Obesity has indirectly led to millions of deaths each year in America. It’s been said repeatedly that being overweight and/or obese increases the risks of serious health issues. Let’s just go over the basic complications:
- Breathing problems- Sleep apnea is a common occurrence for women who are obese or overweight. Sleep apnea makes you stop breathing for a while, or your breathing becomes shallow while you sleep, and this is due to the fat in the neck, which narrows the airflow. Those with sleep apnea do not get enough oxygen to their brain while sleeping, and this will eventually lead to heart disease.
- Risk of different types of cancer- Your cancer risks increase tenfold if you are overweight or obese, bringing up your risk factor to a total of 13 different kinds of cancer from endometrial, rectal, stomach, gallbladder, esophagus, kidney, liver, multiple myeloma as well as ovarian and thyroid cancer.
- Diabetes- As a person who is obese or overweight, the likelihood of you getting diabetes is twice as high. Eating right and exercising can prevent this from happening as the right foods and burning calories helps control our blood sugar levels.
- Risk of Heart disease- The more you weigh, the higher your risk of heart disease. That’s a given. For women, this is a leading cause of death, apart from breast cancer, in the United States. Even if your family has no history of heart disease, this risk becomes more prevalent if you are obese.
- High blood pressure & high cholesterol- Getting high blood pressure is common among people who are overweight and obese. Of course, losing weight reduces this risk. High blood pressure affects your arteries, damaging them, and this will cause more problems such as heart disease and stroke. This would also lead to excess fat in your body. Obesity increases LDL cholesterol, which is the bad one, and lowers HDL, which is the good cholesterol. When this happens, bad cholesterol increases a build-up of fatty plaque in the arteries. When we start exercising, this fatty plaque starts to burn off and helps keep our HDL and LDL at healthy levels.
- There might be pregnancy problems- There could be problems that arise during pregnancy if you are obese or overweight. These complications could be things like gestational diabetes or dangerously high blood pressure. There is a more serious condition that occurs when you’re obese, which is preeclampsia. Getting regular and early prenatal care will help you lessen or prevent necessary risks and lead to a healthy pregnancy. Of course, losing weight and exercising will also lead to a healthier pregnancy.
- Your risk of stroke increases- When we carry extra body fat around our waist, the risk of stroke increases.
Lowering your weight to even 3% to 5% can reduce a multitude of health risks. If you weigh 160 pounds, losing between 5 to 8 pounds can make you healthier.
Does it matter where on my body I carry the weight?
You see, the fact is that not everybody has the same genetics, and therefore what works for them specifically may not necessarily work for you. We are all unique individuals who possess different physical traits, and to follow a generic workout routine and expect to get shredded within a week is not realistic.
Thus, in this chapter, I wanted to cover exercise routines and body types to give you a grasp of the entire picture of health and wellness. Although diet is fundamental to weight loss, it works even betters, and its effects are amplified in conjunction with exercise.
I’ve taken the liberty to give you a specifically designed exercise regimen for your precise body type. All you have to do is identify your body type through the criteria I provided and follow the regiment catered towards you.
- Ectomorph – lean and lanky, has difficulty building muscle, high metabolism, and tends to remain slender.
- Endomorph – Bigger body composition, high body fat, pear shape liked, and tends to store fat.
- Mesomorph – The more favorable body type. Naturally muscular and possess responsive muscle cells.
The Ectomorph is characterized by long extremities, specifically their arms, and legs. These individuals tend to have a hard time gaining weight and building muscle and are noted for having slender builds. They don’t have to be extremely picky about what they eat since their metabolism burns fat really quickly. But keep this in context. Any poor eating habits can eventually lead to obesity. Work out consists of heavier weights and fewer reps.
Where you carry your weight matters, and it makes a huge difference in your health. Belly fat is much more dangerous compared to fat in different areas of the body.
Can bariatric surgery help with weight loss?
Bariatric surgery is a type of surgery that helps people with obesity to lose weight by making changes to their digestive system.
Could bariatric surgery help with weight loss?
Here are some advantages of the surgery:
- If you are severely obese, bariatric surgery can help you lose a significant amount of weight. Depending on the type of surgery performed, you can expect to lose between 40 to 70 percent of excess body weight.
- Losing weight through bariatric surgery can improve or even resolve many health problems related to obesity. These health problems are such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and joint pain.
- Losing a significant amount of weight can improve a person’s self-esteem, confidence, and overall quality of life. It can also make it easier to perform physical activities and exercises, putting you on the fast track toward increased mobility.
- It can be the key to long-term weight loss. But if you want to make it sustainable, you need to combine it with lifestyle changes such as healthy eating and regular exercise.
- Bariatric surgery for people with obesity can also reduce the risk of premature death.
Bariatric surgery is a major operation that carries its own risks. However, it requires a commitment to lifestyle changes if you want to keep to an optimal weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Speaking to a healthcare provider that specializes in bariatric surgery, such as West Medical, can help you get the advice you need and the proper type of surgery to get.