What is easy to put on but difficult to lose?… weight.
Many of us find it easy to put on a few kilogrammes but it seems like months before you can even lose one. As time goes by, you think “That’s alright, it’s just a few extra kilogrammes! What harm could it do?”
Before you know it, you’ll start buying new clothes that are much larger than before, your health is no longer in its best state and moving around starts to become a dreadful chore.
Now, if that ever happens, you have two choices which is to address the situation or not. After all, losing weight is hard but being obese is hard too. So, pick wisely.
Though of course, if you were to ask, the answer should be to address the situation.
In this article, we will tell you why you should start losing weight if you’re obese or overweight (why wait till you’re obese?) and no, it is not just about looking good as what society often tells you.
Obesity does entail a long list of health issues if left unaddressed and here are four obesity-associated diseases that can negatively affect your quality of life and even cause death.
Hypertension
Hypertension is also known as high blood pressure. This medical condition could lead to health complications such as stroke, heart diseases, aneurysm and dementia.
Your blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood your blood pumps and the resistance of your arteries to blood flow. For example, when your heart pumps more blood but your arteries are narrowed, you’ll have a higher blood pressure reading. Your ideal blood pressure reading should be 120/80. Though, it could differ slightly depending on your age and state of health.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet can reduce your risk of hypertension and obesity too.
Sleep apnoea
According to WebMD, more than half of individuals with obstructive sleep apnoea are either overweight or obese. As a matter of fact, a unit increase in Body Mass Index (BMI), puts a person at a higher risk of developing sleep apnoea by 14 percent!
Sleep apnoea is a serious disorder that can turn deadly. This condition affects a person’s breathing when asleep by which one’s breathing repeatedly stops for more than 10 seconds.
This occurs when soft tissues around the mouth and throat obstruct the airway when sleeping and hence, limit the supply of oxygen to one’s body. Weight loss could help to improve this condition and for some, bariatric surgery may be recommended.
Depression
Obesity does affect your emotions and mind. A 2010 study found that people who are obese have a 55 percent increased risk of developing depression as compared to those who are not obese.
One of the factors that could cause this is stress and it is found to be a vicious cycle. Stress can eventually lead to depression and for some turn to food as a coping mechanism for stress which could cause obesity if the eating habits are left uncontrolled.
If you find yourself turning to food for comfort, consider speaking to a psychologist which is a much healthier option to coping with stress. Additionally, he or she will also guide you to discover healthier channels to de-stress.
Cancer
Does body weight increase your risk of cancer?
The answer is, yes.
Obesity increases your risk of developing certain types of cancer such as breast, colorectal, esophageal, liver, pancreas, kidney and endometrium. In the United States, eight percent of cancer patients are overweight or obese.
You may wonder what does fat have to do with cancer? The American Cancer Society explains that excess body fat could affect your immune system function, your body’s inflammation, affect the level of hormones such as insulin and estrogen and it could also influence the way your body uses certain hormones which could then cause the development of cancer cells in the body.
On the other hand, research is still limited when it comes to discovering whether weight loss could reverse the effects of obesity and cancer, with some suggesting that it might be possible to help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.
Medical researchers around the world have proven that obesity can affect your body and mind and yet, this epidemic continues to rob the health of many. Putting a stop to obesity is on you and with a list of non-communicable and life-threatening diseases that comes with it, this gives you a very good reason to say “No” to obesity.
Your guide to avoiding excessive weight gain
Putting on a few kilogrammes is nothing out of the ordinary but it is always important to work towards going back to your ideal weight and most importantly, feel good about yourself!
Doesn’t it feel amazing when you feel so comfortable in your jeans and you’re able to wear anything you wish? Here are some tips on how to avoid gaining too much of weight:
1.Quench your thirst with water. If you’re craving for a soda, switch to sparkling water that is infused with natural flavours of your choice.
2.Stick to your jeans size. Never give in to buying new clothes just because you can no longer button your pants. Instead of spending extra cash, work towards losing those extra centimetres around your waist. Plus, you can use the money you save to treat yourself to something you deserve once you’ve achieved your goal.
3.Hold the dressing from your sandwiches and salads. Most salad dressings are disguised as healthy but actually have high fat and sugar content. If you must have your sandwich or salad with dressing, consider making some of your own.
