Weight Loss: Men vs Women

Hey there! I apologize for not blogging in a week or so. As many of you know, I am 23 weeks pregnant with twin baby girls, have a 16 month old and just got back from a quick family wedding in Charleston, SC. All that to say, I can't seem to catch up! (To follow my real life (non fitness related) I am best at posting pictures on Instagram, you can find me at @mariettamcclure.)

I have been thinking a LOT about lately about the differences between men and women in regards to weight loss. For every "before/after" story I do on a woman, there are at least equal amount testimonials for men (all the stories are available HERE). They just won't send me before afters or maybe they just don't care. Either way, my point is that I do have a lot of men in my classes AND they lose weight QUICK. Like crazy quick. 

Which brings me to my point that there is a double standard in weight loss. It is harder for women to lose weight AND we are expected to look fit and are required by society to wear tight fitting clothing. It is MUCH easier for men to lose weight, they are not judged on their appearance (for the most part) and they are expected to wear baggy clothes. Basically, I don't think there should be any excuses for a man being overweight. They have EVERYTHING going for them AND they don't have to gain weight to birth a child. 

I can prove this by a conversation I had last week with a 50 year old man in my beginner bootcamp class. He has been working out for one month and has lost 28 pounds. I asked him what he has been doing besides my class. 

His response? "Ehhh, well I guess I've quit drinking beer every night. Just on the weekends. Oh, and I've been having a salad at work instead of a hamburger."

 I waited for some other great dieting tip and there was nothing..... This drives me nut-so in the head because at age 28 to lose 55 pounds  after my first baby I had to walk a tight rope with my eating and worked out 5x a week. 

(I am ranting because I literally feel like I am gaining 5lbs a day right now and already dreading losing all those baby pounds AGAIN.) So, am I just a hormonal pregnant lady that is upset my body is going to the pits, or is there some truth to my frustration? 

Let's read more from reputable sources to find out...

 BODY COMPOSITION

The answer lies in body composition. Even when obese, men tend to have more muscle mass than women. Women carry approximately 10% more of their body weight in fat. Furthermore, several studies have shown that a man’s metabolism is anywhere from 3% to 10% higher than a woman’s of the same weight and age. That brings us to a physiological truth: the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be and the more calories you will burn, even when resting.
Read more: Time Magazine Article by Bob Harper

METABOLISM

Most men burn more calories than women when they are at rest because they are bigger. Resting metabolic rate, or RMR, is approximately 10 calories per pound for women and 11 calories per pound for men. Your RMR is the amount of calories you expend when you are utterly still, just for your bodily functions to work properly. The larger your body, the more calories maintaining it burns. A 180-lb. man would burn 1,980 calories if he remained still all day, staring at the sky. The 140-lb. woman next to him would burn only 1,400 calories doing the same thing for the same amount of time.

Read more: Live Strong

FAT STORES

In order to lose weight at the rate of one pound per week, an individual must either reduce caloric intake by 500 calories a day, burn an additional 500 calories per day, or create the deficit by a combination of cutting calories and performing calorie-burning activity. This pound comes from body fat. Most women carry more body fat than men do. Their bodies are made for breastfeeding and pregnancy, and body fat is important to both those biological processes. One less pound of body fat on a woman would still leave more fat behind than the same pound coming off a man of the same height and weight.

Read more: Live Strong

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WOMEN

Because they're at a disadvantage, women need to step up their game to lose weight as efficiently as men do. Losing weight takes women longer, so if you're a woman, the diet you choose is important. It should be something that you can sustain long-term. You will probably be able to take weight off just as quickly as a man if you crash-diet, but the pounds are not likely to stay off. Aim to create a deficit of about 500 calories a day to consistently trim off a pound a week through a combination of healthier eating and 30 minutes of exercise a day.
Read more: Live Strong

IN CONCLUSION....

The simple truth is that men are larger and have more muscle than women due to the hormone testosterone. They are genetically designed to have a higher percentage of muscle and less fat -- which works in favor of keeping them fit and allowing them to eat more calories.

But with a little work, women can even up the odds a bit. To build more muscle and get your engine revving, pick up some weights and start pumping. You'll increase your muscle mass and decrease your fat stores by doing strength training at least twice a week.

Not only will strength training build muscle mass and help you burn more calories, but it will also strengthens your bones, preventing osteoporosis -- a disease primarily of women. (And, of course, it gives you a more shapely physique.

Read more: Web MD

After reading all of this I don't really feel better about my situation. There IS a double standard. I am expected to look great, but it will be harder for me than any male. I will still have a LOT of weight to lose in September and have to eat an insane amount of spinach and chicken to do so. I guess I better go eat a donut while I can get away with being fat.... 

