC,
CSCS, NSCA-CPT
&
Nicole Rubenstein, MS, RD,
CSSD, CDE
Written on November 26, 2013
Women are at a disadvantage when it comes to losing
weight compared to men. Much of this has
to do with differences in testosterone levels and the type of fuel burned at
rest. In addition, women may be striving to achieve an unrealistic figure.
Thank the media for this, as they have distorted what an ideal body looks like
for women. The pursuit of an
unattainable body image, perpetuated by magazines and television highlighting
unrealistic and unhealthy body images, leads women to try outrageous diets
yielding rapid weight loss followed by weight regain. Use the tips below to achieve a healthy body
and weight that can be maintained for life!
- Lift heavy
weights
- Perform high
intensity sprints (or circuits)
- Eat protein
- Get your
Vitamin D
- Do not
stress!!
Women are afraid of getting bulky when
lifting heavy weights. However, you do
need to lift heavy weights using multi-joint movements over a full range of
motion, like the squat and deadlift. The effect of lifting heavy weights will
increase your lean body mass, decrease your fat mass, increase your
testosterone, increase strength, and much more (11). An increase in testosterone
and lean muscle mass, no matter how small, from lifting heavy weights will help
to get rid of those stubborn inches on your hips and “tone up”, much better
than aerobic exercise alone in women (4,8,12,14). Testosterone is much higher
in men and helps explain why men are able to grow bigger muscles and have a
lower body fat percentage.
Don’t
be afraid to sweat in the gym too. A woman’s body prefers to burn fat as a
fuel source during exercise, but not as much during rest (glucose is preferred
at rest for women; 1); which may lead to an increase in fat storage. Men, on
the other hand, prefer to burn fat at rest and may help explain why they are
able to lose fat and maintain a lower body fat percentage. Women, you can fight
back by incorporating high intensity exercise (think heavy breathing, heart
pumping, and muscle burning exercise; see my previous post on lactate). A lot of calories
will be burned during intense exercise, and even more calories throughout the
day after a hard workout (compared to
a long, aerobic workout; 12, 14). Calories burned during exercise and
throughout the day, in combination with extra lean muscle mass, leads to a rise
in your metabolism; which equates to even more fat loss!
In order to grow that lean muscle mass
you need to ingest protein. Protein will help you to recover from
workouts, repair and aid in the growth of your muscles, and raise your
metabolism even more! A good rule of thumb is to eat/drink about 15 grams of
protein before your workout and 20-25 grams after your workout. This might look
like a Greek yogurt before your workout and 3 oz chicken breast after your
workout. A diet that consists of at least
0.68 grams of protein per pound of body weight may be necessary in order to
maintain lean body mass when restricting calories; thus, losing weight mainly
from fat (6). An optimal goal would
be to have 30% of your total calories consumed coming from protein. Also, a
diet lower in carbs, as a means to decrease calories (compared to a low-fat
diet), is more effective at losing body weight, specifically body fat (2,10,13,14).
Make sure to round out that diet with vegetables, fruits, and low-glycemic
carbohydrates (i.e. quinoa).
One
vitamin in particular that may aid in weight loss is Vitamin D. A lack of outdoor activities, sunscreen use, dark
skin pigmentation, the latitude you live at (Colorado gets little vitamin D in
winter months), and time of year can all lead to low blood vitamin D levels
(3,7). Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml) can increase the risk for osteoporosis,
bone fractures, and may be related to other health problems, such as autoimmune
and cardiovascular diseases; as well as a possible association of low vitamin D
levels to muscle weakness and fat accumulation (3,7,9). Many people with a
vitamin D level <20 ng/ml report fatigue, as well as muscle and joint pain
(3). If you’re tired and your body hurts, you don’t feel like exercising! Ask
your doctor to check your vitamin D level. If it’s low, you may be prescribed a
prescription dose of vitamin D for 3 months. Most people find 1000-2000 IU
vitamin D to be a sufficient maintenance dose. However, check with your doctor
first to see what is the best dose for you.
If
all this information is an overload, do not stress. I repeat, do not stress!
Stress can lead to an accumulation of fat (5). Excessive stress leads to
the production of cortisol. Cortisol, in
turn, leads to fat accumulation. Exercise should be viewed as means to get the
body you desire and an escape from the stress of every day life; which leads to
an improvement in body composition (decrease in fat mass) and psychological
health.
Take the information provided and use it
to your advantage to transform your body into the body of your dreams. If you need help in that pursuit, we here at
Pro Fit S&C can help you achieve that dream with our 1-on-1 training, group training,and/or nutrition counseling.
Don’t wait till January to work on that bikini body, start today!
Disclaimer:
The materials and content contained in this article are for general health
information only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Readers of this article should not rely
exclusively on information provided in this article for their own health needs.
All specific medical questions should be presented to your own health care
provider.
Some photos in this article
are not property of Pro Fit Strength and Conditioning and are intended only for
visual entertainment.
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