Weight Loss

Every where you go you can find at lease one person if not more that want to lose weight. They are looking at and trying every weight loss plan and program out there. Vanity plays a big role in why most people are looking into these weight loss and exercise programs but what a lot of people who want to lose weight don't realize is that many of them need to lose weight for their health. A huge percentage of Americans are obese and don't even know it.

Weight loss for health 
What does Obese mean? You are obese when your percentage of body fat has reached such a level that your health may be in danger. The most common way to measure body fat is to measure a persons BMI or body mass index. A person is considered obese if their BMI is somewhere over 30.

Many studies have been done and the results have linked obesity to health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, certain types of cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and many others. Aside from the physical effects of obesity there are also emotional effects like depression, low self esteem and stress. I don't have an exact number of pounds a person would have to be in order to be considered obese because obesity is not measured that way.

Even so, I will never forget when a friend told me that I was considered obese because I was over 30 pounds over-weight at the time (some friend huh?). You can't imagine the horror. Now, she was not qualified to make this statement and based on what I have since learned, she obviously could not have made that call based on the scale, but looking back, she was probably not far off because I am sure my BMI was high enough to qualify.

Weight loss for energy
There is much to gain from losing the weight. One thing a person may gain from losing the weight aside from the potential to lower their risk of disease and illness is energy. I don't know very many people who couldn't use more energy.

Weight loss for self confidence.
For most people if you look good you feel good about your self. If your a little over weight, it does not effect your health and your are happy with the way you look then great, but for many being over weight or obese can have an effect on their entire lives. The way they dress, the activities they participate in and their social lives. It is important, if you are unhappy with your weight, to go ahead and take the steps to losing that weight, so you can be the person you want to be and to start living the life you want to live.