There are a lot of different health benefits of losing weight, aside from the one that tends to get the most focus – looking better.
Looking better and the confidence boost from it is great, but feeling better – feeling healthier – is even better.
How does losing weight help you to feel better?
When you lose weight, you’re increasing your chances of diabetes going into remission or lessening your risk of getting it or other diseases and conditions associated with excess weight.
Diseases and conditions associated with excess weight include diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and certain types of cancers including breast cancer.
Losing weight helps with blood sugar control. If you’ve already been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, losing weight can help put the diabetes in remission. The sooner a person diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes starts to lose weight and gets more active, the easier it is to put it in remission.
When you lose weight, you are putting less pressure on your heart, as well as, your bones and joints. Less body weight means that your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood to all parts of your body. It may help reduce tachycardia and other arrhythmias, as well as, high blood pressure. For people with arthritis, less weight on the joints may also mean less musculoskeletal pain and more ability to be active.
In addition to breast cancer, other cancers linked to obesity include the upper stomach, gallbladder, liver, kidney, colon, and rectal cancer.
Even losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can make a difference. That’s 12.5 lbs. It may seem daunting, but with the help and support of a medical weight loss specialist, it can be a lot easier.
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Sunrise Family Practice offers FREE 15 Minute Weight Loss Consultations. Call today at 618-954-7434!