Should I Lose Weight? (Cont.)

The Good News With Weight Loss

If you need to lose weight, here's some good news: A small weight loss -- just 5 to 10 percent of your current weight -- will help to lower your risk for heart disease and other serious medical disorders.
 
The best way to lose weight is to do so gradually by getting regular physical activity and eating a balanced diet that is lower in calories and saturated fat. Besides helping to take off pounds, physical activity has several other benefits, such as:
 
  • Reducing your risk of dying from heart disease or stroke
  • Lowering your risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes
  • Lowering high blood pressure
  • Helping keep your bones, muscles, and joints healthy
  • Reducing anxiety and depression, and improving your mood
  • Helping you handle stress
  • Helping control your weight
  • Protecting against falling and bone fractures in older adults
  • Protecting against certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer
  • Helping control joint swelling and pain from arthritis
  • Helping you feel more energetic
  • Helping you sleep better.
Pages:

Previous 1   2

Add this article to your Favorites     Email this article     Print
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD