Fat Burning for Men and Women by Chris Keith

Men and women may also be as different as Mars and Venus in the gym too. If our bodies are different, why do we often see ourselves working out in the same way? While cardiovascular and functional training, along with weight training are good for both of us, there may be some differences we can use to maximize fat burning.

Men and women tend to carry fat in different places on our bodies. While women carry a greater portion of fat in the lower body, men tend to pool fat in the abdominal area. There are also basic functions of the reproductive system that require a woman’s body to store more fat than men. A healthy female body consists of approximately 20 to 25 percent body fat, while a male at 10 to 15 percent is considered healthy.

To metabolize the body and get fat moving, the body produces epinephrine during cardiovascular exercise. Studies have shown the estrogen helps to increase the production of epinephrine in the body for women. During exercise, estrogen can also increase blood flow, distributing epinephrine to the body. Possibly related to this, it is shown that women burn more fat during cardiovascular exercise than men, but that men can experience a post-workout burning period. Therefore, it can be recommendable that women perform their routine for 15 minutes longer than men.

Though men may not burn as many calories as women during exercise, since it has been shown that men continue to burn fat during the post-workout period, men can benefit more from a post-workout fast for 30 minutes if their goal is fat burning.

Regardless of these differences, the key to fat burning is calorie control. Both men and women must burn more calories during the day than they consume.

For health reasons, it is also important to remember than men and women should not try to maintain the same percentage of body fat. Women should not be discouraged if their body fat is not lowering into the single digits.

These differences can be complicated. If you are starting out on your fitness plan, consulting a professional can be a helpful way to get on the right track and avoid the frustration that can often divert you from the path to success.

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