Weight Loss – Do You Really Need To Loose Weight?
If you are happy with your weight, you must belong to the minority of people on the planet who do; In which case you should be applauded for your positive outlook on life and your svelte shape. That being said however, if you take a closer look at the parameters, you just might discover that you do need to loose some of the fat. There are a lot of overweight people out there who claim to be happy with how they look, when in fact they do need to loose some weight in order to be able to lead a healthy lifestyle. Having a few extra pounds is fine, but if any of the reasons for loosing weight that is mentioned below applies to you, then you probably should seriously look into going into a weight management program.
The term overweight or “obese” actually refers to anyone who is more than 30% over their ideal body weight. Obesity can be the result of many factors, including inactivity, poor diet, and certain health-related complications. How can you find out if you are obese? Well, health care providers now use a scale known as the Body Mass Index (BMI) to calculate weight-related risk. This index combines information about your height and body weight and compares them using a number ranging from 18 to 40. Depending upon your BMI, you can find out if you are at risk for obesity. So if you do not know for sure that you are overweight, you should consult with your general practitioner to determine your status.
Heart disease: if you are overweight, you are a strong magnet for a number of chronic diseases. The number one health risk you face is heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack. Many heart attacks are known to be deadly. Heart diseases develop when the heart has to go that unnecessary extra mile to pump blood through the body, causing it to become fatigued. Being overweight, in most cases usually means too much fat, some of which causes very narrow blood vessels through which blood cannot flow freely thus leading to high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Stroke: If you are already suffering from coronary heart diseases, then you stand the risk of getting a stroke Strokes occur when blood, and therefore oxygen, cannot reach the brain. This can happen due to high cholesterol levels in blood vessels blocking the path of aerated blood thus preventing it from getting to the brain.
Pregnancy: There are a host of pre or post-natal problems associated with pregnant and obese or overweight women. Their health as well as that of the baby they are carrying is endangered in every conceivable way during the term of the pregnancy and after birth. Obesity during pregnancy raises the risk of numerous problems for the mother, such as hypertension and diabetes, and for the baby, such as pre-term birth. It also clearly increases the chances that the baby will have a birth defect.
Social Life: Your social life can be abbreviated in a number of ways just for being fat. You may find yourself paying double or more for clothing and other accessories. This is simply due to the manufacturer need more material to make the same article of clothing. Problems extend beyond shopping to visiting theme parks, where you may not be able to get on any or all of the rides, or using public transportation, where you may feel crowded in seats made for smaller people.
Losing weight, even if you are currently happy with your own weight, is always a healthy and smart option, until you reach a normal weight.
