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Think small, lose big
“First, you should know the benefits of
just losing five to 10 percent of your
body weight and set your weight-loss
goals accordingly,” said endocrinologist
Ahmet Bahadir Ergin, MD. “Most people
put unrealistic goals to lose, for example
wanting to lose 20 to 30 percent of their
body weight in a very short time, such
as weeks or months, and they become
frustrated easily. It is more achievable to
strive for losing five to 10 percent of your
body weight. After losing the first 10
percent, you will know what needs to be
done to lose more weight.”
Starting with a smaller milestone gives
people a realistic expectation of what
is involved with weight loss. And, when
that milestone is reached, many people
feel motivation to continue their success.
“Health benefits of weight reduction
as low as five to 10 percent are obvious
and have been proved in studies many
times,” said Dr. Ergin. “This means that
an individual who weighs 250 pounds
will benefit greatly from losing 15 to 30
pounds.”
What good does it do?
Dr. Ergin explained the health benefits
of the weight loss.
“First, losing just five to 10 percent of
body weight will increase HDL (high-
density lipoprotein) cholesterol, which
can lower the risk of heart disease. HDL
cholesterol of greater than 50 milligrams
per deciliter (mg/dL) for men and more
than 60 mg/dL for women provides
protection against heart disease. On the
other hand, HDL cholesterol less than
40 in men and less than 50 in women is
a risk factor for premature heart disease.
If you are more than 25 years of age and
overweight, your doctor should test your
cholesterol to determine your risk.”
Dr. Ergin said losing five to 10 percent
of body weight can also decrease blood
triglycerides. Exercise; a diet low in
concentrated sugars, carbohydrates and
fats; and a reduction of excessive alcohol
intake will also help to reduce triglycer-
ides, which are a known risk factor for
premature heart disease.
Many patients see positive changes to
their blood pressure after weight loss.
LOSE 10
PERCENT
WILL YOU EVER GET BACK THE BODY
you had in your
younger days? Does your scale seem to be stuck? Is weight
loss a daunting task? Here are the sour facts: 30 percent of
Americans are obese, and 60 percent are overweight. Some-
times, weight loss can seem daunting if you think about the
total number of pounds you want to lose. But giving yourself a
smaller milestone to start with can lead to tremendous results.
You’ll gain so
much—promise!
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