Why Is Weight Loss Important?

You may be happy and comfortable within your own body. That's great and you should be applauded for having a positive outlook on life. However, if you are overweight you need to take that positive attitude and set about dropping some of those excess pounds as there are many compelling reasons for doing so. If you are overweight, you have a greater risk of acquiring a number of diseases, the main being heart disease which can lead to a heart attack - perhaps fatal. Heart disease develops when you heart has to work extra hard to pump the blood around the body causing the heart to become fatigued. Simply being overweight ensures that the heart has to work harder than it would have to otherwise. Being overweight also means that you are two to six times more likely to develop high blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to disability or death through causes such as heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. Losing those extra pounds can reduce the risk substantially. If you are overweight the chances are that you have high cholesterol because you are consuming too much saturated fat causing your liver to produce more 'bad' cholesterol. This bad cholesterol or LDL is dangerous because it causes blood vessels to become narrowed with fatty deposits called plaques possibly resulting in heart attacks, strokes and blood vessel problems. If dropping a few pounds reduces the probability of high cholesterol, it's well worth the effort. Being overweight is also bad for women who wish to become pregnant. When you;re overweight, the hormones in your body are changing, and if you don't get the right nutrients you may find that your body does not produce the right chemicals for the hormones needed to ovulate or carry a child. Even if you become pregnant, being overweight puts you at risk for a miscarriage or health problems with the baby. Beyond the health world, being overweight can also affect your daily life. It may be difficult to find clothing in your size. If you do happen to find clothing that fits it may be that the larger sizes are more expensive. This is simply due to the manufacturer needing more material to make the same article of clothing. Problems extend beyond shopping when doing things like visiting theme parks, where you may not be able to ride all of the rides, or using public transportation, where you may feel crowded in seats made for smaller people. Losing weight is always a healthy and smart option if you are carrying a few extra pounds, despite the fact that you may be comfortable with your body.