Why Bother Losing Even a Little Bit of Weight?

You don't have to loose a tremendous amount of weight in order to be healthier. Losing just 5% of your current body weight gives you short term and long term benefits. You do not need to fast or go on a radical new diet. Losing just one pound a week can help keep that pound from every returning to your waistline. (1)

Short Term Benefits

Rethink your weight loss goals. You don't have to be supermodel skinny in order to feel as if you've lost weight. Let the scales by your weight-loss guide - not the latest fashion trend. You don't have to compare yourself with other people - just your weight from a week ago. Losing an even small amount of weight can help:

• Raise your self-confidence and general mood, which helps give you the motivation to stick to your diet and exercise plans.
• Helps you get better sleep: People who exercise regularly and do not stuff themselves with heavy, rich foods right before sleep are not awakened throughout the night with heartburn or indigestion. (2) People who get better sleep have more energy for exercising the next day.
• Lowers your blood pressure: This is also a long-term benefit, but high blood pressure will start to go down after only 5 - 10% body weight loss, even if the person has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes or hypertension (3)

Long Term Benefits

Many chronic health problems worsen due to extra fat or obesity. Losing weight also lessen the symptoms of these conditions. These benefits may take weeks, months or even years to materialize, but they will come. They include:

• Lower risk for cardiovascular disease due to decrease in blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Less chance of developing Type 2 diabetes because it will be able to regulate glucose or body sugar on its own instead of relying on outside sources for sugar.
• Increase in joint and limb mobility and in some cases a decrease in arthritic pain.
• Lessening of asthmatic attacks because a body with less excess weight does not have to work as hard and not get out of breath so quickly
• Reducing or even eliminating sleep apnea, which is a condition exacerbated by extra flesh pressing against the throat, closing off the airways and causing those terrible nocturnal noises.

Practical Benefits

Preventing health conditions that may not appear for years down the road is all fine and good, but are there any long-term practical benefits of losing weight? Certainly.

• You'll be able to walk up and down stairs easier and without losing breath
• You'll have more energy for tackling daily tasks and for playtime (however you prefer to play)
• Women will have regular menstrual cycles than obese women. (4)
• Women will have a better chance of conceiving. (4)
• Pregnant women will have less chance of developing gestational diabetes.

References

(1) CDC. "Healthy Weight - It's Not a Diet - It's a Lifestyle!" August 17, 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html

(2) Mayo Clinic. "Sleep Tips: 7 Steps to Better Sleep." http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sleep/HQ01387

(3) "Short-Term Effects of Weight Loss on the Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Morbidly Obese Patients." L. Busetto, et al. Obesity: A Research Journal. 2004. http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v12/n8/full/oby2004159a.html#bib1

(4) MSNBC.com. "Can weight impact your ability to get pregnant?" Clarissa Garcia, MD. 10/24/2006. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/15391084/ns/today-today_health/t/can-weight-impact-your-ability-get-pregnant/