Maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health. If you are overweight, even a small amount of weight loss can mean big benefits to your physical and emotional health. It can also help reduce the risk of potentially serious health conditions in the future.
Health Benefits of Losing Weight
Losing extra weight isn’t always easy and takes time and commitment. However, it can offer many benefits and help you feel better in many different areas of your life. Health benefits can include:
1. Lower Blood Pressure and Improved Heart Health
Being overweight or obese can put a strain on your organs, particularly the heart, increasing your risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease (CHD) and high blood pressure. CHD is the most common cause of heart attack. It occurs when the arteries that supply the heart with blood become narrowed or blocked due to a gradual build-up of fatty material. Losing weight can improve heart health and will lower blood pressure because the heart doesn’t have to work so hard to pump blood around the body.
2. Improved Lung Function
Being overweight or obese can increase susceptibility to respiratory infections and cause more severe symptoms from viruses, such as COVID-19. Obesity can cause changes to the mechanics of the lungs and chest wall, affecting the function of the lungs. These mechanical changes can increase the risk of respiratory diseases such as asthma and pulmonary hypertension.
3. More Energy
Losing weight helps reduce strain on the body’s organs and improves energy levels. This is because when you’re carrying around extra weight, you use more energy to simply go about your normal day-to-day activities. Weight loss also improves oxygen efficiency, meaning you won’t get out of breath so easily, such as when climbing stairs or rushing to get somewhere.
4. Better Control of Diabetes
Carrying extra weight affects the body’s ability to use insulin to control blood sugar levels properly. Losing weight can make it easier to manage your diabetes and helps the insulin you produce or inject work properly. It also reduces your risk of developing other related problems. If you have type 2 diabetes, losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle could mean going into diabetes remission.
Although getting type 1 diabetes has nothing to do with weight, losing any extra weight will help reduce your risk of health complications and could mean less insulin is required.
5. Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases
Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of developing serious chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and some cancers. The risk of developing these diseases increases the more overweight you are. The more weight you lose, the lower your risk for these diseases will be.
6. Improved Musculoskeletal Health
Carrying excess weight can put a strain on the spine and joints such as the hips, knees, and ankles. Losing weight can help reduce the pressure on these joints. Making improvements to your lifestyle, such as getting regular physical exercise, can also help improve bone health and strengthen the muscles that support the joints, helping to reduce joint pain and other problems.
7. Better Mood and Self-Esteem
For many, being overweight can affect their quality of life and lead to psychological problems, such as depression and low self-esteem. Making healthy lifestyle choices and losing extra weight can be good for your mental health. It can boost mood, improve sleep quality, alleviate symptoms of depression, and help improve low self-esteem and negative feelings about body image.
8. Reduced Risk of Fertility Problems
If you are planning a pregnancy, losing excess weight can help improve fertility and reduce complications during pregnancy. This is because excess weight can affect ovulation, making it more difficult to get pregnant.It can also increase the chances of complications during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and preeclampsia.
9. The Opportunity to Try New Activities
Setting yourself weight loss goals can be a great opportunity to try new things and take part in activities you may not have considered before. Some great calorie-burning activities include swimming, walking, jogging, running, dancing, cycling, hiking, gardening, interval training, weight training, soccer, tennis, yoga, and Pilates. Once you have lost weight, you will have more energy and the ability to do things you couldn’t do before, such as hiking, skiing, and other activities that require good physical fitness.
10. Reduced Need for Medications
Carrying extra weight can lead to a range of health problems, some of which may require medications to control them. Reducing your extra weight and maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle can help improve areas of health, such as lowering blood pressure, thereby potentially reducing medications. Losing weight can also help reduce the severity of symptoms associated with some chronic diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All of this means you will rely less on symptom-relief solutions, such as medications.
How Can a Weight Loss Program Help?
If you are finding it difficult to lose weight or to keep the weight off long-term, a weight loss program can help you achieve the results you are looking for in a safe way that is personalized to your unique needs.
At the Diabetes & Weight Loss Center, our weight management services are provided by experienced nurse practitioners who use comprehensive, evidence-based medical care to help patients achieve their ultimate weight loss goals. We understand that every person is unique and take a personalized approach to ensure you see your desired results while maintaining a lifestyle that makes you happy. Our providers will work with you on a personal level to understand your daily habits and lifestyle, so you can successfully achieve your weight loss goals in a safe, manageable way.
Weight Management Services in Oviedo, Florida
If you or a loved one are looking to lose weight safely and effectively, visit the Diabetes & Weight Loss Center in Oviedo, Florida. With a focus on nutrition management and positive lifestyle changes, our expert providers will work with you to create a personalized weight loss program. Our goal is to help you lose extra weight and maintain a healthy weight long-term.
To learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment with one of our compassionate providers, call our office at (407) 890-1876 or use our convenient online appointment request form. We are based in the heart of Oviedo and serve residents of Central Florida. We are happy to serve patients in both English and Spanish.
