Why should I lose weight? This is a question asked by many and is usually followed by: I don’t care what I look like or my doctor said I don’t have any problems.
This is a great question and one that should be answered before you even attempt to lose weight. Knowing the reasons you should lose weight might be all the motivation you need to create a healthy lifestyle for yourself.
First of all, even if you don’t care what you look like or you don’t currently have any health problems the sooner you start to control your weight and live a healthy lifestyle the sooner you will reduce the chances of experiencing high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or other risk factors in the future. Remember, it’s not just about appearance, it’s about health.
According to the American Heart Association:
- Obesity may be attributable to 112,000 deaths per year.
- The risk of death rises as weight increases.
- Even moderate weight excess – just 10 to 20 pounds for a person of average height – increases the risk of death.
- People who are obese (having a BMI over 30) are more likely to die from all causes, compared to people at a healthy weight.
There is a laundry list of complications that are attributed to being overweight including sleep apnea, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular problems and the list goes on and on. Fortunately, every pound you lose can help decrease these risk factors.
Is that not enough to motivate you to lose a few pounds? Then think about your family and friends. Most people would do anything to be able to watch their kids grow up, be able to play with their grand kids, grow old with their spouse. For every pound you lose you are increasing these chances.
Of course, there are always certain factors you can’t control that could take all that away (you could die in a plane crash, etc.), but your weight you can control. And it’s not as hard as you might think to lose a few pounds. Surf around this site for easy ways to lose weight and exercise. You might actually be surprised at how easy it is to turn your life around and develop healthy habits that stick for a life time.
