Losing body fat is difficult and for women the process can be complicated. There are certain biological factors that you may be working against. Besides that, there are so many confusing products, diet plans and exercise recommendations that it is very difficult to find out what you should do and what you should not.

Healthy body fat percentage ratio for women

According to experts a healthy range for body fat percentage for the average woman is 25 to 31%. It depends on different factors such as whether you are a casual exercise or a regular one. The American Council on exercise recommends 21 to 31% of body fat for women.

Time needed to lose body fat

Since people are different, the time necessary to lose body fat may also be different. Your speed of losing body fat will not be same as someone else's. The rate of body fat loss can fluctuate depending on hormones, genetics and general body shape. That is why, it is important for you to create a sustainable, achievable goal when you are trying to lose body fat.

Hormones always play a large role in the process of using stored fat for fuel. When you start training, your body may find it difficult to initiate fat burning at the early stages. But if you stick to the exercise, your body will eventually adapt to it. As a woman, you need to understand that fat loss in your case may not occur at a steady, linear. There will be ups and downs in the process of losing body fat and it will happen at different times of the month.

It'll be easier for you to measure everything by using photos and measurements rather than weight or body fat analyses. That will help you to track your progress more accurately.

If you're trying to lose fat, do not consider bodyweight as the right measure for progress if you are a woman. Your weight can fluctuate day to day or week to week basis depending on different factors such as water intake, food consumption, hormones and dietary habits. If you do not want to get rid of this habit, you should compare the average weight with the previous week.

Differences between men and women

When it comes to losing body fat, there are some differences between men and women. Men can always lose weight faster than women because of testosterone and more muscle mass. However, factors like age, genetics and medical conditions will also influence such loss rates.

Your body fat loss ultimately comes down to exercise activity and creating a calorie deficit. When they are on their menstrual cycle and during this period water retention may increase and that can result in bloating and temporary weight gains. During this time cravings may also increase and when that happens sticking to a diet can be very hard. You will also need to think about it and take provisions so that you do not fall off track.

Exercises for weight loss

In case of women, following a progressive, well-structured and challenging weight training program can be very effective in losing fat. Such a program will result in fast and dramatic body composition changes for women.

References 1. The Venus Factor 2.0
2. Weight loss and women
3. Weight-Loss and Maintenance Strategies