“The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.” — Unknown

When it comes to weight gain, there are vast differences in the where and how much we accumulate based on our sex. Men normally gain weight around their abdomen and waist while women gain weight in the upper body (arms/breasts) and the lower body in the hips and thighs. How fair is that?

Women are naturally built to carry more body fat and as we gain weight, it is apparent throughout our bodies. Guys tend to get a belly even if the rest of their body stays the same size. So how do men and women differ in their approach to exercise?

— Mental motivation: The mentality of men and women to exercise is vastly different. Women exercise to look attractive and beautiful and tend to look for exercises to make our legs and buttocks more attractive. Men, on the other hand, take up exercise aiming to get big and develop a hard body look.

— Different strokes: Traditionally men like the more athletic activities such as weight lifting in a gym, playing sports or running. Most women gravitate more towards aerobic and dance class or other forms of group exercise. As women, we devote most of our time to personal and family responsibilities and give less importance to workouts. That is why a structured class in a set timeframe is more attractive.

— Physical differences: Women’s bodies are more flexible, have more lower body than upper body strength and lower overall strength. Our male counterparts are less flexible, have more upper body strength and more overall strength because of their larger body size. Just because that is the way we are set up, however, does not mean improvements in weaker areas aren’t impossible.

Men would benefit from incorporating more stretching into their routines and even participating in yoga. Women, on the other hand, can benefit from hitting the gym for an overall strength-training program.

Because the muscle mass is more in men and women have more body fat, there are differences in workout routines. Female workout plans should concentrate more on toning and achieving flexibility without forgetting the strength training aspect. Men should balance weight training with a healthy dose of cardio and flexibility.

Despite differences in body type, temperament and ability, both men and women can benefit from a well-rounded exercise program that includes cardiovascular fitness, strength training and exercises for flexibility. To get an exercise program that is tailor-made for you, seek out the advice of a trained fitness professional or certified personal trainer.

 

Kathy Hansen has more 20 years of experience in the health and fitness field. She can be reached via e-mail at hansen02@srmc.org.