I leave you with a funny cartoon of the differences that men and women view themselves. I SWEAR men think they look great (when they don't)... and I KNOW women view themselves in the worst light when they have SO much going for them!

Thank you for stopping by today! Let me know if you have an opinion one way or the other. -Marietta

Snack Solutions

You KNOW you're supposed to eat 5 small meals a day to lose weight... (you do know this, right?!)

Here are some good options to fill in those snacks with a healthy protein/fiber/carbohydrate ratio:

1. 80 calories: Stick of string cheese

2. 100 calories: Hard-boiled egg with a handful of grape tomatoes

3. 180 calories: Nature Valley granola bar

4. 250 calories: Ready-made reduced-fat smoothie, such as Stonyfield Farm

5. 250 calories: Clif bar

6. 275 calories: 2 or 3 small handfuls of trail mix

7. 290 calories: Kellogg's Nutri-Grain bar with a handful of pistachios or almonds

8. 300 calories: Slice of whole-grain bread topped with peanut butter and banana

9. 300 calories: Small bagel with 2 slices of Muenster cheese, melted

10. 400 calories: Medium-size fruit muffin (best if made with whole-wheat flour)

Food Food Food: Get It Right

Okay ya'll. There is a LOT of information in this post. A LOT. It is worth printing off and putting on your fridge. Just so you don't forget the little things. It's those little things that add up on your waist line. Juice for breakfast. Latte for mid morning snack. Five beers before dinner. Those kinds of little things. 

Marietta’s Food Thoughts…

• ALWAYS eat breakfast. ALWAYS eat protein for breakfast: whether it is eggs, greek yogurt, add a protein drink to this first meal of the day. 
• Be sure to eat at least 300-400 calories for breakfast. It is a proven fact that if you eat eggs for breakfast you will eat 150-300 LESS calories during the day.
• Try to eat 3 meals and 2 snacks. Each meal should contain 300-400 calories and each portion should be no larger than your palm... not your hand, your palm! Snacks should be 200-300 calories. 
• Eat LEAN meats: fish, chicken, grilled pork, tuna, avoid red meat.
• Don't eat carbs after 4:00. - protein & veggies for dinner...yum!
• Drink at LEAST 70 ounces of water per day. 
• A lot of people think that they are hungry when they are actually thirsty - your body does not send different signals for hunger and thirst. So always drink 8 oz of water when you feel hungry, wait 10 minutes and if you are still hungry then eat some protein - string cheese or almonds.

I eat “right” Sunday night thru Saturday lunch. I take off Saturday night thru Sunday lunch for a couple “splurge” meals. 

Literally eat 5 meals a day - every day. Most of the time I'm not hungry when it is "time" to eat again, but I make myself so that my metabolism stays up. I compare it to a fire - if you put 12 logs of wood on a fire at once it will take forever to burn away. But if you put 2 logs on every hour then it will burn away quickly! The same is true with our bodies, don't expect to burn off your food if you eat one or two huge meals - spread out your calories thru out the entire day.

Example of a day’s meals:

Breakfast: (think protein!) Scrambled eggs, greek yogurt, whole wheat toast or oatmeal.

Snack: almonds & apple OR string cheese & piece of fruit

Lunch: (think protein!) Grilled chicken, green beans, whole grain rice, side of fruit

Snack: 6 or 7 whole grain crackers & a piece of fruit

Dinner:  (think protein!) Chicken, pork or ANY fish: salmon, tilapia, trout.. with a healthy salad w/ light dressing, veggies: sweet potato is ok, green beans, asparagus. Avoid any carbs at dinner and try to always eat before 7pm. 

This is totally do able... I (used to) travel all day long for my job and would have to take a lunch box in the car with me. You MUST prepare in advance or you WILL get really hungry and run thru a fast food place instead.   

Fast food options that are okay: McDonald’s oatmeal. The grilled chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-a on a whole wheat bun is only 320 calories and you can order a side of fruit. The walnut/apple/chicken salad from Wendy's with the vinaigrette dressing.

I showed you all my food log in this post (YOU MUST KEEP A FOOD LOG IF TRACKING CALORIES!) and posted it along this picture.

I would love to hear your suggestions and questions. Thanks for stopping by today!

-Marietta

Losing Weight After Age 35

I LOVE before and after stories. Not only because it is so fun to see the before and after pictures, but mostly because it means that the person FINISHED! I know SO many people (including myself) that will say "I am starting a new diet on Monday!" and by Thursday I've already stopped at Sonic to get a milk shake. And tator tots. 

I asked Angie if I could share her story. I have personally seen a HUGE change in her body AND confidence in her physically abilities since she started my class. She has had some pretty serious back issues and was very cautious about starting a workout program. She was careful at first, but as her abs got stronger she is now able to do EVERYTHING! Sit ups, burpees, squat jumps, etc. 

