Obesity Health Risks and Starting a Healthy Weight Loss Journey

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2016 more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight and 650million obese worldwide. They farther suggest that more than 2.9 million people die because of obesity each year. Obesity is usually the result of lack of activity and too many calories intake. If you don’t get to spend more calories than you consume, you’ll start to gain weight which can grow from being slightly overweight to becoming obese unless you keep it under control. Obesity brings various health risks as well, starting from high blood pressure that can further lead to serious heart problems, as well as painful joints and many other. It’s essential that you start working on a healthy weight loss and try to bring balance back to your weight in order to protect your health.

Obesity Health Risks

Being obese poses many threats for your well-being starting from high blood pressure which can later potentially contribute to developing heart disease. Stroke and type 2 diabetes are other conditions that anyone who is obese can face and put their health in even greater jeopardy. Bone and joint disease (osteoarthritis), certain cancers, Gout Asthma as well as other breathing problems, sleep apnea, reduced mobility, and postural imbalance are also the conditions that are likely to be the side effect of being obese. It’s crucial that you start losing weight and become active more than before if you intend on living a long and healthy life.

1. Start Your Exercise Journey Slowly

In order to prevent having diabetes, heart disease or some other serious health problem, you should turn your life around and start breaking a sweat. This means that you’ll need to bring more exercises into your daily routine. If you’ve been overweight for more than a year, it’s likely that you won’t have such an easy time going back to the gym, but every beginning is difficult. You’ll need to remember that determination and dedication will be crucial for you at this stage. Start by putting yourself into a positive mindset. Look for activities that you enjoy and that offer both mental and emotional satisfaction. For example, if you like taking laps at the beach during summer, incorporate swimming into your daily routine and go to the pool every morning. If you enjoy walking, take a brisk walk around the park and slowly increase intensity every day until you can reach a point at which you’ll be jogging every day for at least half an hour. This way you’ll prevent burnouts and you won’t set yourself out to fail because you started too hard.

2. Consider a Lap Band Surgery

For some people, especially those diagnosed as morbidly obese, exercise is not always a viable solution, so sometimes a surgical solution is necessary. When their bodies just ask for more calories despite them not wanting to eat as much, it might just be time to consider going under the knife. Namely, lap band surgery is one of the many successful ways to lose weight. With an inflatable silicone band that is placed around the upper portion of the stomach, you won’t feel as hungry as before the procedure which will promote weight loss. An adjustable gastric band will slow down and limit how much food you can eat at any given time, which will make those exercises worthwhile. The surgery is however reversible, so you’ll have the option to have the band removed once you have reached your goal weight. Make sure you know how much a lap band removal costs in case you realize you want the band removed.

3. Look For a Workout Buddy to Help Out

If working out doesn’t end up being too successful when you’re all by yourself, you should consider having a workout buddy who’ll motivate you to push yourself. It’s more fun to break a sweat in company because you’ll develop a competitive spirit which will push you towards your goal. You can even come up with daily and weekly challenges and reward the one who manages to win the challenge. This type of positive reinforcement will turn an otherwise ordinary workout into a fun and competitive game you’ll both enjoy and put much more effort into it.

4. Start Running

Running will be essential for kickstarting weight loss when you’re overweight. Not only will running promote weight loss, but also increase strength, boost stamina, and improve overall health. However, having in mind that running is a high impact activity that can take a toll on your body, you’ll need to start slowly and carefully. First, you’ll need to consult with your doctor and go through an extensive physical assessment so that your doctor can tell whether you’re ready for high-impact exercises or not. Once the doctor approves your exercises, you should start by mixing brisk walking with slow jogging. Make sure you get the right gear, including running shoes and comfortable sportswear that will allow you to work out without any constriction. After enduring a 30-minute jog without breaking too much sweat you’ll know that you’re ready for a more intense workout and that you’re on the right track to losing weight if you only continue running every day.

5. Get Rid of Bad Eating Habits

Junk food, late night snacks, and indulging too many sugary delights will wreak havoc on your body. That’s why you should swap all the high-caloric food for healthier alternatives and start a healthy eating plan. Fill your diet with leafy greens, whole grains, lean meat and plenty of water if you want to make the workouts as efficient as possible. Strenuous workouts will be worth nothing unless you make sure you are not promoting fat storage in your body by having junk food in abundance.

The Bottom Line

Obesity can cause serious health problems and even lead to death. Therefore, it’s vital that you start losing weight the minute you realize you are on the way to being extremely overweight. With proper exercise and good nutrition, you’ll lose weight in no time and start a healthy lifestyle that you should do your best to maintain for years to come.

About Shannon Clark

Shannon holds a degree in Exercise Science and is a certified personal trainer and fitness writer with over 10 years of industry experience.