men lose weight faster..

[DebW]

The flip side is that women can do endurance exercise over long periods of time without becoming as emaciated as men. If you look at the people completing thru-hikes of 4-6 months on the Appalachian Trail, the men look dangerously skinny while the women look lean but healthy. Men's calorie needs become such that the can't carry or eat enough to replace what they are burning. Maybe women, being more important to the species survival, are more adapted to survive harsh conditions or fewer calories.

[Pax]

The flip side is that women can do endurance exercise over long periods of time without becoming as emaciated as men. If you look at the people completing thru-hikes of 4-6 months on the Appalachian Trail, the men look dangerously skinny while the women look lean but healthy. Men's calorie needs become such that the can't carry or eat enough to replace what they are burning. Maybe women, being more important to the species survival, are more adapted to survive harsh conditions or fewer calories.

The young man who shares my office is training for his first marathon...he seems unable to eat enough to combat the weight loss from all the running. He was asking me yesterday, "what food has the most calories, I need to start eating whatever it is".

[mimitabby]

exactly Deb. if women lost weight as easily as men, they couldn't maintain pregnancies in times of famine.
although in pictures of folks in concentration camps, men and women pretty much all looked the same!

so we're talking about generalities, not specifics. i won't eat that m & m tomorrow; that will take care of my 7 calories for this year!


thanks for the article, shootingstar!

[GLC1968]

Maybe women, being more important to the species survival, are more adapted to survive harsh conditions or fewer calories.

Yep...and it is exactly this mechanism that makes it so hard for women to lose. Our bodies are extremely adept at adjusting our metabolisms to the conditions at hand to protect our 'child bearing' abilitites. Not only does estrogen play a role, but so do a whole host of other hormones that are constantly working against us when we try to slim down. It goes against the basic nature of the female body to attempt to lose weight!

Sucks for modern day life in countries where food is not in shortage though, doesn't it!?!

[Grog]

That may explains why I look in terror as my sweet partner starts foraging in the fridge after eating a big plate of pasta, and then seconds... and is still hungry. He really can't hold his calories in...

The financial counsellor looked at me really funny when I told him how much we pay in groceries every month. Sometimes I wonder if it would be cheaper for us if Chris commuted by car instead of by bike!!!