Introduction
Everyone has different reasons for losing weight. Some people might wants to improve there appearance, some wants to lower their blood pressure or cholesterol while others might want to simply feel more comfortable in their own skin. The benefits of weight loss go a lot further than just improved cardiovascular health. In fact, losing weight can have a positive impact on nearly every aspect of a person’s life.
Before you go for weight loss program it’s important to set a weight loss goal and its benefits. Understanding the wide range of weight loss benefits may help to keep you motivated during the challenging moments of your healthy eating and exercise program. To set yourself up for success, consider all of the different ways that losing weight may improve your social life, physical health, and psychological health. Make a list of the weight loss benefits that mean the most to you and keep it in your weight loss journal. Visit the list on the days when you feel discouraged.
Health Benefits of Weight Loss
You don’t have to lose hundreds of kilos of weight to enjoy the physical health benefits of weight loss. If you are currently overweight or obese, you may be able to lose just a small amount of weight to improve your overall health. To know if you are overweight or not according to your age and height, just check your BMI, Body Mass Index ratio. In fact, some studies show that just a 5% to 10% decrease in your weight can affect your health.
Health benefits of losing weight can mean:
- Decreased joint pain
- Decreased risk of certain cancers
- Decreased risk of diabetes
- Decreased risk of heart disease
- Decreased risk of stroke
- Decreased risk or improvement in symptoms of osteoarthritis
- Decreased risk or improvement in symptoms of sleep apnea
- Improved blood sugar levels
- Improved cholesterol levels
- Improved mobility
- Lowered blood pressure
- Reduced back pain
Lifestyle Benefits of Weight Loss
You may also experience an improved lifestyle if you lose weight. People who have successfully lost weight report:
- Better sleep
- Decreased stress
- Greater confidence
- Improved body image
- Improved energy
- Improved mood
- Improved sex life
- Improved vitality
- More active social life
Weight Loss and Your Relationships
Some people also try to lose weight to improve the quality of their relationships. This is an area where the benefits of losing weight get tricky. While some people have better relationships after weight loss, losing weight solely to make someone else happy is not always a smart idea. There may be other relationship problems that weight loss won’t solve, and when you diet or exercise to make someone else happy, you might lose weight in the beginning, but the weight often comes back.
Having social support can certainly have a positive impact on your weight loss journey, but to ensure long-term success, make sure that ultimately, you’re losing weight for yourself and your personal goals.
Everyone’s weight loss journey is unique, but there are certain tips that can help you begin yours:
- Set goals. At the beginning of your weight loss journey, set goal to help you map out your process. Take the time to detail how you want to feel, make sure you know how to track your progress, and keep your goals realistic for the timeline and your current lifestyle.
- Calculate calorie needs. Once you’ve set your goals, use a weight loss calculator to measure your daily calorie goal. Depending on your age, sex, height, current weight, goal weight, and how active you currently are, the calculator will help you determine the goal number of calories you should consume each day.
- Reduce calories. In order to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn, creating a calorie deficit. Reduce your caloric intake to initiate this calorie deficit, helping your body create and burn energy by using stored fat.
- Exercise. Diet and movement are two critical components of weight loss. Adding exercise into your weight loss routine can help to accelerate progress.
Moderate weight loss of 5% to 10% of your body weight can still result in significant health improvements. A study published in 2016 found that adults with obesity who lost 5% of their body weight had a lower risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. The same 5% loss in body weight also led to metabolic improvements in the liver and muscles.
If you decide that there are significant reasons for you to lose weight, then there’s no time like the present to start your weight loss journey. Your first step should be to set a reasonable goal. Then, make small changes to your daily routine and eating habits.
Consult Dt. Homesh Mandawliya Dietitian/Nutritionist at Diet N Lifestyle Clinic, Indore.