Why Should I Lose Weight if I am Happy?

Obesity causes approximately 300 000 deaths every year in the US alone! Enough to shock you out of your comfort zone isn’t it? Not for nothing has obesity become a growing concern worldwide. Every year in North America, the rates of obese children and adults increases multiple folds.

Losing weight should be of prime importance to anyone who is even remotely considered overweight or obese. According to the US Surgeon General, even a modest weight loss ranging between 5 - 15 % for overweight people can significantly reduce the risk of various diseases.

Though it is quite difficult to truly judge and quantify the impact of obesity alone, there is a strong consensus among the top scientists and dieticians that being in the heavier bracket, increases one’s chances of contracting various chronic diseases. To understand the seriousness of the issue and why losing weight should be taken more seriously, let’s have a look at some of the conditions attributed to weight issues.

To begin with, there are the often discussed diseases or conditions like type 2 diabetes, pulmonary embolism (blockage of an artery), arthritis, coronary heart disease, sleep apnea and ovarian cysts. Then there are the less publicized effects of being overweight; being more susceptible to various kinds of cancer, enlarged heart, erectile dysfunction, chronic renal failure and many other conditions.

The reason it is important to know all of the possible complications arising out of excess weight is so that we understand that a lot of these are easily preventable. Though we know that weight issues could lead to arthritis, what many people don’t know is that if we were to control our weight--let alone lose some-- our chances of developing arthritis could drastically decrease. According to the US Surgeon General, every 2 pounds that you put on increases your chance of developing arthritis by 9-13%.

If you think you are in the risk category or that it runs in your family, there are many small things you can do to ensure you lose weight and stay fit. What needs to be kept in mind though is that a steady weight loss of around 1-2 pounds per week works much better for your body than a drastic reduction in weight. A sudden loss of weight increases your chances of developing complications like gout and nutrient deficiencies and can also cause burn out of muscles instead of the fat.

Rather than look at short-term benefits, it helps to set long term goals and make changes to your eating and exercise habits. The aim should not only be to lose some weight but also to keep that excess weight off and prevent it from creeping back. Take a closer look at what you eat and try to find any nutrient category that you might be depriving your body of. Include foods that are rich in those nutrients. Also try and find healthier substitutes to food that you might be eating now. Fruits and vegetable are your best bet to satiate you and benefit you more than many of the fried and oil-rich food that you might be consuming.

Improving your diet is only half the process of losing weight. What needs to follow is improved physical habits. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym and buff yourself up to be on the next issue of your local health magazine. Ensuring that you get about a half an hour to an hours worth of physical exertion every day should be a good start. If you’re already getting that much, try improving it by a notch. If you like playing video games a lot, you no more have to give that up either. Go get yourself one of those dance mats that go with the consoles or even better, get a Wii. Getting and staying fit is not really about rigorous routines as many might have you believe. It only requires a little bit of effort and discipline on your part.

Start living better today, so that you see many more tomorrows!

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