People who have struggled with their weight all their lives can feel discouraged. Despite portion control and watching what you eat, it seems the pounds just won’t budge. Don’t give up, though. Research has shown that losing just five percent of your body weight can pay off with significant health benefits. Learn why weight loss is important for your health here. Knowing you’re doing something great for yourself will help you stay motivated to maintain healthy eating habits.
Risks Associated With Being Overweight
Those carrying extra pounds have heard a lot about the dangers of being overweight. High blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, strokes, joint pain, arthritis, and even cancer have been associated with carrying extra weight. In 2020, we learned that extra pounds are associated with more severe diseases and worse outcomes in regard to COVID-19 cases.
Benefits of Losing Even a Little Weight
Recent studies have found that losing just five to ten percent of your body weight can result in significant health improvements. In addition to reducing risks of chronic disease, losing weight benefits your immediate health status. Your joints will hurt less, you can reduce the severity of sleep apnea symptoms, and your cholesterol levels may decline measurably.
Losing weight may also benefit the immune system. Fat is not passive; it’s not just stored energy. It is an active hormone and cytokine-producing organ in the body. Furthermore, cytokines deliver signals to cells that play a part in immunity. Too much fat tissue can cause the body to release too much of these substances, causing inflammation and making it harder for the body to recognize and fight off infections when they happen. Losing fat can help regulate this imbalance. Losing weight also reduces the risks of complications from surgery, should you ever need it.
Lifestyle and Social Benefits
It’s an unfortunate fact that obese people are treated with disrespect and even outright discrimination. It doesn’t seem fair to have to change your body to be treated with the respect everyone deserves but losing weight can have that effect. Setting aside what other people do and how they behave, losing weight has intrinsic lifestyle and social benefits. Losing weight can decrease stress and improve your mood. It also makes you feel more energetic. You’ll notice you can move more freely, with fewer aches and pains. You’ll gain confidence, and your sexual function may improve, too. Losing weight is important for your health, in both a physical and mental capacity.
The struggle to maintain a healthy weight is real. Even if you do everything right with diet and exercise, sometimes it just seems like nothing works. If you feel this way, you could be experiencing undiscovered hormonal imbalances that make it difficult for you to lose weight. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist in endocrinology, or the diagnosis and treatment of abnormalities in hormone-producing systems and glands. Residents of New York can consult Dr. Philip Rabito, recognized as one of the best endocrinologists in New York City , for advice.
