Ah, the age-old frustration! Have any other ladies out there been extremely frustrated when finishing off a workout with a guy friend or partner, checking your fitness tracker to realize, once again, that they’ve burned way more calories than you? How do they do it?
There are a few specific differences in male and female biology that explain differences in calorie burn. First, men naturally have a higher muscle mass than women. Muscle mass burns more calories than fat mass. So, just by having more muscle mass, men have a faster metabolism than women both at rest and during exercise.
Second, the average man is 6 inches taller than the average woman. The more total mass you have (whether taller or fatter) the more calories you’ll burn. This is because it takes more energy to complete tasks when you are physically carrying more weight around all day. So basically, when it comes to calorie burn men just have biology on their side.
As a woman myself, it just seems plain unfair, but it’s just the way our biology works! The way I cope with the frustration? Accept that I can’t change my biology, but I can work to maximize it. Anyone with me?
Follow below for some ways that both females and males can work to burn more calories!
How to Burn More Calories
#1) Build More Muscle Mass
Both men and women are capable of building more muscle mass by adding some resistance training into their routine. With more muscle mass, comes faster metabolism. Don’t know where to start? Here’s a quick guide to get you started.
#2) Control Your Calorie Balance
Be aware of your calorie balance- what goes in vs. what goes out! Your total daily calories burned is a combination of what you burn at rest (your BMR) and what you burn during activity. The total daily calories you consume includes everything you eat and drink.
To lose weight you must consume fewer calories than you burn. To maintain weight, you must consume the same amount of calories daily burned. To gain weight you must consume more calories than you burn. Be wary of how much you are consuming if you have specific fitness goals.
#3) Eat healthier
Instead of cutting back on how much you eat to trim calories, make healthier choices! Most healthier foods are lower in calories anyway, and foods that are high in fiber and nutrients like fruits and veggies take longer to digest than empty-calorie snacks. By eating healthier, you’ll be able to feel fuller for longer and comfortably sustain a lower calorie diet.