Written by Angela Moore:

 "I am 36 years old and lost 60 pounds in 6 months. Most of the weight loss was due to a pretty strict diet that was high protein (15-20 grams 4 times a day,) high fiber (2 cups of veggies twice a day,) no sugar or high carb foods, and no eating after 7-8pm. I walked 3 times a week, but really started toning after joining Beginner Boot Camp halfway through my weight loss."

Thanks for stopping by today. 

-Marietta

Focus on Fad Diets: Shakes

In the month of April I had five different people do my bootcamp and at the second class ask me to "join their team" to sell great weight loss products to all my clients. (I would make a LOT of money off your ignorance and they would make money off me: pyramid scheme style). When I tell them NO! I don't believe in supplements, I think real food is best. They pester me some more and when they realize that I am serious they ask for "permission" to start selling to people in their bootcamp class. I give them an even firmer NO!!!!! They don't come back to bootcamp. 

In fact, I read posts like this one and I even start to rethink if I should be taking  supplements. Girlfriend looks good!

But at the very end of her article she posts a picture of the check she received and then she says: "I ate a perfectly clean diet for 3 months, didn’t skip a workout (lots of HIIT and body weight exercises), and BUSTED my tail in the gym!!! "  Snap! Back to reality. I would look like that too if I did what she did. No shakes or pills, just food. 

So that brings me to why the average person who needs to lose about 20 pounds would drink any of these supplemental shakes aka "meal replacement shakes". They first surfaced in 1977 when Slim-Fast introduced a weight loss plan of a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch and a sensible dinner.

What do I really think?

Diet shakes and other meal replacements are OKAY when you lack the time or motivation to shop for and prepare balanced meals. They also help when you just don't want to think too hard about what to eat to lose weight. If you are consistently missing a certain meal, such as breakfast, then a meal replacement shake is better than nothing. That's because studies show eating breakfast fosters long-term weight control.

BUT!!!!! Dinner is where people who use meal replacement shakes get into trouble, You will simply be too hungry to control yourself at the evening meal. If two diet shakes, which can amount to 450 calories or even less, is all you've had by dinnertime, you've only used up about one-third of your daily calorie allotment, so it's little wonder you're ravenous. So instead of eating 3 oz of chicken, a green salad with fat free italian and a green vegetable with WATER, you eat lasagna, salad with ranch, garlic bread and two glasses of red wine because that's how many calories you have left to eat. Holla! Go to bed full, repeat tomorrow. (You're thinking, I can totally do this dieting thing!) 

Reality: you MIGHT lose a LITTLE weight because you are technically taking in less calories. The major criticism of these "shake diets" by health care professionals is they do not change poor eating habits and the lost weight is typically regained as soon as you quit drinking the shakes and start eating food. 

So you get to this point of the post, and you're discouraged again. Mostly because you've done what I described above and you still got 20lbs showing up on your scale that need to go away. You're also discouraged because you KNOW you need to change the way you are EATING (not drinking shakes, eating food). Come back tomorrow for a days example of eating. 

-marietta

Focus On: Interval Training Workouts

I've gotten several emails this week from people that live out of state asking me how they can complete an interval workout. I was kind of shocked that a) people are actually reading this and that b) they actually took the time to send me a message. So thank you!

What is interval training? It's a workout with high bursts of cardio followed by low intensity strength training. Basically during cardio your heart rate is at an 9 or 10, and you "recover" while doing push ups, squats, etc. Then repeat!

Interval training is the BEST use of your time. It will actually be just as beneficial for you to do 15 minutes of interval training as it would to go for a LONG run AND visit the weight room. What?!?! Yes. It's true. Read this article if you're interested in the study that scientists at McMaster University did to prove this.  I LOVE when scientists do research to back up what I've been saying for years! 

Ok, so onto an example of an interval workout. 

Do each exercise for TWO minutes, rest for 20 seconds in between each exercise. I would repeat this workout again, immediately. 

When someone starts my class for the first time, I give them a handout with so much information. I wonder sometimes if they actually read it... I hope they do. I cover intervals and WHY we do them. 

• Interval training increases the after-burn effect. This means that post workout your body is burning calories just attempting to recover!
• Even though interval workouts can be shorter than your long run or bike rides, it will actually increase your endurance (MANY runners have told me they've cut 10-15 minutes off their half marathon time!).
• It targets belly fat. Fast paced workouts help your body release fat-burning hormones. These hormones target the belly fat specifically. This is not only good for your appearance at the pool, but for your heart as well!

I am always SO interested in the "why" behind workouts. Mostly because it is much easier to go "walking" or 

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- Marietta