If you resolved to lose weight at the beginning of the year, but that task now seems impossible, here’s some good news. You really don’t have to lose that much weight to reap huge health benefits.
Our health expert, Karen Owoc explained to KRON4’s Marty Gonzalez.
Karen says five pounds is the average amount of weight gained during the holiday season or while on vacation. Triple this amount of fat and it’ll represent the weight many college students gain during their first year of college (“Freshman 15”).
She says that shedding just five pounds can improve health by:
1. Lower Blood Pressure
• The American Heart Association says if you are overweight, losing as little as five pounds may help lower blood pressure.
• Lowering blood pressure reduces risk of stroke, heart and kidney failure.
2. Improve Urinary Incontinence
• About 25 million Americans have urinary incontinence (accidentally leak urine) and about 25 percent are men. About half of U.S. women over age 65 leak.
• Losing five pounds can reduce the stress on the pelvic floor and reduce incontinence significantly.
• A UCSF study of over 338 women (average age of 53), those who lost an average of just three pounds reported 28 percent fewer urinary incontinence episodes.
3. Improve and Prevent Arthritis Symptoms
• Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of disability in the U.S.
• When you carry extra pounds it puts huge pressure on your joints and puts you at risk of osteoarthritis (degenerative “wear and tear arthritis”).
• Wake Forest University conducted an 18-month diet and exercise study on sedentary, older adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. They concluded that for each pound of weight lost, each knee bears four pounds less pressure per step.
The Takeaway: Aim for losing a little weight versus a lot. It’s less daunting and the scientific evidence is clear. You’ll receive the health payoffs long before you drop large amounts of weight.