(Candidate’s Full Name)
The Importance of Losing Weight and Staying Physically Fit
“You’re fat/chubby/overweight!” Nobody wants to hear such statements. In one of the several online blogs the topic of being fat, the unanimous writer narrates his personal life story on how being called fat or overweight hurts and leaves an emotional scar on the victim. It is something one never forgets. Being labeled fat is considered as offensive and an attack on one’s self esteem. While some embrace their overweight appearances and argue that true beauty comes from within, most of us feel humiliated on realizing that we are overweight. This article focuses on the importance of losing weight and staying physically fit, while explaining the potential health risk factors associated with being overweight (or fat) and leading a sedentary lifestyle, with little or no physical activities. It also highlights the impact of physical exercise in our lives.
Being Overweight is a Problem
The effects of being overweight and being obese are inter-related and are, more or less, the same, but to a lesser degree than obesity. A study shows that the mortality rate increased from 20% to 40% with weight among individuals. The effects of overweight are highlighted in another research paper, which can be summarized as under: .
- An increase in the Body Mass Index (BMI) due to an increase in weight leads to Coronary Heart Diseases
- Deposition of cholesterol in the arteries of overweight individuals leads to a High Blood Pressure
- Building up of plaque in the arteries, leading to Stroke
- The inability of human body to produce the hormone insulin to break down blood glucose to release energy, leading to Type-2 Diabetes
- High levels of triglycerides and “bad” cholesterol, increasing the risks of heart attack
- Increased susceptibility for colon, breasts and gallbladder Cancers
- Extra-weight exerts more pressure on the knees, hips and lower back leading to a condition known as Osteoarthritis
- Episodes of shallow breathing during sleep (Sleep Apnea)
- Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome, which may lead to death
- Menstrual and Fertility issues in women
- Increased risk of having gallstones
In addition to the hazards of being overweight, the report also focuses on the devastating effects of little or no physical activities at all. This sedentary lifestyle leads to the same health risk factors of coronary heart diseases, stroke, cancer and heart attacks, in addition to causing depression and anxiety among individuals. A healthy lifestyle with lots of physical exercises to reduce weight to the acceptable BMI Level and to eliminate the effects of a sedentary lifestyle is the only way to counter their associated health risk factors.
Benefits of Physical Activities (Exercise)
Regular exercise and physical activity helps to keep heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, depression and other diseases at bay. Such activities also enable the body systems to function better and the immunity system to operate efficiently. . The benefits of physical activities can be summarized as follows:
- It improves our chances of living longer, healthier and happier since exercising keeps the hormonal levels in check and stimulates the functioning of white blood cells
- It helps protect us from developing heart disease and stroke or any similar diseases, high blood pressure and undesirable levels of blood lipid (fats) by balancing the “good” and the “bad” levels of cholesterol
- It helps protect us from developing certain probable cancers, including colon and breast cancer, and other possible cancers such as lung and endometrial (uterine lining) cancer
- It aims to prevent type 2 diabetes (formerly known as adult-onset diabetes) and metabolic syndrome (a combination of risk factors that substantially increase the chances of developing heart disease and diabetes)
- It helps to prevent the insidious loss of bone; a condition known as osteoporosis
- It helps in reducing the risk of losing balance, diminishing motor skills and falling (whether or not due to vertigo) and improves cognitive and interactive functions among older adults
- It temporarily relieves the symptoms of depression and anxiety, improves mood and reduces mood swings in adults. Hence, whenever you’re feeling low, put on those joggers and go for a walk!
- It also prevents weight gain and obesity, promotes and enables weight loss (in combination with a low-calorie and high fiber diet), and helps to keep weight off after weight loss
- It improves heart-lung and muscle fitness and functions
- It improves sleep and the general sleeping pattern. Studies show that those who exercise daily or at least 5 days a week are more likely to have a good 8 hour sleep at night.
Works Cited
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. "What Are the Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity?" Public Report. 2012. Website.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Sciences. Dietary Guidlines for Americans. Online Report. Washington: www.dietaryguidlines.gov, 2010. Website.
