7 unexpected benefits of losing weight



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If you have already made the decision to lose weight, you are certainly not alone. Maintaining optimal weight not only helps prevent serious diseases, but can also have unexpected benefits. Here are seven benefits of losing weight that tend to go unnoticed.

1. You can stop snoring

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, about half of adults snore on occasion and a quarter of them are habitual snorers. Snoring occurs when something obstructs the air flowing through the nose or mouth. And one of the reasons for this air gap could be excess weight.

"Overweight people have more tissue in their throats, which can fall on their airways and block the flow of air into their lungs while they sleep," according to Harvard Health. Weight loss can have a significant impact on snoring and sleep apnea, even to the point of completely stopping it.

2. The food might taste better

A woman is eating a salad.

Researchers have known for years that obese people often have a weak sense of taste. Because of this, they consume more food to feel satisfied. And a new study could explain why. Cornell researchers found that obese mice fed a high-fat diet had a substantial loss of taste buds, compared to mice with a healthy diet. They also fed another group of high-fat diet, but controlled their body's inflammation. Even though these mice gained weight, they kept their taste buds.

Thus, the study suggested "that low-grade chronic inflammation caused by obesity reduces the number of taste buds … and is probably the cause of taste dysfunction seen in obese populations". Inflammation – or weight loss – is the key to refining the sense of a person's taste.

3. You could save money

According to a study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the medical expenses associated with obese and overweight adults in the United States are $ 210 billion a year. And that does not even take into account productivity losses, such as missed work days. This affects businesses, the economy and even medical insurance premiums for healthy people.

The good news is that losing weight could seriously benefit your bank account as well as society in general. The study found that a 20-year-old from overweight to obesity would save an average of $ 17,655 in life, and if he went from being obese to a healthy weight, he would save $ 28,020. In addition, a 40-year-old man from overweight to an average of $ 18,262 would save $ 31,447 from the obese health. Talk about incentive to shed a few pounds.

4. Brain function could improve

Research has shown that obesity is associated with impaired memory. But fortunately, it seems that the opposite is also true.

One study followed older, overweight women who were losing weight through a healthy diet. "After weight loss, brain activity would have increased when encoding memory in areas of the brain that are important for the identification and matching of faces," according to the Society of Endocrinology. The brain has also worked more effectively to recover episodic memories.

5. Your energy could increase

Two people run outside.

Overweight people have a lot to do in terms of energy. Excess weight puts the body to the test, requiring it to exercise more energy to function. In addition, obesity has been linked to a reduction in the quality and quantity of sleep, an energy that drains more.

But according to a Johns Hopkins study, weight loss – especially belly fat – can improve the quality of sleep. The overweight and obese participants were divided into two groups: one who was following a diet and one exercise and one who was following a diet. Both groups lost an average of 15 pounds and also improved their sleep quality, showing that weight loss plays an important role in recharging our batteries.

6. You could get an increase or promotion

Weight-related bullying is a huge problem for children. And this continues unfortunately until adulthood, especially in the workplace. "Compared to their slimmer colleagues, overweight people are less likely to be hired, less likely to be promoted and ultimately earn lower wages," says the Association for Psychological Science. One study found that employers rated obese candidates less employable than middle-weight candidates, regardless of qualifications.

While some employers are turning to blind hiring practices to try to eliminate prejudices, those who maintain a healthy weight still have an advantage until weight discrimination is completely illegal on the job. work place.

7. You will be less likely to have chronic diseases

Sometimes we forget that losing weight is not just about looking and feeling better in the moment. People who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of serious illness. And by losing weight, we can dramatically reduce that risk.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, here are some health problems associated with being overweight or obese:

  • Hypertension
  • High cholesterol
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Cardiac disease
  • Stroke
  • Gallbladder disease
  • osteoarthritis
  • Sleep Apnea
  • Cancer
  • Mental illness

So by losing weight, you will not improve your quality of life in the short term. You will make a gift to your body for years to come.

Main Image Credit: Darunechka / Thinkstock

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