Women typically have more body fat and less muscle than men. That affects the basic metabolic rate (BMR), or how many calories your body burns while at rest. Metabolic rate is, in part, driven by your muscle mass, and most women naturally have less muscle and more fat than men. It’s important to keep in mind that there’s a good reason why women have more body fat than men. It’s an evolutionary adaptation: Those extra pounds can come in handy during pregnancy. It’s also worth noting that shape matters. Men and women have different bone structures and tend to store fat in different parts of their bodies, with women’s fat storage typically being more spread out. That means many women have to lose more weight to see the same change in their appearance. Pregnancy and menopause: Women undergo multiple different kinds of hormone fluctuations throughout their lives. In addition to puberty, women also go through menopause. Many women’s hormones also fluctuate as a result of pregnancy. Pregnancy: When you become pregnant, you gain weight and body fat. And it doesn’t always go away when the pregnancy ends. Menopause: During menopause, you're likely to gain weight in your abdomen (as opposed to your hips or thighs, for example) due to a loss of hormones and a slower metabolism. Muscle mass also decreases with age, which makes it still harder to maintain your pre-menopause weight, much less lose weight. Hormonal imbalances like PCOS: It’s not unusual to experience hormone imbalances at different points in your life. Some are temporary, but others, like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), can be a lifelong struggle. Between 5% and 10% of women have PCOS. But PCOS isn’t the only condition that causes hormone-related weight gain. Cushing’s syndrome, Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism are just a few examples of conditions that cause hormone imbalance leading to weight gain. These conditions are also much more common in women. How to overcome weight loss obstacles: 🟢Include resistance and weight training 🟢Find the eating pattern that works best for you 🟢Focus on the long game. When it comes to weight loss, it’s really important to be patient. Men tend to lose weight more quickly at the start, but women do catch up