We all know that it is easier for men to gain muscle-mass than it is for women. But recent studies show that women gain fat easier than men!

Unfortunately, our society will let a man get away with a little pudgy-ness while the idealized woman has to be slim and fit. While gender expectations are a poor reason to lose weight, the benefits of being a healthy weight will last much longer than that dress.

Estrogen

While both men and women have certain levels of both testosterone and estrogen in the body, it’s the levels at which these hormones manifest that will overwhelm the other.

For instance: women need testosterone in their body to grow bones and muscles, and to have a healthy sexual desire. However, too much testosterone (usually in the form of anabolic steroinds) will make a woman sterile, and grow facial hair.

Estrogen on the other hand, defines the women’s characteristics. It promotes feminine reproductive capabilities, and gives her the secondary sexual characteristics of body shape and breasts.

Unfortunately, estrogen tells the body to store fat for child-birth and rearing. This causes women to have an extra layer of fat about their bodies. At the same time, fat cells produce estrogen!

It’s a vicious cycle! And because fat cells never go away once they split—they only get smaller—women can have much difficulty slimming down.

Testosterone

On the other side of the coin, testosterone tells the body to build muscles. In turn, muscle cells burn fat while fat cells store it. It’s because men have higher levels of testosterone that they are men

Because men can build muscle faster, many diet pills for men aim to improve testosterone levels. This will promote the positive feedback of more muscle and less fat naturally.

Is There Hope For Women?

Of course there is! Again: both men and women have both testosterone and estrogen. You need both for a healthy body to function properly. For women, losing weight isn’t a matter of manipulating hormones, but careful dieting and exercise.

And just as hormones (defined by genetics) play an important role in shaping gender, so too gender plays an important role in shaping society. Both men and women are needed to from healthy families, cultures and civilizations. Neither is more important than the other.