Male Perspective By Mitchell Odhiambo – I was having a conversation with my wife the other day on how differently men and women develop. She was working at one time with young children and noticed the girls were developing faster than boys at that young age, developing their speaking skills faster as well as confidence. And this continues all the way into puberty. Men on the other hand, develop much slower in comparison, but do so rapidly once their development begins. It is as if once there is an avalanche of development going unseen to the naked eye, then once critical mass is obtained, they then boom so rapidly, differences begin to show. One minute one is a boy; a couple of months later, as they revert back from boarding school they have broad shoulders, a deep voice, a pronounced Adam’s apple, visible sideburns and beards and a remarkable change in height as though they had a miraculous growth spurt. Some changes men may notice include belly fat – what is popularly known as “Kitambi”. A man’s excess weight tends to be carried as belly fat. Watch it and be sure to exercise and stay fit.
As your male hormones begin to decline around middle age, you’ll naturally lose muscle mass. Although your body will respond less dramatically to strength training as you get older, it’s important to keep it up over the years because it can slow muscle and bone loss, and actually boost testosterone levels. As you get older your skin gets thinner, which brings changes like slower wound healing and greater sensitivity to the cold. So, it makes sense to take good care of your body now—even if you never paid much attention to it in the past. And ultimately hair; about half of men have male pattern baldness. While some men with a genetic predisposition may begin to lose their hair before completing their college years, most who experience thinning hair, notice it by their mid-thirties or later. Often, you’ll start to lose hair on the top of your head—the famous “bald spot.” “Kihara.” Take care of yourself; it is vital for your well-being.Until we speak again, I am your host Mitchell Odhiambo. Welcome to a man’s new world. Check out the female perspective below.
Female Perspective By Mercy Karumba – Throughout our life-span our bodies change periodically to accommodate the different seasons of life. However, I’m sure you’ll agree with me that the female body changes far more rapidly than a man’s. From puberty, as she develops into a woman, and within a four-year span of teenagehood, you would barely recognize her; to when she becomes pregnant and her body takes another form; to when she is lactating when the dynamics are different, and then to a normal season. Sadly, a study reports that 94% of teenage girls have been body shamed. While it may be normal and expected to gain or lose weight and perhaps looks, these body changes make a big difference in the emotional and social well-being of a lady. Many ladies struggle with the body changes and it takes self-appraisal and acceptance to actually get through a seasonal body change and at the same time, retain your sanity and self-esteem.
During puberty, many girls will be ashamed of removing their sweaters; during pregnancy, many women will even shy away from taking photos or even looking at their bodies in the mirror as the baby-bump grows and as the weight increases, many will resort to dressing in oversize clothes to hide the excess weight. While men experience these changes, most of them find a way to work through it, be it gaining weight or enrolling into a weight-loss program, and before long, they are at their ideal body shape. Women, on the other hand, may take more time to engage in a weight-management program and instead, obsess over their weight for a very long time, often letting it define their identity; before taking any action. Self-love is key, no matter the season – whether you feel too heavy; or even under-weight, the question should be what should you do to be where you want to be? Not allowing the expectations of society and external pressure, determine your self-worth. Let’s borrow a leaf from men, who often take pride in their bodies- no matter what shape.
