When we think about losing weight, it’s easy to focus on the visually evident possibilities – what will I look like? What size clothes will I be able to wear? Will this pesky muffin-top disappear?

But what other benefits can we expect when we shift some extra kilos? The truth is, there are countless changes that can occur within our bodies when we lose excess weight, and these changes can have a hugely positive effect on our health, happiness and vitality.

How Excess Weight Affects Your Health

Did you know that our fat stores actually produce hormones? Although we once believed our fat (or adipose tissue to use its technical term!) to be made up of inert cells with the sole purpose of storing excess energy, we now understand that these fat stores actually produce hormones and chemicals including estrogen and leptin. This can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and other obesity-related diseases.

The good news is that you only need to lose a relatively small amount of weight (5-10% if you are obese) in order to be able to start reaping benefits to your health. Obviously the more of your excess weight you can lose, and the closer to your natural body weight you can get, the better.

Other Benefits of Losing Excess Weight

Some of the health benefits that can be achieved by losing excess weight are:

• A healthier, happier thyroid – Many people report being able to lower thyroid medication doses (under the guidance of a health practitioner), or come off medication altogether thanks to the effects of losing excess weight.
• Well controlled/reversed diabetes – We regularly hear from people who were able to reduce/remove diabetes medication, or who have stable blood sugar levels, since losing weight and continuing with their healthy diet.
• Normal menstrual cycles – Gone are the days of irregular periods and painful, heavy bleeding. One of the most celebrated side effects of weight loss for women is the return of normal menstrual cycles (often with the added bonus of a return to fertility, if this had previously been an issue).
• Healthy heart and blood pressure – High blood pressure is very common among those who are carrying around some extra kilos. Thankfully, it is also often one of the first things to improve once those extra kilos are lost.
• No more aches and pains – Whether it is generalised aches and pains, or joint and arthritic pain, people regularly report improvement simply by losing their excess weight and learning about individual food triggers for their pain.
• Clarity of mind – Sick of living with your head in a cloud? Shedding those extra kilos and eating a diet that nourishes your body and mind will help!
• Improved mood and mental health – More research is coming out by the day about the gut-brain connection and how our gut health can affect our moods and vice versa. Losing weight in a healthy manner can not only have a positive impact on our gut health, but also on our mind – now that’s something to smile about!
• Increased fitness – Dropping even a relatively small amount of weight can make it easier for you to move that gorgeous body of yours – so get losing to get moving!
• Increased libido – Unfortunately when we are overweight, the imbalance of hormones can cause our libido to go AWOL…. Never fear, it will soon return when your body is back to its healthy, balanced best!

By losing your excess weight you can also reduce your risk of developing ‘lifestyle diseases’ that have been linked to obesity, including:

• Heart disease and stroke
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Some cancers (colon, breast, endometrium, kidney, esophagus, gallbladder, ovarian and pancreatic cancers have all been linked to obesity)
• Gallbladder disease and gallstones
• Osteoarthritis
• Gout
• Sleep apnea and asthma

So what are you waiting for? Change your habits to change your life – you’ll be so glad you did!

Find out more here. Or, if you’re unsure where to start, send me an email at coach@changinghabits.com.au and I can help. Having lost 60kgs and experienced many of these health improvements myself, I know firsthand that the first step is the hardest – but also the most important one that you will take!

Yours in health and happiness!

Mel x