The Health Benefits of Losing Weight

Losing weight can improve your health in many ways. Just losing 10% of your current weight can make a difference in the way you feel on a daily basis. Here are some other ways losing weight will benefit your health:

•        Increased energy level
•        Lower your cholesterol levels
•        Reduce your blood pressure
•        Reduced aches and pains
•        Improved mobility
•        Improve your breathing
•        Help you sleep better and wake more rested
•        Prevention of angina, chest pain caused by decreased oxygen to the heart
•        Decreases your risk of sudden death from heart disease or stroke
•        Prevention of Type 2 diabetes
•        Improved blood sugar levels


Seeing a doctor
See your doctor to determine if there are any underlying reasons for your weight gain. Your doctor can also make sure you are healthy enough to begin a weight loss program and check what activities you can safely do. Your doctor may tell you to avoid certain exercises that put too much stress on your body, like jogging or high-impact aerobics, particularly early on.
You also may have specific nutritional needs (for example, if you have diabetes). Your doctor will want to make sure you get adequate nourishment -- including a balance of important vitamins and minerals -- while you lose weight and keep it off.

If any of the following is true, it is particularly important that you involve your doctor in your weight loss decisions:
•        You are pregnant.
•        You smoke.
•        You have diabetes.
•        You are an older adult.
•        You have heart disease.
•        You have any other significant medical condition.