Losing weight is not just about fitting into smaller-sized clothes, it’s also about getting healthy with an improved sense of well being. Research says losing as little as 5% to 10% of your body weight can enhance your overall well-being and lower the chances of developing heart disease and diabetes. But there’s a popular opinion among individuals that they would be able to reap the benefits associated with weight loss only if they reach their end goal. Research has shown that’s not the case, and there are a whole lot of benefits associated with a slight drop in body fat, which hardly anyone talks about. According to a study done by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the greatest health benefits come from losing just 5 percent of total body weight and that would push you out of the danger mark, lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and metabolic syndrome. Even though 5% may not seem much, if your current weight is 80 kgs, then a 10% drop would be 72 kgs, and if an individual’s current weight 75 kgs, 10% drop would take you to 67.5 kgs! So, you would be getting big bang for your bucks, and the amazing motivation from seeing maximized results for your efforts would motivate you to march ahead.
1. Improvement in Joint Pain and Mobility:
As we all know, excess weight puts a lot of pressure on the joints, particularly knees, and causes a lot of wear and tear. There’s also an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis associated with obesity. Studies have shows that losing 11 pounds (5 kgs) can decrease the risk of osteoarthritis by more than 50 percent! Also, a 2012 study conducted on people with type 2 diabetes who also suffered from obesity showed that just a 1% reduction in overall body weight lowered limitations associated with mobility, such as climbing stairs and walking by more than 7%.
2. Lowers LDL and Blood Pressure:
Losing 5 kgs improve your cholesterol levels, lowers LDL, and improves the blood pressure readings. This can happen only if you are on a nutrient-dense healthy diet, such as the Rati Beauty diet, which is not a crash or fad diet. It helps you lose weight without compromising on nutrition. Subscribe to the Rati Beauty app for your weight loss diet plans.
3. Improves Insulin Sensitivity:
Insulin sensitivity refers to how effectively your cells respond to the hormone insulin, which plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels, and has a big say in fat storage. Improved insulin sensitivity means that your body can more efficiently utilize the insulin it produces and less amount of calories is stored as fat in the body. This would also mean a lowered risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Also read: “How Insulin Makes you Fat and Prevents Weight Loss.”
4. Better Sleep, Improved Mood:
Sleep duration and quality becomes better with losing ≥5% of initial weight. Studies found that there were positive short-term improvements in sleep duration and sleep quality along with long-term changes in mood! Both good-quality sleep and positive mood helps to control stress and appetite, curbing unnecessary cravings.
5. Positive Impact on Snoring and Sleep Apnea:
Excess weight, especially around the neck area, can contribute to the narrowing of the airway during sleep. This narrowing can lead to snoring, as air struggles to flow freely through the narrowed passages. Weight loss can help reduce snoring by clearing up the soft tissue around the throat and improving the overall structure of the airway. Additionally, the number of events associated with OSA (obstcructive sleep apnea, OSA occurs when the muscles in the throat relax excessively during sleep, causing the airway to become blocked and leading to pauses in breathing), also come down significantly. Also read: “14 Reasons Why Sleep is Important For Weight Loss.”
6. Reduced Risk of Cancer:
One study showed that women who lost at least 5% of their total body weight reduced the risk associated with breast cancer by 12%.
Summing up, the initial drop in weight acts as a huge motivation and gives a great confidence boost. You would be motivated to continue on the weight loss journey because when you start seeing results, it becomes an obsession. When you feel and acknowledge these changes, it would keep you motivated and help reach your goal sooner.
14 Reasons Why Sleep is Important For Weight Loss
How Insulin Makes you Fat and Prevents Weight Loss
