Benefits of Weight Loss that Your Doctor Won’t Tell You

So there I was, sitting in my doctor’s office with the stomach flu. It was 1981. I was a young, healthy guy in my early 30’s and I was hoping to get out the door as soon as possible with some sort of prescription that made the stomach “blahs” go away. My doctor had the blood pressure cuff on me, and scowled. What my blood pressure had to do my stomach ills was a mystery. “Keith, your stomach flu will go away by itself in a day or two, but I’m really concerned about your blood pressure.” I’m thinking: “Impossible. Except for this stomach thing, I feel fine.”

That’s the problem with many of the serious medical conditions related to obesity. High blood pressure? Don’t feel a thing. High cholesterol? I feel fine. Increased risk for diabetes, coronary artery disease, cancer, gallbladder disease and gallstones, osteoarthritis and gout? Just what does that increased risk actually feel like? My doctor knew these risk factors were all in my imminent future and thankfully referred me to the HMR Program in San Diego where I lost over 150 pounds, which took care of the blood pressure problem once and for all.

But there are so many other positive side effects of weight loss you can actually feel almost immediately. Some of these are due to losing weight, some of these are due to the additional exercise you’re doing, and most of them are due to both. So, with that in mind, here are some of the benefits of weight loss that your doctor may not tell you about.

Reduce aches and pains. You know how sometimes when you get up from sitting for a long time or get out of bed in the morning, you feel aches and pain in your joints and it takes a few steps to get going? Weight loss takes some of the pressure off your joints, so some of those aches and pains may diminish. The good news is generally, the more weight you lose and the more exercise you do, the less you ache.

Improve mobility. As you lose weight and exercise more, those small hills that made you breathe hard and those steps you had to huff and puff to get up? They slowly seem less strenuous. One day you’ll notice that the world isn’t so hard to move around in. A few flights of stairs? Having to park in the back of the lot? Taking a stroll along the beach or in a park? Walk a few blocks to a bank or store? All of these are made easier, even enjoyable, after weight loss.

Improve breathing. One of the truths of being overweight is that your breathing may sound labored while you’re just sitting still or even walking slowly. Trust me, you may not realize this, but the people next to you do. The body fat pushes against your lungs and does not allow complete expansion, making your breathing labored. As you lose weight, you may not have to work as hard to breathe.

Sleep better and wake more rested. Sleep apnea is the condition where a person temporarily stops breathing during sleep. When you stop breathing, you may jolt awake out of a natural sleep rhythm. Not only does it interrupt sleep, sleep apnea can leave people feeling tired and affect their ability to concentrate and learn. As you lose weight, these symptoms can improve. Even a small amount of weight loss can open up your throat and improve sleep apnea symptoms leaving you feeling more rested and alert.

Snore less. The catch-22 with snoring is that you are sound asleep; it’s those around you that get the noise. As you lose weight, snoring diminishes. Your spouse will thank you.

Reduce perspiration. When I was at my heaviest weight, if I was in a room that was even a little bit warm, I’d start to perspire, and I’d often feel self-conscious about it. If it was hot and humid outside and I was walking, I’d be sweating rivers. Now, sweating can be caused by a number of reasons, but as you lose weight, your tolerance for heat increases. You’ll sweat less, which can have you feeling more comfortable in social situations.

Mentally sharp. Recent research indicates that obesity leads to problems with memory, thinking and reasoning. The good news is that these cognitive problems may be reversed through weight loss. As people lose weight they score higher on memory tests, show increased brain function, and improved cognitive function. In short, you’ll just feel sharper.

Reduce back pain. Chronic pain, particularly joint and lower back pain, are markedly reduced following significant weight loss. The extra weight puts a great deal of strain on the body, which is greatly reduced when weight has been lost.

Improve social interaction. Sadly, people who are very overweight are often held in a lower regard in society than their lower weight counterparts. After losing weight, people tend to be treated better and respected more by their peers. You’ll feel better about yourself, feel more in charge of your health, and (if it was ever an issue for you) perhaps less awkward in social situations. The compliments you get about your weight loss are a real ego boost as well.

Improve intimacy. People also tend to notice an improvement in their intimate lives after weight loss. This is due to a number of factors including improved self-confidence, increased physical endurance and flexibility. Again, your spouse will thank you.

Buy clothes from the “regular sizes” rack. We’ve heard this one a lot. The first time someone can purchase clothes off the “regular sizes” rack, it’s a big, big deal. Having to shop for plus-size clothes severely limits fashion options. As you lose weight, clothing can not only be purchased off the rack in almost any clothing store, but a much wider selection of choices becomes available. You can also comfortably fit into the clothes that are in the back in the closet, and that feels great.

So you can move and breathe easier, sleep better, feel fewer aches and pains, improve your relationships, and look sharp in your new clothes. As a bonus, you may live a healthier, longer life due to fewer health risks. All good reasons to manage your weight!
 

by KeithVanGasken on 08/29/2011 | Share Story With a Friend

tags: Weight-Loss, HMR, motivation, exercise, mood