Why Do You Have To Lose Weight?

If you have extra pounds hanging around your waist, it can be hard to stay motivated in the pursuit of your weight loss goals. Losing weight often means employing dietary restrictions, lifestyle changes and increased physical exercise that might not be convenient or enjoyable. But losing weight can carry major health and economic benefits, all of which might help keep you motivated. When you look in the mirror, don't just envision a slimmer you. See a healthier you that has more money to spend on the things you truly enjoy.

Reduced Heart Disease Risks

Heart attacks and other effects of heart disease kill thousands of Americans every year, and the American Heart Association reports that your weight is one of the major factors when it comes to assessing risk. The greater your weight, the higher your risk of contracting heart disease. Much of this has to do with the correlation between increased weight and elevated amounts of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. The association warns that even if you have no other heart disease risk factors, such as smoking, being obese alone can significantly increase the probability of heart disease. Even a small weight decrease of just 5 percent can keep heart problems at bay.

Lower Blood Pressure

Elevated blood pressure numbers can affect not just the health of your cardiovascular system, but can also raise your risk of kidney disease and stroke. A medical study published in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" followed 595 women and men who were either overweight or obese. The researchers found that the more weight that someone overweight lost, the more their blood pressure fell. In the end, they concluded that "even modest weight loss" can lead to "significant long-term reductions in blood pressure."

Less Chance of Diabetes

Excess weight is such a leading factor in the role of contracting diabetes that the American Diabetic Association suggests a weight loss of 10 percent as an immediate treatment for people in a prediabetes status. Alarmingly, gaining just 18 lbs. increases your risks of getting type 2 diabetes by 100 percent over someone who gains no weight.

Better Mobility and Quality of Life

Being overweight or obese can severely limit the types of activities you can do, the recreational sports you can play, and the places you like to frequent. For example, some amusement parks, outdoor sporting events and other attractions have weight limits for rides, attractions or facilities. Carrying excess weight can also affect your mobility at home.

Lower Cancer Risks

The American Cancer Society notes that losing weight might help reduce your risks of contracting certain kinds of cancer, such as prostate and breast cancer. This might be due to how your extra weight affects factors such as body cell division, hormone levels and the overall functioning of your immune system.

More Money to Spend

Partially due to all of the health risks associated by being overweight, carrying those extra pounds means you also shell out more medical fees in terms of insurance payments. The average obese person pays 42 percent more in health insurance fees compared with someone who's considered to be a normal weight. This affects everyone, not just the individual. For example, the government's Medicare and Medicaid programs, which are supported by taxpayers, pay $1,723 and $1,021, respectively, every year for each obese beneficiary, compared with someone of a normal weight.