Benefits of Healthy Weight Loss

Health Innovation Panel

Every day on television and in newspapers, we hear the same story: obesity is a major problem in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control, one-third are overweight (not obese), and more than one-third of American adults (35.7 percent, approximately 112 million people) are obese.

In and of itself, obesity is not necessarily the primary issue; rather, obesity-related illnesses are the real concern. According to New York University’s Langone Weight Management Center, approximately 300,000 Americans die each year from complications related to obesity, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.

On the other side of the coin, a weight loss of ten percent of total body weight, is likely to produce health benefits, such as improvements in blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugars. In addition to improving your health, maintaining a weight loss is likely to improve your life with increased energy levels and physical mobility, better general mood, higher levels of self-confidence, and improved quality of sleep.

And the evidence is more than just anecdotal. Data from a study of the lifetime health and economic benefits of weight loss among obese persons found evidence of increased quality of life for those participants who sustained a ten-percent weight loss. The study showed that, depending on age, gender, and initial BMI, weight loss would:

1. Reduce the expected number of years of life with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and type 2 diabetes;

2. Reduce the expected lifetime incidence of coronary heart disease and stroke;

3. Increase life expectancy by 2 to 7 months; and

4. Reduce expected lifetime medical care costs of these 5 diseases by $2200 to $5300.

So what’s the best way to lose that ten percent, or that stubborn ten pounds? Diets and lifestyle choices abound, and each book, website, television show, or exercise program can quickly and easily convince you of why it’s the best option for you. Regardless, there are certain tenets of successful weight loss which are (nearly) irrefutable.

Know where you’re starting from - Take body measurements and weigh yourself. Knowing this information will give you a baseline to gauge your progress.

Pick a reasonable goal - To be successful, pick a goal you feel certain you can attain within a set amount of time. One pound per week is the general rule of thumb.

Be accountable - Share your goal with someone else, whether it’s a spouse, or a colleague; begin working with a trainer, or connect with someone with a similar goal in an online forum. They will act as an accountability partner to keep you focused and on-target.

Eat - Find a diet that works for you. It doesn’t need to come from a current bestseller, just what works for, and feels sustainable to you.

Move - Besides food, exercise is where potential weight-losers get hung up. Pick an activity you love, and do it. Start slow if you need to, but make a commitment to

Weight loss doesn’t need to feel like rocket science. By getting clear on your goals, and listening to what your body needs, you can lose the pounds for a healthier, happier lifestyle.

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