Weight Loss Tips and Reviews

With a fast-food restaurant on every corner, it is no wonder that America is overweight. The percentage of overweight people in the US is up from about 30% in 2000 to nearly 65% in 2008. From that percentage, about 30% of those were obese with a BMI (body mass index) of 25 or more.

Obesity is a dangerous condition when someone accumulates a high proportion of body fat. The BMI, of course, is based on a person’s weight and height and is a reliable source for providing body fat count. If you are overweight or obese, you’re taking the risk of getting any one of a number of health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, cancer, and arthritis.

Choosing to lose weight will not only make you look and feel better, but weight loss will greatly improve your health.

Anyone that gains ten to twenty pounds can increase their risk of developing diabetes over those who maintain a healthy weight. Over 75% of people who are overweight or obese have diabetes. You can lower your chance of getting diabetes by losing weight, even if it’s a small amount.

Being overweight or obese can put a lot of pressure on your body and can cause damage and pain in your joints known as arthritis. The risk of developing arthritis increases by a more than 10%, even with a two-pound increase in body weight. Arthritis can cause you to have inflammation and stiffness in your joints which can make it difficult to stay active. Having a well-balanced diet and staying active (even on days that are difficult)  not only helps you lose weight but can also help to keep your joints lubricated and make you ache less or have less pain.

Some cancers such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer, endometrial cancer, and gallbladder cancer are associated with being overweight or obese. Women run a greater risk of developing breast cancer if they have gained weight between the ages of eighteen and forty-five.

Pre-menopausal women who are overweight or obese can have irregular menstrual cycles and problems with fertility. Being overweight while you are pregnant can also cause health problems for the mother and the baby such as gestational diabetes or preeclampsia.

Hypertensive problems such as stroke or heart disease are common in those who are overweight or obese. Having excessive weight can elevate your triglycerides and decrease your good cholesterol. If you reduce your weight from 5-15% you can lower your chances of having heart disease or a stroke. As you lose weight, your blood pressure should improve as well as you should see an improvement with your triglycerides and cholesterol.

While being overweight or obese doesn’t actually cause adult-onset asthma, it certainly doesn’t help. Losing weight can help open your lung passages and help you to breathe easier. Losing weight may also help you reduce how many times you use your corticosteroid inhaler because your breathing will come easier.