Recent Blogs


Blog Archive
2008  


Wednesday, May 7th, 2008
The Unfair Thing About Men...

I guess that title is a little misleading. As we all know, there's a LOT of things that are unfair about men, but we can save that for another time. I have a specific one in mind today, and that is the fact that it seems so unfair that men's body's BY DESIGN are equipped to lose weight more easily than a female. Now, I suppose if the reverse were true, men would gripe too. However, I think we have more justification to be annoyed by that fact.

After all, does God, Life, Mother Nature or whoever you wish to call it also hand men any difficulties with weight simply based on gender? I can't find one on the list. We get breasts. Chalk up a few pounds - or 5 (depending). We get hips, inevitably, whether we choose to bear children or not. Then if we DO have children, we get hit again with instant weight gain. With all of those things fighting against us, doesn't it seem like WE should be the ones who were given the free pass? I know there are men that struggle with their weight as well, and that this doesn't apply as a blanket statement. But in general, I find it to be true.

Case in point, I was sick over the weekend. Somehow I ended up with a nasty bug that lasted me almost 4 days. I was tired, achy, feverish - quite simply miserable. I just plain didn't feel like eating, and in fact didn't. Actually, I think in a 48 hour period the only things that went into my body were a piece of toast, a glass of juice, and quite a bit of Ginger Ale Green Tea.

My husband had the same thing a few weeks back. In a matter of 3-4 days, he managed to lose 8 lbs. No, clearly I am not suggesting starvation as a diet form. However, when I get the same illness, how do I come out? I gained a half pound. HOW ON EARTH?

As I said, just not fair......
16 Comments
RickMonday
1) You make some good points that are hard to argue with. Men have more muscle mass and muscle increases your metabolism so men, in general, burn more calories at rest than do women.

But, dont sell women short. I think women have more tolerance for pain and tend to live longer than men so they have that going for them. Women also tend to not suffer from pattern baldness like men do. Looking at the past million years or so, men have needed to be the hunters, bread winners because they had the muscle to fight and kill the animals. With the advancement of food production and delivery, that trait is not needed as much anymore. Some people are being born without the useless appendix. I wonder how long before men start to lose some muscle mass.
RickMonday   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
_DELETED_hayley
2) Actually, RM, when our 401K guy came into work a few weeks ago he told use that women live longer alone (in general) but women in partnerships die first.

So men get skinny AND they get to just dump the stress on women (or maybe its all the cleaning products we inhale) so we die first in "partnerships"

Also, to add to the weight thing (which, FNF, I totally agree with) women are more scrutinized for their weight than men. Like WTF?!

oh, and PS, no cravings...
hayley   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
FITNOTFAT
3) Good points, both of you.

Rick, is this true? "Some people are being born without the useless appendix." Interesting......

Also, I have to agree with the tolerance for pain thing. Just watch a man who has to vomit repeatedly when sick....it's a sadly, humorous sight! (No ill intent, though).
FitNotFat   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
RickMonday
4) hayley,

I agree there are different standards. Not saying it is right but it is a fact.

Fit, yes, about 1 in100,000 are not being born with one. There are arguments on both sides whether or not it is due to evolution. I think it is, but no proof.
RickMonday   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
kristastull
5) I don't think they would gripe....they would whine! It's in there make up to do so, even when they grow up! hahaha
BrOwN EyeD GirL   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
lgrant
6) Re: appendix, haven't they studies where they determine it is gradually getting smaller and smaller? Not surprising evolution would inevitably phase it out. I can't even remember from biology what it is for!

I agree, Fit, it isn't fair. But, I guess if I get to live longer or lose weight easier--I'll take living longer (as long as I'm healthy!) And I definitely agree that women are scrutinized and frowned on more for weight than men. He looks "fat and sassy". She looks "sloppy and lazy". Definitely a double-standard there.

I thought I heard the opposite--that people in relationships tend to be healthier and live longer. Maybe a different study....
LGrant   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Leslie
7) Perhaps it should be...people in healthy relationships live longer.
Leslie   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
8) I thought I had heard the same thing about people in relationships. Interesting though. I would love to hear more about the appendix thing. If you really think about it, that has huge suggestive ramifications long term for our bodies. yikes.....
Bill C.   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
lgrant
9) A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson (keep mentioning it--but it is a cool book) talks about evolution a lot and really brought up some interesting facts. Totally off the subject of men vs. women but someone told me the other day that the rattlesnakes in Eastern Oregon (they stay on their side of the Cascades, thank you!) are evolving into rattle-less rattlesnakes (now what do you call them?) because the noisy ones are killed and the silent ones are ignored. Apparently the quieter ones are raising the offspring so we'll inevitably have no warning. Maybe lack of use for the appendix is causing it to shrink and totally vanish in some folks.
LGrant   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
SallyPants
10) If there's an evolutionary biologist out there, please help. I'm wondering why the appendix would be disappearing since it's not really associated with the survival of the species. Yeah, I guess some people die because of appendicitis but it's not like non-appendix people are surviving at greater rates those with appendixes. So I'm wondering how the great evolutionary powers that be can say, "Oh hey, humans don't really need an appendix, let's start phasing it out."

Any thoughts?
SallyPants   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Leslie
11) I asked a medical expert about the appendix and here is what he said:
It is believed that at one time the appendix was involved in digestion because it is a part of that system. Yes, it may be getting smaller as part of the evolutionary process, but it will take thousands of years before it disappears.
Leslie   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
SallyPants
12) I guess I don't understand how that works, and it'll probably be way over my head anyway. I don't get how "evolution," as if were an entity making decisions somewhere, makes things smaller or phases them out just because. Linda's example with the rattlesnakes makes perfect sense to me. I'm curious at the cellular level (or smaller) what triggers the body's anatomy to make a change in the appendix just because it isn't used? What sparks this genetic mutation? And how it is carried to the rest of the population if those with this trait aren't surviving longer and reproducing more than those without it? Logically, it makes perfect sense that the appendix would be on a path to extinction. I don't understand the mechanisms behind it though.
SallyPants   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Leslie
13) If you believe in evolution (and not everyone does), then you have to view humans as constantly evolving and changing. Have you seen how developed 10 year old girls are? When I was 10 nobody had breasts. And look at female feet. The average shoe size for high school girls is size 9. Some say this is the result of improved nutrition. I don't quite buy that theory. Evolution? Perhaps.
Leslie   Wednesday, May 7, 2008
fritz
14) FNF,
You should watch Penn & Teller's show, Bull Shit. They do a show on how people look and discuss metabolism. It's in the first or second season. They explain that we are born a certain way and there's not much we can do about it. That's why I'll never be a body builder.
fritz   Thursday, May 8, 2008
_DELETED_hayley
15) On the relationships topic. what was said that men will outlive women in partnerships ... not to say that either person's life is cut short. But in partnerships, women die first more than men.

Out of partnerships, women outlive men in general populations.
hayley   Thursday, May 8, 2008
FITNOTFAT
16) Stress, stress, stress.....
FitNotFat   Friday, May 9, 2008
Leave a Comment


Your Name
Enter the text from the left:
Publish Comment