We have all heard it time-and-time again – the number one reason to lose weight is not to fit into your ‘skinny’ jeans, but to protect your health. Every pound you shed can lower your risk for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, amongst other diseases. Let’s outline exactly what you stand to gain by losing (weight).
Losing 5-10 pounds will…
- Cut your chances of developing type-2 diabetes in half.
- Sidestep muscle strain and pain. For every pound you lose, there’s a 4-pound reduction in the load on your knees, which may help prevent osteoarthritis of the knee.
- Slash you risk for heart disease. You can reduce your overall risk of heart disease 1-2% for each percent of weight you shed. Decrease your weight 10% (i.e., go from 200 lbs. to 180 lbs.), decrease your risk of heart disease 10-20%.
Losing 10-20 pounds will…
- Lower your breast cancer risk by 20-53%.
- Reduce your chances of developing high blood pressure 20-30%.
- Improve your mood significantly.
Losing 20-30 pounds will…
- Slash your risk of all cancers, including breast, colon, endometrial, kidney, prostate and esophageal cancers.
- Spice up your sex life. One study found that men and women that lost 11% of their weight improved their satisfaction with their sex lives 50%!
- Sleep more soundly. Roughly half of all cases of sleep apnea are due to carrying excess weight. Research shows that on average, overweight people with sleep apnea who lose 10% of their body weight can expect a 25% reduction in symptoms.
YOU CAN DO IT!
There are many ways to lose weight; anybody that has every tried a diet or starved themselves has experienced some of them. Most weight loss strategies fail to keep the weight off. However, there are proven ways to help your body lose weight in a healthy manner and keep it off. Here are a couple:
- Journal everything you eat, down to the amount of butter you put on your toast or the creamer in your coffee. Most people underestimate how many calories they are eating, and writing down what you eat makes you think about it before you do it.
- Add interval and strength training to your workouts. This is high intensity, short duration training. For some great ideas, go to www.monkeybargym.com and get signed up for their online membership.
- Give yourself a break. Eat sensibly all week and allow yourself one treat on the weekend.
- Get professional help. We have designed a weight loss program called Optimal Body Balance to determine exactly why you cannot lose weight and to address these areas (which we call areas of weight loss resistance). Learn more about Optimal Body Balance and how it can work for you.
You have a lot to gain by losing a little weight – and the more you lose, the more you gain! If you have tried to lose weight in the past unsuccessfully or would like some professional guidance, please contact us – we will get you started along the natural path to optimal health!