While both men and women look for the best ways to lose abdominal
weight, women and men should take different approaches when trying to
burn fat. David Grisaffi, author of Firm and Flatten Your Abs, points
out an interesting difference between the physical setup of men and
women- the reason why men tend to gain less fat than women. This
biological difference between men and women is also the reason why men
generally tend to have more energy than women when working for
extended periods of time.
Looking through the research, you would discover all kinds of facts
such as how much more likely women are to wear a seatbelt than men; to
how often they are the sexual initiators in a monogamous relationship:
When it comes to the physical make-up of men versus women, many of the
differences are obvious. Men, on average, are 10-15% larger than
women, weigh 20% more, and are 30% stronger (especially when
considering upper body strength). Testosterone is one of the major
hormones active in a man's body. Men also produce more HGH (human
growth hormone). Testosterone stimulates muscle enlargement and bone
growth and also raises the level of red blood cells in a man's blood
stream.
What you may not know, however, is that all of these factors combine
to make oxygen much more available to a man's cells than a woman's
cells. That means a man could be working at 50% of his capacity during
physical activity, but a woman would have to be working at 70% of her
capacity in order to keep up. It is not as easy for her cells to
absorb oxygen. This is due partly to the fact that women have a
smaller percentage of lean tissue (muscle, organs, etc.) and a much
higher percentage of body fat. Though this is detrimental in a short
sprint, a higher percentage of fat means that women can power their
cells longer from their body's reserves without stopping to eat or
drink in order to refuel. This may translate into greater endurance.
Studies comparing men and women in running, swimming, and speed
skating have all shown that the differences in time vs. distance
decreased between men and women as the length of the event progressed.
Hundreds of studies have showed some interesting differences between
men and women in nearly every area. Looking through the research, you
would discover all kinds of facts such as how much more likely women
are to wear a seatbelt than men (2 times more likely), to how often
they are the sexual initiators in a monogamous relationship (65% of
the time).
As interesting as those facts may be, let's concentrate on the
differences between men and women that have an effect on women's
physical fitness. These differences are primarily found in the
functioning of a woman's hormones and the construction and function of
her fat cells. These two factors influence everything from the way a
woman's metabolism functions; to how likely she is to suffer from
stubborn fat and other health related diseases such as osteoporosis.
Though the construction of the male and female fat cell is basically
the same, they differ vastly when is comes to size and function. To
begin with, a women's fat cell is five times larger than a man's! In
addition, not only are women's cells capable of holding more fat, they
are genetically programmed to do so. It all comes down to enzymes:
Lipogenic- Fat Storing Enzymes Lipolytic- Fat Releasing Enzymes Though
these enzymes are present in both men and women, women's bodies have
two times the number of Lipogenic (fat storing) enzymes, and only half
the number of Lipolytic (fat releasing) enzymes. This is the genetic
legacy of women's role as the childbearing and nurturing gender of the
species. Nature wanted to ensure that women were carrying around
enough fat cells to nurture their growing babies and to breast-feed
them once they were born. A baby in-utero requires the mother to burn
at least 300 extra calories a day and breast-feeding can require as
much as 500 extra calories. In addition to the normal caloric needs of
a baby, our foremothers also held onto extra body fat in case of a
drought or famine. This extra fat was stored in the hips, thighs, and
buttocks. Therefore, the females who survived famine and drought to
pass down their genes were the women whose bodies were adept at
storing fat. Skinny thighs in the past were a serious liability,
serving only to increase the risk of death when food supplies became
scarce. These enzymes tend to be balanced in a healthy person. Too
much l of either develops an unbalanced system develops and leads to
insulin resistance, leading contributor to stubborn fat. Other
contributors to stubborn fat are estrogenic compounds called
xenoestrogens. These chemicals are a byproduct of fertilizers,
plastics, soy isoflavones, certain herbs and petroleum products. These
compounds in our food and water supply mimic estrogenic functions and
aid in binding to estrogenic fat receptors. This produces induced
aromatase influence. Aromatase is an enzyme which helps convert
androgens (male hormone) to estrogenic compounds. When this occurs, it
enhances the production of estrone, which is the main culprit in
stubborn fat gain in both men and women. Look at many children today
and you can see that they take on some very feminized features such as
breast fat. To benefit from a program that reduces stubborn fat, you
must first recognize that estrogenic compounds are all around us (and
in us). To combat this problem, you need to look at the food you
consume and the liquids you drink, as there are many culprits that
cause stubborn fat gain.
You move in the direction of gaining stubborn fat when you develop bad
eating and lifestyle habits, which cause insulin resistance, a toxic
overburden on the liver and elevated estrogen. These all contribute to
the fat that will not go away. To open these cells, you should start
by heading down the food chain. Minimize or eliminate all refined
foods, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables (preferably organic), and
exercise. In the third and final part, you will learn more about how
specifically to get this stubborn fat out of you life forever.
About the author:
David Grisaffi is a Sports Conditining Coach and holds multiple
certifications including three from the prestigious CHEK Institute.
Plus he is also the author of the popluar selling e book, "Firm and
Flatten Your Abs," which teaches you how to develop a ripped abdominal
region. Lean how to shead bodyfat and eliminate low back pain and
recieve his free newsletter by visiting:
http://www.ad-alyzer.com/727/flatabs
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Sunday, February 4, 2007
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