Looking good should actually be your last reason to get rid of unwanted fat.
Forget for the moment about fit appearance, diseases, and health in any form. In fitness, everything revolves around looking good in clothes or on the beach. However, while this seems inspiring at first glance, it has not been proven to be a sustainable strategy for long-term weight loss and weight maintenance. The most popular incentives such as scary statistics related to diseases are also not effective and scientifically respected approaches to get us to lose weight.
There are much better, evidence-based reasons for achieving an adequate body weight. Unfortunately, very little is said about them in public. Here are ten important reasons for losing excessive body weight which you may not have been aware of until now.
#1 It is easier to endure the operation
People with a large amount of adipose tissue are more difficult cases to intubate, the operation takes longer, and they have a greater tendency to infections and a higher rate of postoperative complications. This is also a double reason for losing weight because it is logical that people who struggle with obesity are also more prone to health problems that require surgery. Pregnancy is also a good reason because, among women who are obese, 50% of them experience a cesarean section (C-section). Even when childbirth takes place naturally, obese women require more medical attention and are more prone to infections.
#2 Proper functioning of the immune system
Fat is an active endocrine organ, which means it releases hormones and cytokines. Hormones and cytokines have an effect on the whole organism. As with all things, balance is important. If we have a moderate – healthy amount of adipose tissue, our hormones and cellular signals are functioning properly. Too much adipose tissue can release large amounts of immune chemicals. Over time, such chronic exposure to them can interfere with the body’s defense mechanisms to stop external infections.
#3 Restoring the sense of taste
It sounds strange, but people who struggle with excess weight have a problem with the sense of taste. It is not yet certain exactly why this is happening. But it is known that people differ in how intensely they perceive tastes and textures such as fat or sweetness. One of the hypotheses is that if we cannot taste food, we eat more to compensate. On the other hand, people with a higher body mass index avoid bitter foods and have a greater response to disgust.
Studies conducted on rodents have shown that the way of eating directly affects the function of the taste buds. Taste preference is also variable in humans, which means that losing fat tissue and consistently practicing healthy habits has a direct effect on improving the sense of taste. More importantly, when we truly enjoy our food, we eat less and feel more satisfied.
#4 Higher sleep quality
A higher amount of fatty tissue increases the risk of apnea. This comes from several combined factors: adipose tissue narrows the airways, and in the upper part of the body it suppresses the lungs and reduces the space needed for their work. Adipose tissue – an organ that produces hormones – also changes the hormonal signals that disrupt the respiratory system. Approximately 50 percent of obese people struggle with apnea. Sleep is one of the main regulators of metabolism, and if sleep is bad, our metabolism is impaired.
#5 Improved knee and elbow health
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the joints in which there is gradual damage and loss of cartilage tissue and bones. Obesity greatly increases the probability of developing the disease. Not only do heavier people put more stress on their joints, but there is also a visible link between a large amount of adipose tissue and inflammatory processes. Thus, osteoarthritis is caused by a combination of excessive load on the joint structures and increased production of inflammatory chemicals (which change the hormonal environment) caused by an excessive amount of fatty tissue.
#6 Less suffering from seasonal allergies
If the arrival of spring does not cause you joy but anxiety, you are probably familiar with the subject of seasonal allergies. You may not have known that being overweight can also be to blame for some of the symptoms. Excess weight puts a strain on the adrenal gland and the respiratory system, which can make asthma or allergy symptoms even more unbearable. If you want to go out and enjoy the floral scents of spring, try to get your weight in order.
#7 Increase in sexual drive
With a decrease in body mass index, you will more easily achieve sexual excitement. This is thanks to the increase in testosterone levels that comes from the melting of fat in the body. Obese men, according to a study published in the journal Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, had testosterone levels similar to men almost a decade older than them.
Another study showed that women with accumulations of fat in the abdominal area have an increased secretion of cortisol, a hormone that increases stress and reduces sexual arousal. In addition to the changes that occur in the body itself, shedding fat deposits from the stomach and waist will help boost your confidence when you take off your clothes.
#8 Less sweating
People who suffer from excess weight can feel like they are in a sauna at about 20 degrees. Fat is an insulator, and somewhere deep behind it is the core of the body, in which the temperature rises more than in slim people. Obese people sweat more because of this. If you get rid of excess fat deposits, every walk you take, even the smallest, will not have to end with a trip to the bathroom.
#9 Lower risk of cancer development
Most of us are aware of the cancer risk associated with smoking and sun exposure, but it is less well-known that obesity is also linked to cancer.
#10 You will live longer
You probably realized this yourself but it’s worth mentioning again. Weight loss associated with a reduced risk of developing different diseases can also be associated with longer life. An analysis of 20 studies, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, reveals that extreme obesity can shorten life expectancy by up to 14 years. For obese people who lose three percent of their weight, this will not only bring health benefits, according to a study by the British National Institute for Health and Care Excellence but will extend their lives by two years.
Closing thoughts: Benefits of losing excess body weight
Excess pounds do more than increase your weight—they increase your risk of major health problems. People who are overweight or obese are more likely to have heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer, and depression. Fortunately, losing weight can reduce your risk of developing some of these problems.
