Lose Weight for Health’s Sake

Posted: Dec 26 in Health And Wellness by Dr. Lazarus

When it comes to losing weight, achieving a smaller waistline is just the tip of the iceberg. Many people start medical weight loss programs for aesthetic reasons, and there is good reason for this. After all, when you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror you aren’t staring at your blood pressure or diabetes diagnosis.

The way you look might drive you to want to change your diet and exercise habits, but there is so much more that will help to motivate you along your way. When you make the decision to lose weight, be careful not to get too stuck on appearances. Some of the best reasons to want to lose weight have to do with what is on the inside, too.

Picture Perfect Health

Being overweight impacts your health in more ways than you may think. Your mental and physical health can suffer severe consequences due to obesity. Everything from your immune system to your risk of developing certain forms of cancer is influenced by your weight level. When you lose weight you decrease your risk of developing obesity-related conditions while improving fundamental aspects of your mental and physical health that you might not have even noticed were suffering, like your energy levels and self-esteem.

Here are a few ways that losing weight can benefit your health:

• Increased Energy Levels: Obesity can cause chronic fatigue, which will leave you feeling tired, uninterested in things you once enjoyed and reaching for cup after cup of coffee or soda. Exercising regularly can boost your energy levels, which will give you a greater boost to keep up with your diet and fitness goals.
• Improved Cholesterol: Adopting a healthier diet and exercising regularly can also influence your cholesterol levels. Foods like oatmeal, fish and tree nuts are especially recommended for lowering LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
• Decreased Blood Pressure: High blood pressure can increase your risk for heart disease, but a healthier diet and regular exercise can reduce this risk.
• Reversed Type 2 Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common obesity-related illnesses. Losing weight can prevent your risk of developing this condition, and in certain cases can even reverse the illness and restore insulin resistance, thus allowing the body to better manage sugar in the blood.
• Mental Health Benefits: Losing weight can reduce your risk for developing severe depression and anxiety, boost your self-esteem and even decrease your risk for Alzheimer’s disease down the road.

Losing weight can also improve your ability to sleep and lessen your risk of experiencing regular heartburn and acid reflux, and you don’t even need to reach your weight loss goal to start experiencing these benefits. Losing just five to 10 percent of your excess body weight is enough to start noticing improvements in your health.