Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s experience at the Paris Olympics, where she was disqualified for being 100 grams over the 50kg weight limit, has drawn attention to the challenges women face in losing weight faster than men.

Dr Arpana Jain, Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, told IndiaToday.in that losing weight quickly can be especially challenging for women and is not always advisable.

“The body’s metabolism, hormones and lifestyle factors all play a role in how easily someone can lose weight. While some women may see quick results through strict dieting or intense exercise, it’s important to remember that lasting weight loss usually occurs gradually,” she explains.

Dr. Jain said that women often lose weight in the morning due to breathing throughout the night, sweating and water being released from the body through urine.

This temporary loss in weight usually reverses throughout the day, as the body retains water from food and beverages.

“Most people lose weight in the morning, as they fast overnight and lose water weight through breathing and sweating. But, weight gain may occur by the evening due to fluctuations in food and fluid intake throughout the day as well as water retention and digestive waste,” said Dr. Anish Nagpal, Laparoscopic Bariatric (Obesity) Surgeon and Gastro Surgeon, Shalby Hospital SG Highway, Ahmedabad.

Gynaecologist, infertility specialist and laparoscopic surgeon Dr Vaishali Sharma said that fluctuations are completely normal and “can vary from 0.5 to 2 kg depending on your diet, hydration levels and activity during the day.”

Hormonal fluctuations also play an important role in women’s weight management. Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause, can affect appetite and fat storage.

Dr. Nagpal said these hormones can also affect appetite, metabolism and fat distribution, making weight management more challenging.

Stress-related hormones such as insulin and cortisol can affect fat storage and energy regulation in the body.

Dr Jain cautioned that rapid weight loss can harm women’s health, leading to muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies and a slowed metabolism, making it harder to keep the weight off in the long term.

It can also lead to fatigue, mood swings and a weakened immune system. Instead, he stressed the importance of focusing on a balanced diet and regular exercise for healthy weight management.

Dr. Nagpal said that rapid weight loss can have many negative effects on women’s health.

According to the expert, “Methods like strict diets and excessive exercise may lead to rapid weight loss, but these methods are not sustainable.”

Registered dietitian and health consultant Nilanjana Singh warns that while consuming certain diuretic foods such as coffee, tea, watermelon, cucumbers and lemons helps in losing weight by flushing out excess water from the body, it is not permanent.

Nilanjana Singh said if a player overdoes it, it could impact his performance.

Ultimately, experts agree that while there are short-term strategies for shedding a few grams of weight, the focus should always be on the long-term.

Gradual and steady weight loss through balanced nutrition and regular physical activity is more effective and healthier.