Weight loss is a goal for a lot of people. There are multiple health conditions linked to being overweight or obese, and if you’ve recently gained weight, it can be difficult to feel like yourself anymore. Unfortunately, this can lead to unhealthy eating patterns and low self-esteem.
So, here are some balanced ways to lose weight and still enjoy eating.
Health Benefits of Losing Weight
There are plenty of compelling reasons for you to consider losing weight. If your doctor has recommended weight loss, then it’s probably going to be much better for your health. You might also feel more comfortable in your own skin if you lose weight, giving you more confidence and self esteem when you look in the mirror. However, the most important thing to consider is your health.
Even losing a small amount of weight can have a significant impact on your health and general well being. One of the first things you might notice is that you put less pressure on your joints when you weigh less. This means that you have less pain when you stand and move around and you do less damage to your joints over time.
Some chronic and serious health conditions are linked to being overweight, which means that losing weight can lower your chances of developing these health conditions. Some types of cancer have been linked to being overweight, as has type 2 diabetes. Weight isn’t the only factor to consider, however, as there might be a genetic component to these conditions as well. Still, it’s best to do what you can to reduce your risk.
Excessive weight can also damage your cardiovascular system. You might get out of breath more easily because your body puts more strain on your heart. In addition to this, fat can build up in your arteries and veins, increasing your risk of blood clots or even a heart attack or a stroke.
This isn’t to say that you can’t be healthy and have a few extra pounds. Some studies have shown that being slightly overweight is actually less of a health risk than being underweight. While measurements like BMI can help, they aren’t always the best indicator of health, especially when compared to body fat percentage.
Medical Interventions
While lifestyle choices are the most common reason for weight gain and the best way to lose weight, it’s still important to consider medical reasons for weight gain and potential medical interventions to help you lose weight.
If you’ve gained a lot of weight very quickly, you can’t lose weight despite doing everything you can to lose weight, or you have concerning symptoms in addition to weight gain, it could be that you have a health problem that impacts your health. In this case, you should see a doctor about a potential diagnosis and a treatment plan. Often, treating the underlying disease will also help with the symptoms, including unusual weight gain.
Even if there isn’t a specific medical reason behind your weight gain or your inability to lose weight, medical interventions can still help. If you’re using weight loss medications, it’s important to do some research to look into how to use them properly and the potential risks associated with them.
Another potential medical solution to help you lose weight could be weight loss surgery. However, as with any other surgery, this comes with risks. It’s also often required to lose weight and become healthier before you can have elective surgery of any kind, including weight loss surgery. Speak to your doctor about your weight loss options and whether medical interventions are appropriate for your health and your circumstances.
Calorie Counting
One of the simplest ways to lose weight is by counting your calories. As a general rule, every person needs a specific amount of calories to maintain their weight. Larger people burn more calories than smaller people, which is why the average man has a larger caloric need than the average woman.
In practice, this means that if you have a caloric deficit, you will lose weight. On the other hand, if you eat more calories than you need, you will gain weight. This makes calorie counting a relatively effective and easy to understand way to lose weight.
However, things are a bit more complicated than just eating less. You also have to factor in your satisfaction and your nutritional needs. If you don’t eat anything for a few days, you’re going to lose weight, but your health and your joy will suffer. You need to make sure that, while you eat fewer calories, you don’t reduce your food intake to the point that you don’t feel satisfied after meals.
You should also think about what you eat. 500 calories of hot dogs is a very different meal from 500 calories of a lentil curry. One of these is more filling than the other, and also has a lot more calories. This isn’t to say that you can’t eat unhealthy food at all, but it’s good to have a balanced diet.
Sustainable Dieting
While we’re on the subject of a balanced diet, it’s important to compare sustainable dieting with crash diets. With a crash diet, you might lose a lot of weight very quickly by switching to an extremely restrictive diet. But this isn’t good for your health, it can cause you to become malnourished, it can stress your body, and it doesn’t even last. You are much more likely to just put the weight back on after the diet, and potentially even more weight because your body thinks you’re starving.
Instead, it’s better to change how you think about food and dieting. A diet shouldn’t be a temporary thing, but it should be a permanent lifestyle change. This means that it needs to be sustainable and enjoyable.
Make small changes to start with. Switch out sugary drinks with water or green tea. Cut down on your alcohol consumption. Snack less and eat healthier snacks rather than chips and chocolate. You won’t see drastic changes, but you will see results over time and you can keep on making more changes.
Exercise and Weight Loss
As well as your diet, exercise can do a lot to help you lose weight. It’s important for your general health as well, as it’s often found that people who are fit during their adulthood reap the benefits as they age.
Aerobic exercise, like walking, running, and cycling is fantastic for your cardiovascular health and can help you burn more calories. Strength training, where you use weights, is also good for losing weight because it increases your overall metabolic rate.
Many people find that combining these exercise methods is best for helping them lose weight more quickly. It’s best to start slow and build yourself up to reach your fitness goals, especially if you’re unfit to start with. This will help you to keep going.
Your Mental Health
Finally, it’s important to consider your mental health. Weight loss isn’t always the healthiest option. Some people might think they’re overweight or think their weight is a bigger problem than it is, when they should actually be concerned about their mental health.
Some eating disorders cause people to eat more when they shouldn’t while others cause people to essentially starve themselves or to purge the food they’ve eaten. This is far more dangerous than being overweight and, if you or your loved ones are concerned that you could be developing an eating disorder, it’s important to talk to a professional for treatment.
