At some point everyone with a weight issue must come to terms with the reality of being overweight and how it affects his or her health, physically and mentally.
However, excess weight seems to affect women and men differently, as it did Mike and Ann. Like Ann, women often are better informed about how their weight affects their physical health. And carrying extra pounds causes many women to view their body image negatively.That
view can affect their emotional health, making them feel down or even depressed. Men, however, tend to be more like Mike. Many guys are unaware of how being overweight can increase their health risk for many preventable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and possibly infertility. But once men personally experience one of those diseases and someone presents them with accurate information about how weight loss can help, they are usually more than willing to take action to solve their health problem.
This chapter will compare and contrast some of the weight-related medical and psychological issues that women and men face when they weigh more than is healthy. Armed with this weighty knowledge, women and men will have a better understanding of what being at a
healthy weight means and how losing weight can have a profoundly positive impact on their lives.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
A Word of Caution
Weight Watchers does a great deal of market research. From focus groups to segmentation studies and consumer surveys,Weight Watchers spends considerable time and money keeping a finger on the pulse of people who want and need to lose weight. Generally, companies doing such research keep close tabs on the results in order to maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Over the past ten to twelve years,Weight Watchers has amassed a lot of market research that has looked specifically at how the genders differ in the way they think about, talk about, and approach weight loss. In fact,Weight Watchers probably has more information on this topic than any other organization in the world. For the first time, the company has opened its vault of unpublished proprietary information and is including it in this book. As a result, what you’ll find is a culmination of clinical and consumer research from which insights and
understanding can be gleaned.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that any research— clinical or consumer—summarizes the findings involving a group of people. The reality is that any group of people is made up of individuals who differ. For example, while the research may have found that women are less likely than men to believe that the most effective way to lose weight is to exercise, that doesn’t mean that there are not some women who believe this they’re just not as common. Based on this limitation, which is part of any research process, it is easy to develop stereotypes and make generalizations that don’t hold true when it comes to individuals. The gender differences explored in this book are based on research findings. Odds are that not all of the findings will
apply to any given man or woman.
It is important to use the findings as a starting point for understanding what separates you from a potential weight-loss partner of the opposite sex.With that understanding, you can overcome communication barriers and together, as a couple, find a common ground that will lead to lasting weight loss.
Over the past ten to twelve years,Weight Watchers has amassed a lot of market research that has looked specifically at how the genders differ in the way they think about, talk about, and approach weight loss. In fact,Weight Watchers probably has more information on this topic than any other organization in the world. For the first time, the company has opened its vault of unpublished proprietary information and is including it in this book. As a result, what you’ll find is a culmination of clinical and consumer research from which insights and
understanding can be gleaned.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that any research— clinical or consumer—summarizes the findings involving a group of people. The reality is that any group of people is made up of individuals who differ. For example, while the research may have found that women are less likely than men to believe that the most effective way to lose weight is to exercise, that doesn’t mean that there are not some women who believe this they’re just not as common. Based on this limitation, which is part of any research process, it is easy to develop stereotypes and make generalizations that don’t hold true when it comes to individuals. The gender differences explored in this book are based on research findings. Odds are that not all of the findings will
apply to any given man or woman.
It is important to use the findings as a starting point for understanding what separates you from a potential weight-loss partner of the opposite sex.With that understanding, you can overcome communication barriers and together, as a couple, find a common ground that will lead to lasting weight loss.
Different Minds
Men and women are not only different physically; their psychological makeup is distinct as well. The emotional differences between men and women are an area of great interest. John Gray’s 1992 book Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus caught the attention of the public, sparking discussions of the inherent differences between the genders when it comes to communication, reactions to problems, and sources of conflict.
Psychologists are not the only ones interested in how the mental processes of women and men differ; a great deal of work is going on in the world of basic science as well. Each year, more and more is being learned about the links between mental processes and physical functions, especially as they relate to neurotransmitters. A paper published in 2006 even theorized that the reason men smile less often than women can be accounted for by the way their respective brains are wired. It is well established that our behaviors in the realms of eating and physical activity are influenced by chemical signals in the brain.
And while not much is known about those signals at this point, it is likely that there are gender differences there as well. As more is learned about how the brain affects mental well-being as it relates to excess weight as well as the likely impact of gender differences, relevant
treatment options are sure to evolve.
The mental aspects of weight and weight loss cannot be overemphasized.
