Ladies, have you noticed that when you try to get healthier and lose weight, there seems to be a lot of obstacles in the way, stalling the process? But for your husband, shedding some pounds seems so much easier and attainable? There are many ways that all of us struggle with weight loss as well as other ways to get healthy. Here are just a few examples of the differences between the sexes and how you can actually work together to help each other lead healthier lifestyles.

Struggles With Addiction

Addiction plagues many adults from every age group and all walks of life. Both men and women react differently to addiction and also respond differently to treatment. If you’ve found yourself drinking more frequently and in higher amounts, you may have an issue with alcohol addiction. Does your husband drink too? If so, you both may benefit from a treatment program that can give you the necessary tools to a solid road to recovery. Because no two cases are exactly alike and your body chemistry is different than his, your recovery plans will be unique to each other’s needs. Focus on a program that is multi-faceted and includes:

• *A detoxification program to help address immediate medical concerns.
• *An intense psychotherapy program tailored to your exact addiction and habits.
• *Checking for underlying illnesses and other prominent medical problems.
• *Providing tools for intense inpatient therapy, follow-up and group therapy sessions.
• *Long-term care including supervision therapy or sober living.

Keep in mind that even though you both may be at the same facility, your treatment plan and overall goals may be different. Because of your diverse body chemistry, you may not see results as quickly or effectively as your spouse, so maybe an alcohol or drug rehab for women program may be more tailored to your needs. Be prepared for bumps in the road and address any changes or concerns with your treatment coordinator or doctor.

Weight Loss

Another area in which men and women put in similar work and produce different results is with a weight loss program. If you both decide to lose weight together and you’re both eating similar foods and working out the same, don’t be too disappointed when you learn that he may lose more weight than you. There are many reasons for this, but the most prevalent is overall body chemistry. Men have a completely different genetic makeup than females do. This includes the way they store body fat, burn body fat and overall absorb their nutrients. Not only that, many environmental factors also come into play. Your loved one may have a more active job environment and play sports frequently. This affects calories burned and also how much muscle is gained throughout the day. Men tend to build muscle easier than women, which in turn can burn more stored fat. Having a medical condition or the onset of a medical problem can also affect how slow or fast your metabolism is.  All of these factors need to be considered when you’re looking at how much weight one is losing and how their body is processing fat and calories throughout the day.

Annual Doctor Visits

While not a genetic marker between male and female when it comes to how the body stores and burns fat, sometimes men have a harder time making doctor appointments than their female counterpart. This is more so an environmental trigger as opposed to a true genetic difference between the two sexes. So, when it comes to making annual doctor visits, females tend to be more likely to schedule doctor appointments including their annual health exams and follow through with their checkups rather than men. The good news is that you can help provide support and encouragement to your spouse, or any man in your life, to get them to visit their doctor, address any concerns and follow-up with annual checks for:

• *Cancer
• *Diabetes
• *Heart disease
• *Mental health issues

All of these appointments should be coordinated through your doctor’s office along with the right blood panels, tests and follow-up care.

Aside from the obvious reasons why men and women are so different, one thing unites us—we are not immune to an array of health issues and concerns. Everyone experiences challenges when it comes to health. Seeking individualized medical care is the best way to come up with a plan that works for your specific health needs.