In recent years, there has been a rise in cases of obesity all around the world. Inasmuch as genes may play a role in this, obesity mostly comes as a result of one’s lifestyle. What you eat and how you treat your body is very crucial. Eating junk food and engaging in very few or no exercise activities could lead to this health disorder.
For anyone to achieve healthy living, maintaining a healthy weight is crucial. Furthermore, who would not want to fit into an awesome swimsuit and look dazzling in it?
Ensuring that you eat a balanced diet everyday will provide your body with all the necessary nutrients, while reducing your chances of consuming too much junk food. Remember to stick to organic food as much as possible to avoid excessive production of hormones, like estrogen. Sometimes, these things are easier said than done, especially if your surroundings aren’t conducive. As such, you might find yourself gaining too much weight within a short period. Fortunately, everything is possible when it comes to reversing such changes. First, you might want to find a good weight loss program that works for you. One of the best ways of losing those extra pounds is intermittent fasting (IF). The Leangains approach personally worked for me. It is one of the best methods of IF especially if you are a beginner.
More information on the Leangains approach can be found here.
It is also crucial to first understand the benefits of losing weight to ensure you stay motivated through the whole process because every weight loss journey has some ups and downs.
On that note, below are the amazing benefits of maintaining a healthy weight.
Reduce the risk of breast cancer
Research has shown that packing those extra pounds significantly increases the risk of getting breast cancer.
Excess weight brings about an increase in fat cells which pumps up estrogen levels circulating in the body. The more the estrogen levels in your body, the higher the risk of developing breast cancer.
Improves heart health
People who have a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25 are more likely to develop a buildup of plaque in the arteries as compared to people with normal weight. This plaque offers resistance to blood flow, and the heart responds by straining. At the end of the day, such people overwork their hearts, which could lead to cardiac-related conditions. Heart diseases, as you already know, can be very fatal. To avoid getting to this stage, it would be prudent to start losing weight as soon as possible. If not taken care of and weight continues accumulating, the risks of developing heart disease become viable.
Increases motivation to exercise
Another research indicated that the brain of obese women had a negative response to the idea of working out and without this positive energy/thinking, obese women find it hard incorporating any form of exercise into their daily routine.
Increases fertility
A woman with a BMI of between 20 and 24 is more likely to conceive faster as compared to women who are overweight with a BMI of 25 and above. It is estimated that approximately 12% of all infertility cases are because of weight-related issues. This is because your weight has a direct impact on your periods and your ovulation schedule. This means that if you are not in the average weight bracket, your fertility can be at risk.
Promotes better sleep
Do not underestimate the impact weight has on the quality of your sleep. Abdominal fat, in particular, interferes with the normal functioning of the lungs. Too much abdominal fat makes it harder for the lungs to expand as they should causing breathing issues that can bring about problems like sleep apnea.
Longevity
It is no secret that people with normal weight are at a lesser risk of developing illnesses and other lifestyle diseases that may lead to death. Excess pounds significantly increase the probability of developing conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke among others. It is estimated that obese people can have a shorter lifespan of up to 10 years as compared to their healthy counterparts.
