How to Lower the Health Risks of Being Overweight or Obese

Body’s weight may fluctuate throughout the year, however if you personally see a steady increase, it’s time to take control. A few pounds here and there add up over the years. Keeping a healthy and fit body weight is critical to living a longer, healthier life.

How do you know if you are considered overweight or obese? Your body mass index score, calculated using your height and weight will give you a general idea. A doctor or a fitness center with the advanced tool fit 3D could give you these numbers.

Top 3 Health Effects Related to Obesity:

As seen recently in the news with the COVID-19 pandemic, obese and overweight people have a more difficult time fighting off illnesses and are also exposed to other health risks. If you are overweight, it’s important to understand the associated health risks. If not addressed, you could experience one of the following illnesses that could lead to death:

One of the top health issues related to being overweight is problems with the heart. Your heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body, and with heart problems, you can face serious issues.

How does Obesity Cause High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure is when your systolic blood pressure (top number) is 140 or greater or when your diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) is 90 or more. A normal blood pressure reading is 120/80. Having a large body makes your heart pump harder to provide enough blood to all of your cells, increasing your blood pressure. Extra body fat can also damage your kidneys, the organs that regulate your blood pressure.

What is Heart Disease?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in our country. This term collectively includes a number of heart health problems such as issues with your blood vessels, how efficient your heart pumps, and more. Heart disease can cause you to die from a heart attack or heart failure. You may experience chest pain, fatigue, or other problems associated with your heart’s health once you’ve been diagnosed with heart disease.

2- Type 2 Diabetes

Someone who has type 2 diabetes has high blood sugar, and has to carefully watch what they eat, and sometimes give themselves insulin shots to help create a healthy blood sugar level. While the cause of high blood sugar varies from person to person, it is often associated with a poor diet, a low activity level or additional, unneeded body weight. Essentially, your body’s cells become resistant to insulin, the chemical that generates energy by carrying sugar from your blood to your body’s cells. When your body is resistant to insulin, your cells cannot absorb sugars, which results in high blood sugar.

Strokes are oftentimes a result of high blood pressure. When someone has a stroke, blood flow to part of the brain stops. Without blood, the cells in your brain die. There are different parts of the brain, so the effects you experience will depend on which part of the brain had the blockage. For example, some strokes can kill you, but non-fatal strokes can leave you confused, unable to communicate, or even paralyzed. Besides high blood pressure, strokes can be caused from heart disease or high cholesterol. Keeping your heart healthy is the best way to live a long and happy life.

The best way to reduce your chances of obesity-related health problems is simple – lose weight. Yes it’s that simple but if it is not rewarding or fun then it is hard. So it’s critical to be involved with a program or gym that meets your overall needs. With a smaller body mass, your heart will not have to work as hard to pump blood throughout the body. If you are naturally more big bodied, and cannot easily lose weight, you should keep an eye on your blood pressure and blood sugar. Watching what you eat, drinking more water and adding regular rewarding exercise into your daily lifestyle will help regulate your heart’s health and lower your chances of the health effects associated with being overweight.

Drastic diet changes are very hard on the body – so start with one of two options: a healthier diet or simply smaller portion sizes. Try to eat less foods that are high in sugar. This includes candy and fruit, but also foods high in carbs, that turn into sugar once digested. These are breads, potatoes, french fries, rice, pasta, and more. You do not have to cut out carbs completely, but eating more vegetables and lean meat can make the world of difference! Stay away from red meats and heavy alcohol, as these are known to cause heart problems.

If you drink lots of sodas or juice, you most likely have high blood sugar. Sodas are filled with sugars, and juice – made with fruits – is high in sugar as well. Simply drinking water instead of other sugary drinks will limit the amount of sugars in your body, reducing your chance of diabetes and excess body weight. If you are a coffee drinker, try drinking your coffee without any sugar or try switching to flavored hot teas.

In addition to healthier eating habits, regular exercise is important for keeping your body healthy. When you exercise, your body burns fat, your heart rate goes up, and blood is able to flow more efficiently throughout your body. Exercise also produces endorphins which trigger a positive feeling in the body. Find an established gym near you to start a tailored exercise program or even work with a personal trainer who will create a customized workout and diet plan for you to meet your fitness needs.

SFX Fitness offers numerous programs including online personal training, where you can complete your workouts straight at home, or on the go if you travel a lot. With this service, you’ll still receive instructions from a personal trainer, and workout equipment will be mailed to you so you have everything you need.

Start Your Fitness Journey Today at our new gym in Alpharetta.

Your health is important to us. Contact us today to speak with a fitness trainer and learn how we can help you meet your weight loss or body improvement goals. 1-770-587-2389