Mechanistically, Males and Females lose fat in the same way due to the environment created from certain changes (mainly a calorie deficit). Its thought that women have a more difficult time losing fat from gender differences but its mainly down to the differences in body composition with indirect influence from sex hormone differences.
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Here are just a few bits of information and tips which may help any females out there with fat loss as the main goal this year.
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1-To make the process of losing fat as enjoyable & stress-free as possible, you should be in fine tune with what stages of your menstrual cycle you're at and when to periodize (pardon the pun) your nutrition and training to suit each phase in terms of what energy substrates you use, ability to train/recover, mood, appetite, metabolic rate increases, etc (see period posts 1&2).
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2- Dont be afraid to eat carbs- F overall, more metabolically healthy than M due to higher estrogen levels. Estrogens' benefits far outweigh its negatives and its helpful for bone remodeling (collagen production), insulin resistance, Mitochondrial output, and also glucose uptake into cells (effective carb absorption). All good things. So Dont is afraid of carbs, ye use them well (unless body fat is very high which changes things).
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3- F Can Generally tolerate more training volume, recovery faster, and have better Aerobic Capacity. Increased Type 1 Muscle fibers, Estrogen, intramuscular triglycerides, better ability to transport fatty acids into muscle cells for fuel & Tissue perfusion mean women are more fatigue resistant, can recover faster working between sets, so keep the intensity high within your sessions.
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4- F have more subcutaneous fat With a lower body storage dominance compared to M who store more visceral fat around their tummy. This is both good & bad. Good, because Visceral fat is a lot more dangerous, it can lead to fatty acid-induced hepatic insulin sensitivity (from being transported to the liver first) & is more inflammatory but The bad is news is (there's always a but), lower body Fat Distribution for Females is generally harder to shift for a few reasons including:
A- Smaller Size of the fat Cells (Adipocytes) Making it harder to get the fall out of the cell to be then be mobilized & transported in the bloodstream to be burned as fuel (Literal Fat Loss, known as lipolysis).
B- The Ratio of Androgen receptors differ. Basically but, these are receptors Catecholamines in our blood bind to like a key to help release the fat to be burned lets say, Beta-2 Androgen receptors are good as they promote Fat Burning, however Lower Body subcutaneous (under the skin) Body Fat For Females has higher Alpha Receptors which can inhibit Fat Burning or be more "stubborn" per se.
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C- Less Blood Flow: In order for Fat Loss To Occur, fat must be taken out of the cell (mobilized out of the adipocyte) and be transproted by a protein in our blood known as Albumin to then be burned off as energy. Women Generally have less lower Body Blood Flow and more vasoconstriction (up to 67% less blood flow has been seen in women lower body reported in studies) which then makes the process slightly more difficult.
Other areas often neglected but should be prioritized in order to make a Female Fat Loss approach as successful and providing an all-round environment suitable for Fat Loss To occur would including Paying Attention to Stress Management subjective the individual (remember stress is not just physical and is highly based on perception, what stresses you may not stress me and vice versa so individual assessment and management techniques are essential), Looking After sleep Hygiene (pre-bed rituals, sleep environment, quantity & quality assessment), & A Diverse nutrient intake prioritizing fruit, veg, and whole foods.
Above all else, the best tools within your toolbox in order to set yourself up for successful Fat loss as a female will be will apply consistency of a calorie deficit within an approach that is specific to you, enjoyable and well - structured imposing unnecessary restrictions and is sustainable without drastic intervention.
Luke.
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