Do Men Need More Calories Than Women?

It might not seem fair that men can eat more than women and not gain weight. It’s often true, but of course, there are always exceptions. The average man is bigger and has more muscle tissue than the average woman. The number of calories to maintain weight is determined by several factors. Activity level, weight, age, and gender all play a role. The average American male has 75-86% muscle tissue, but women’s bodies average 69-76%. Muscle tissue burns more calories for maintenance than fat tissue. Pound for pound, men burn more calories.

Besides muscle mass, men tend to weigh more.

Men tend to have bigger bone structures, be taller, and have more body mass. The more you weigh, the more calories you need to maintain that weight. The average man tends to be bigger than the average woman. If a husband’s goal was to weigh 160 pounds and the wife’s goal was to weigh 130, and they both had 30 pounds to lose, they both could eat the same number of calories, and the husband would lose weight faster. If the wife wore 30-pound body weights 24/7 that weighed 30, the weight loss might not be identical, due to other factors, but it would be closer.

Hormones play a distinct role in the number of calories burned.

Hormones determine whether calories are allocated to fat or muscle and where the fat goes. Males have more testosterone than women. Testosterone increases HGH—human growth hormone—which increases muscle size and strength. Testosterone also plays another role in the calories necessary. It increases metabolism. The higher your metabolism, the more calories you burn, even when you sleep.

There are other factors.

Your age is a factor, and so is your activity level. If you’re older, your metabolism tends to slow and you have less muscle mass, so you don’t require as many calories. If you’re active, you’ll burn far more calories than more sedentary people of your same sex, age, and weight. There are exceptions to the rule. A very active, muscular woman of the same weight and age as a less muscular, sedentary man will require more calories or at least the same amount.

• Exercising regularly can help women build muscle tissue and lose weight. The exercise not only burns calories while they’re working out, but it also builds muscle tissue that boosts metabolism.
• Exercise increases energy levels as it builds muscle tissue. If you have a higher energy level, you’ll be more active and burn more calories. It helps level the playing field for women.
• It takes more than just muscle and exercise to help you lose weight. It also takes a healthy diet. Some foods, such as those with added sugar, create a glucose rush into your blood. That increases insulin and can cause insulin resistance, making weight loss harder.
• At Prime Fitness, we provide personalized programs that can make weight loss more effective. You’ll lose weight, build muscle, and increase your energy.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness Studio