weight loss contest rules

Question
My wife and I are in a weight loss contest, not unlike the TV show, the Biggest Looser.  She wants to meausre loss by percentages, not pounds lost.  I agree that NORMALLY that would be fair ... but here are MY arguements for doing pounds, not percentages:

She is a busy RN, working on her feet all day, I am at a forced desk job.  Hence, for 9-10 hours a day, our activities are controlled.  Because of our jobs, she naturally will get more calories burned.

True, I am a male, she is a female,  Harder for females generally to drop weight.  But I am 58, she is 45.  I say the age difference should compensate for the gender differences.

And finally I am at 275, 6ft3in tall, she is at 195, 5ft7in tall.  I have a LOT more to drop.  Is that a factor ?  I don't know.

Just curious what you would suggest for a fair contest rule and WHY ?

Thanks !

Answer
I agree with the percentages rule for several reasons.

The amount of calories you burn is based not only on movement but on overall bodyweight.  You burn more calories than she does even if you're both sitting still.  You'll also burn even more calories when you're moving than she does.

I agree with your analysis of the gender vs. age aspect.  Women naturally carry more fat than men and it's harder to lose weight as one grows older.

The fact that you have more weight to drop is to your advantage.  Heavier people lose weight more rapidly simply because they are burning more calories to sustain their body size.

Percentages wins.  Good luck in your efforts.

Thank you for your question, Bill.  I hope that my answer was helpful.

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