If you’re on a mission to lose weight, you probably know about certain benefits you’ll likely experience. From slimming down and being more conventionally aesthetically pleasing to decreased risk of injury and disease, there are plenty of benefits to losing weight that people commonly discuss.
However, there are certain benefits of losing weight that the media doesn’t tell you. Here are some less commonly known benefits of losing weight you could experience.
#1. You’ll Sleep Better
Being overweight can make it challenging to get good, restful sleep. This is because fat can lead to sleep apnea and snoring. Sleep is very important for your general health, and for weight loss, due to how it helps to regulate your metabolism, hormones, and more. As a matter of fact, people who struggle to get enough sleep tend to be heavier than those who get 7-9 hours a night.
Losing weight helps you sleep better, which improves your general health and makes it easier to maintain your weight loss. This helps you to feel better, think better, and go about your life happier and healthier than you did before.
#2. Your Energy Levels Increase
When you weigh more, your body needs to use more energy just to go about your day. It impacts oxygen efficiency, causing you to more easily get out of breath. This can cause you to get tired more quickly and make working out feel like torture.
However, one of the benefits of losing weight is that your energy levels can increase as your weight decreases. This is because your body isn’t using as much energy to simply go about daily tasks, so you have more energy to burn. You may feel more awake, alert, and capable of more than you did before.
#3. Your Memory May Improve
Obesity is linked with poor memory. Tests have shown that people who lose weight score better on memory tests, as the brain is more active with storing new memories and utilizes fewer resources when trying to recollect stored information.
#4. You’re More Likely To Survive Surgery And Childbirth
Many people who are overweight dread going to the doctor because they don’t want their weight brought up or blamed for everything they’re concerned about. While there are doctors who presume symptoms are related to weight and neglect to do further tests, the fact is that being overweight increases your risk of health issues. Surgery and childbirth are no exceptions.
Surgery and childbirth are very risky regardless of your weight. However, obese people may not recover from surgery as well or as easily as those who don’t struggle with obesity. They are also harder to intubate, have longer operating times, and have higher risks of infections and complications. Pregnancy complications go up significantly with body fat increases.
As such, losing weight helps you have a safe, speedy recovery from surgery and childbirth and reduces risks of complications.
#5. Food May Taste Different
When you’re losing weight, you may struggle to form healthy habits, such as eating healthy food. You may crave salty and sugary foods and healthy foods may not taste good to you. However, as you persist on your journey, you may notice that food starts to taste different. You may start to crave healthy food. The salty and sugary food you used to love may start tasting overwhelmingly salty or sweet to you.
This can make it easier to stick to a healthier diet, which can help you maintain your weight loss in the long run.
#6. You May Spend Less On Healthcare
This goes along with the previous little-discussed benefit of losing weight about surgery and childbirth. People who weigh less tend to spend less on healthcare than those who are overweight and obese. Research has found that obese people tend to spend about 42% more on healthcare costs than those at a normal weight.
An unfortunate reality that goes along with this is that you may notice that healthcare professionals start treating you better when you drop lbs. While it’s true that being overweight can cause many different health complications, everyone deserves to be treated with dignity. As you lose weight and your risk of weight-related complications decreases too, you may notice that when you see the doctor, you’re treated with more respect than you were previously – and while that’s nice, you should be treated with respect regardless of your weight.
Do You Need Help Losing Weight In A Healthy Way?
Life Health Medical Center is here for you! These are but 6 of the lesser known benefits of losing weight. When you get started on your journey, you’ll likely notice plenty more. We know how difficult it can be to lose weight, and to do so in a healthy way. That’s why we offer medical weight loss clinics to help people achieve a healthy weight in a healthy way.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist you in your weight loss journey.
