The benefits of maintaining a healthy body weight are numerous. Not only will you have a new-found confidence about yourself, but the quality and quantity of your life will increase.
Being overweight can cause major health issues for a person. The hardest part about losing weight is finding the motivation to lose it and keep it off. Here are some benefits of maintaining a healthy weight:
Relief From Discomfort
When you have to carry around extra weight, you are less likely to be active. Losing just 5-10 percent of your body weight will ease the pain and aches that are associated with not being active. Carrying around extra weight also puts added pressure on your joints, bones, and muscles. One extra pound yields five pounds of pressure on your knees. Less weight on these areas of your body not only means less pressure on them but these areas will work more efficiently with less pain.
Healthier Heart
When you are overweight, your heart has to work extra hard to pump blood throughout your body, even when your body is at rest. When you lose even the smallest amount of weight, your heart can pump blood to your vital organs more efficiently. Maintaining a healthy weight puts less strain on your heart and reduces the risk of a heart attack and high blood pressure.
Lower Risk Of Diabetes
Research shows that those who are overweight are more likely to develop Type II Diabetes. If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, losing weight may help you better control the disease. For those who are overweight but do not have diabetes, losing weight and exercising will help lower your risk of developing the disease.
Lower Risk Of Cancer
Losing weight will not make you exempt from developing cancer, but it will reduce your risk of developing certain forms of cancer. Women who are overweight are more susceptible to breast, uterine, gall bladder, ovary, and colon cancer, just to name a few. Men can also lower their risk of prostate and colon cancer.
Prevent Osteoarthritis
Excess body weight can put extra pressure on your joints which can lead to osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is when the joints become infected due to added pressure. The only way this disease can be prevented is by maintaining a healthy body weight. Healthy diet and exercise will put less pressure on your joints and prevent joint damage.
Many people struggle with maintaining their weight despite the fact that they know how important the issue is and the many benefits that come along with it. Some tips to maintain a healthy weight include:
- Ban extreme dieting – Extreme diets may work for a short time, but most fail. The best way to lose weight is to eat healthy and in smaller portions.
- Get active. Exercise is crucial to maintaining a healthy weight. Find activities you love and try to do them everyday.
- Avoid sugary drinks. Drinking soda, or sugary sports drinks can add hundreds of calories to your diet. Research shows that people who drank these types of drinks weighed more.
- Think before you eat. Before you grab a snack, make sure you are actually hungry. Then ask yourself if what you’re about to eat has nutritional value.
Hopefully these benefits and tips will help motivate you to work toward a healthier weight or to maintain the healthy weight you’re already at.
Trisha Banks is a blogger for Matthew Boes M.D. Orthopaedic Surgery in Raleigh, North Carolina. Trisha wants to know the benefits of maintaining a healthy body weight.
