Why men start faster
Higher lean body mass means higher BMR — a 30-lb muscle advantage burns ~150 extra kcal/day at rest.
Men typically start with more visceral fat, which mobilizes faster than subcutaneous fat.
Lower baseline body fat percentage means a bigger relative deficit.
Why it evens out
Women's fat is more subcutaneous — slower to mobilize but eventually goes.
Hormonal cycles cause weekly weight swings that mask underlying loss.
Over 3–6 months, the percentage of starting body fat lost is often similar.