The basic physiology of weight loss is relatively simple—in order to lose weight, fewer calories must be taken in than expended.
But it is the behaviors—eating, exercise, and thinking—that are at the heart of achieving lasting weight loss. There are clear differences between men and women when it comes to weight-loss behaviors, and this book touches on all of them. Of particular interest are the differences
as weight loss relates to how men and women use language.
Psychologists are not the only ones interested in how the mental processes of women and men differ; a great deal of work is going on in the world of basic science as well. Each year, more and more is being learned about the links between mental processes and physical functions, especially as they relate to neurotransmitters. A paper published in 2006 even theorized that the reason men smile less often than women can be accounted for by the way their respective brains are wired. It is well established that our behaviors in the realms of eating and physical activity are influenced by chemical signals in the brain.
And while not much is known about those signals at this point, it is likely that there are gender differences there as well. As more is learned about how the brain affects mental well-being as it relates to excess weight as well as the likely impact of gender differences, relevant
treatment options are sure to evolve.
The mental aspects of weight and weight loss cannot be overemphasized.
The basic physiology of weight loss is relatively simple—in order to lose weight, fewer calories must be taken in than expended.
But it is the behaviors—eating, exercise, and thinking—that are at the heart of achieving lasting weight loss. There are clear differences between men and women when it comes to weight-loss behaviors, and this book touches on all of them. Of particular interest are the differences
as weight loss relates to how men and women use language.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Different Sexes, Different Bodies
While the fundamental principles of weight loss are the same for both genders—expending more calories than are taken in—the elements that lead to the creation of the caloric deficit that invokes weight loss are not. Indeed, men and women are different; they are biologically different and emotionally different. Because both biology and psychology are integral to successful weight loss, these differences are extremely important.
The physical variations between the genders require little explanation. The body composition—that is, the proportions of muscle, bone, and fat that make up the male and female bodies—of men and women are quite different. A typical man who weighs 154 pounds has 69 pounds of muscle, 23 pounds of bone, and 23 pounds of fat (the rest is organs, body fluids, and the like). A typical woman who weighs 125 pounds has 45 pounds of muscle, 15 pounds of
bone, and 34 pounds of fat. In summary, men are genetically programmed to have more lean muscle mass and heavier bones than women. Conversely, women’s bodies are designed to have a higher fat content.
Technically, the definitions of overweight and obesity are based on the presence of excess body fat (though Body Mass Index or BMI is used to categorize people’s weight status—more on this in the next chapter).
Here, too, the genders differ. Overweight in men is defined as between 21 and 25 percent body fat and obesity is defined as greater than 25 percent. Overweight in women is defined as between 31 and 33 percent body fat and obesity is defined as greater than 33 percent.
Because biologically men are supposed to have less fat and women more fat, even men and women of the same height and weight should have very different body compositions.
Given the physical differences between the genders when it comes to body composition, it’s not surprising that body fat recommendations for men and women are different as well. The recommendation for men ranges from 12 to 20 percent and that for women ranges from 20
to 30 percent.
Given their different body compositions, men have a biological advantage over women when it comes to losing weight.
The physical variations between the genders require little explanation. The body composition—that is, the proportions of muscle, bone, and fat that make up the male and female bodies—of men and women are quite different. A typical man who weighs 154 pounds has 69 pounds of muscle, 23 pounds of bone, and 23 pounds of fat (the rest is organs, body fluids, and the like). A typical woman who weighs 125 pounds has 45 pounds of muscle, 15 pounds of
bone, and 34 pounds of fat. In summary, men are genetically programmed to have more lean muscle mass and heavier bones than women. Conversely, women’s bodies are designed to have a higher fat content.
Technically, the definitions of overweight and obesity are based on the presence of excess body fat (though Body Mass Index or BMI is used to categorize people’s weight status—more on this in the next chapter).
Here, too, the genders differ. Overweight in men is defined as between 21 and 25 percent body fat and obesity is defined as greater than 25 percent. Overweight in women is defined as between 31 and 33 percent body fat and obesity is defined as greater than 33 percent.
Because biologically men are supposed to have less fat and women more fat, even men and women of the same height and weight should have very different body compositions.
Given the physical differences between the genders when it comes to body composition, it’s not surprising that body fat recommendations for men and women are different as well. The recommendation for men ranges from 12 to 20 percent and that for women ranges from 20
to 30 percent.
Given their different body compositions, men have a biological advantage over women when it comes to losing weight.
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