Why it's harder for women to lose weight
* especially smaller women... & what to do about it.
It’s harder for small women to lose fat &/ or to maintain a healthy weight.
Smaller people have lower energy demands for any given activity level… it’s less about being a woman but women tend to be smaller and have less muscle mass.
So, a person who is 60kg will expend less energy than a person who is 90kg even if they do the same steps and workouts etc.
Shorter women generally need to weigh less than taller women to be healthy (not carry too much body fat) and thus weight loss is harder because you need to consume less calories in order to achieve this.
In theory, if you need less calories so you should crave less calories.
In reality, that doesn’t quite play out.
This is primarily because hunger levels are not directly proportional to energy needs (why I don’t like the advice of just listen to hunger).
On top of this we all have the same food choices, portion sizes & environment.
Portion sizes are the same whether you are 5ft or 6ft so shorter people need to be a little more diet savvy to get results.
If you struggle to lose weight as a smaller human click here.
I get it & I am sure I can help. (I’ve already helped 1,000s of small women lose weight and maintain it)
Because smaller women need less calories. This can make it harder to diet.
It’s not fair but you can’t change it.
Accept it and apply the tips below.
1) Food volume
When people say you don’t need to eat less you need to eat better they aren’t (completely) wrong.
WHAT you eat matters.
& when you have less calories to pay with it matters more.
Focusing primarily on whole foods and high volume foods - those which contain a lot of water and fibre e.g. vegetables and to a lesser extent fruit is a great way to eat a lot of food for little calories.
The benefit of this is that research suggests we are driven to eat a certain weight/ portion size of food rather than a specific calorie amount. In this sense you can ‘hack’ your diet & hunger response by being clever with your food choices.
2) Move more
Movement matters. Don’t forget there are two sides to the energy balance equation. If you expend more calories you can consume more calories.
Be mindful not to take this to extremes.. if you ramp up your expenditure you’ll often find you get an overcompensation in hunger and it’s actually HARDER to stick to a deficit.
There is a large individual variation in your response to increased activity or exercise - some people find hunger levels increase a lot while others experience a suppression of hunger.
This is where working with a coach to figure out how you respond and come up with a plan that is best for you is very useful! (click here)
3) Snack less & have bigger meals
Many people rack up a load of calories mindlessly snacking throughout the day.
Research shows that mindless eating leads to more eating and higher hunger levels.
In other words: If you don’t remember eating it then it’s unlikely to have a satiating effect.
Sitting down, eating slowly and enjoying meals as an event will increase satiety.
4) Protein
Protein increases satiety.
It keeps you fuller for longer (thanks M&S)
Plus it is ESSENTIAL so as a smaller person on lower calories it’s important you prioritise it given you have less flexibility in your diet on a lower calorie intake.
5) The law of diminishing returns
'The law of diminishing returns is an economic principle stating that as investment in a particular area increases, the rate of profit from that investment, after a certain point, cannot continue to increase if other variables remain at a constant.’
This holds remarkably true outside of economics… you don’t continue to get the same benefits from your investments. More of something is not always better…
Examples:
You get 90% of the enjoyment of the pizza from the first few slices.
You get 90% of the enjoyment from the small latte rather than the large.
You get the vast majority of the benefit of exercise from the first 3 workouts you do a week.
You get the most work done in the first 1 hour of your 3 hour work block when your focus and concentration is highest.
You get the most health benefits from the first 7-8,000 steps you do per day…
Think compromise not sacrifice when it comes to food choices.
& think about where you should focus your efforts to get the biggest returns.
& if you are a small woman make sure you listen to Ep. 424 ESGfitness podcast for extra tips, explanation and context.