FAT LOSS
Next, we look at females with regards to fat loss. Again, there are small differences between males and females with fat loss as well, so certain adaptations should be considered.
First, the biggest difference between males and females again comes down to the discrepancy between testosterone and estrogen present in the body, which affects how the fat cells develop in the body.
Potentially one of the biggest effects these hormones have on the body is with where they cause fat storage to take place. Women typically tend to store more body fat on their legs, while men have a greater tendency to store fat in the abdominal area, particularly with regard to visceral fat (fat that’s stored within the organs and body tissues, rather than directly right underneath the skin).
So, for most women, they are going to have a different ‘target’ area they are trying to remove body fat from. While you cannot spot reduce specifically to one point in the body, different leg training programs can increase the chances that fat will be removed off of the legs.
Further, due to the fact that most females have a lower level of muscle mass tissue, their metabolic rate will be lower and they may require a higher deficit to experience a good rate of weight loss in comparison with males.
Also, due to the fact that females have a higher basic requirement for body fat storage, they are not going to be able to bring their body levels down as low as their male counterparts are (12-15% is essential for women, 2-5% essential for men).
When a female tries to bring her body fat percentage below that 12% value, she’s very likely to see disruption in the reproductive system as well as other negative health consequences.
In terms of diet for fat loss, many women find they do better using a lower carbohydrate approach to fat loss in comparison with males. This could partially be due to the fact that when fasting, females have a lower plasma glucose level than men despite having a higher level of free fatty acids. Females tend to rely on fat metabolism more when dieting, hence it could be a signal more dietary fat in the diet will make them more comfortable through the dieting process.
When trying to get to very lean levels for fat loss, women often will need to incorporate a higher level of cardiac training into their program to really mobilize the lower body fat, however there are still some men who tend to require the same treatment.
Regardless of gender, when approaching the essential fat levels, demanding dietary and workout techniques will most often be needed to continually see further results