People who are already obese find it very difficult to find the motivation to lose weight. Weight loss can feel like an uphill battle, and sometimes it just isn’t enough motivation to read the catchy memes or to look at the numbers of the scale. If this is the case, then the best motivation to lose weight is fear. We are talking about the fear of the high risks of several health conditions developing when you are obese.
If the idea of potentially becoming gravely ill, if you don’t do something about your weight, doesn’t motivate you to hop on the treadmill, we don’t know what will! Here we have a couple of the health conditions linked to obesity, and we expect the potential of developing any one of these health conditions is enough to keep you on track with your diet!
Heart Disease and Stroke
Those extra pounds put you at the risk of developing high blood pressure and cholesterol. Each of these conditions increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
What’s good to know is that even losing a small amount of weight reduces your risk of cardiovascular diseases significantly. Of course, the more weight you lose, the greater the risk reduction of these conditions.
Type 2 Diabetes
Statistics show that most people who develop type 2 diabetes are either obese or overweight. Adequate sleep, weight loss, and eating a balanced diet are ways to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Physical activity helps control blood sugar levels and reduces the need for diabetes treatment. Of course, you should always consult with a doctor before making any changes to your medication dosages, etc.
Cancer
Cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, and kidney are all directly linked to obesity. Many studies have also discovered links between cancers of the gallbladder, pancreas, and ovaries to obesity. While the link between these cancers and excess fat is evident, what is less clear is how obesity increases the risks. Of course, simply knowing that your risk of developing several kinds of cancers increases with excess weight is reason enough to keep to a strict diet.
Gallbladder Disease
The likelihood of a person developing gallbladder disease increases with obesity as well as with rapid weight loss. This means that even if you are obese, it is healthier to lose weight at a slower pace than to go on a crash diet and subject your body to health risks. Modest weight loss does reduce the risk of gallstones from developing. Besides that, it will help you adopt a healthy lifestyle habit to avoid weight cycling.
It’s also important to recognize that improper gallbladder function could lead to weight gain since it causes improper fat digestion. So keep an eye out for weight gain and constipation when it comes to the gallbladder.
Osteoarthritis
This is a widespread joint condition that badly affects the back, hips, and knees. If you are carrying around extra weight, it places great strain on your joints, and this eventually leads to the wearing away of cartilage. Cartilage is there to protect your joints by cushioning them, so when it disintegrates, arthritis sets in. Naturally, losing weight means that there is less strain on the joints of the body.
It improves the symptoms of osteoarthritis, particularly on the knees, hips, and back. The older a person gets, the more wear a few pounds of excess fat places on these joints. Of course, not every person who is obese has any or all of these health problems. Also, it is important to see if you have a family history of any of these conditions. That’s because it leaves you at a higher risk of developing that condition as well. Where you carry your weight matters a great deal.
For instance, excess weight around the stomach increases your risk of heart diseases. This is in comparison to the fat around your thighs and hip. But ultimately, the idea is to lose weight to keep you away from the obese range and move towards a healthier BMI. This means a healthier and better life for you. It is great motivation to keep to your fitness and nutrition goals! Besides looking in shape, you will also feel more confident and healthy.