With few exceptions, the basic principles for healthy weight loss for women are the same for men: eat sensibly and exercise regularly.
The differences more or less occur in how sex linked hormones affect weight loss.
For the most part, male and female bodies respond to weight loss in almost exactly the same ways.
Eating healthfully helps to build muscle; the muscle metabolizes calories thus burning fat.
Exercise helps to speed the process.
As fat is lost and muscles grow, the body becomes more toned.
For women, this process is affected by the production of estrogen and progesterone.
This affect shows itself in three major ways: the menstrual cycle and its associated shifts in weight, where fat is stored, and the rate at which muscle develops.
Menstruation matters.
As women progress through their menstrual cycle, the body gains weight due to a little extra body fat and, more importantly, water retention.
Once menstruation has passed, many women find that the temporary body fat has left them, and the water has also gone, thus bringing their weight back down to their original starting point.
Many women see a difference in three to five pounds from where they started to a few days after the actual menstrual period.
These shifts in weight are often frustrating because they do not allow for weight loss that's quick and efficient.
Besides the issue of shifting weight gain, some women take in more calories during their menstrual period.
The best way to cope with these issues is to find a diet that allows for some flexibility.
As a side note, it's important to use a program that allows for the intake of precious vitamins and minerals that are often flushed out along with reproductive material.
Over the period of the month, proper diet and regular exercise can do two things: they can reduce uncomfortable symptoms of menstruation including fatigue, bloating, and cramping, and they can reduce unnecessary calories and assist in preventing weight gain through toning muscle.
Women tend to have more body fat than men.
While extremely discouraging, the body fat is meant to cushion vital organs both for daily function and especially, reproduction.
That is why many women find extra body fat about the breasts, the lower belly, their hips, and the rear.
The lack of sufficient testosterone slows women from being able to gain muscle in a short amount of time.
It's important to participate in an exercise program that addresses these issues by incorporating strength training as well as cardiovascular exercise.
It should be noted that the best programs are found in gyms specific to women mostly because the average gym often doesn't emphasize strength training for women, and many machines don't accommodate those women who need lighter than average weights.
While there is no significant difference in the process of weight loss between the sexes, it's important for women to realize how the production of sex linked hormones affects healthy weight loss in women.
With this knowledge, women can find constructive ways to overcome these challenges and stick to the program that works best for them and their goals.
Though it may be harder for women to control their weight, once they do they often find that their new sexier bodies can often easily control men.