5 Major Health Benefits of Losing Just 5% of Your Body Weight

Are you trying to lose weight? Do you have a certain number of pounds in mind?

It’s good to have a goal. It’s also important to recognize small victories along the way. You might think you need to lose a lot of weight or reach your ideal weight to reap the health rewards but that's not true.

Did you know that losing just 5% of your body weight has a huge impact on your health?

Yep, that's right. If you weigh 200 pounds and lose only 10 you have improved your health significantly.

A study out of the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University School of Medicine showed that a 5% weight loss can make a very big difference and give you major health benefits.

happy woman benefits losing 5% body weightThough there’s no doubt that “an additional 10 to 15% weight loss continues to cause even more improvements,” the researchers found many benefits come from even small weight loss steps.

Losing weight can be hard and it takes time. Between now and your final goal, make sure that you recognize the good you’re doing along the way.

5 Major Health Benefits of Losing just 5% of Your Body Weight

1. Boosts Your Heart Health

One of the biggest enemies of a healthy heart is the fatty plaque we all know as cholesterol. It builds up inside of your arteries and puts you at risk.

Studies have shown that losing any amount of weight (and keeping it off) helps cut total cholesterol scores.

2. Feel Good About Yourself

Recognize the weight that you’ve lost. Even if it’s just a few pounds it goes a long way towards making you feel good about yourself.

A 5% weight loss will make you feel better inside and out. It makes it much more likely that you’ll keep moving and stick to your weight loss plan.

The secret to success? Give yourself credit for what you’ve accomplished and celebrate every milestone!

3. Better Sleep

A study out of the University of Pennsylvania showed that people who dropped just 5% of their body weight got an average of 21.6 more minutes of sleep.

If that doesn’t sound like much, think again. Twenty minutes is a lot, especially if you have insomnia.

Getting enough sleep has big health benefits. It improves mood, clears thinking, gives you more willpower and stops the urge to eat fatty foods.

4. Less Pain and Cellular Damage

A 5% drop in weight may seem small, but it goes a long way in fighting inflammation.

Inflammation boosts your risk of injury and weakens your immune system. By losing just 5% of your body weight you protect your cells and your long-term health.

5. Lightens the Load on Your Joints

mature woman light load off joints benefit losing 5% body weightDrop 5% of your body weight and you’re taking a load off of the joints that are most at risk for degeneration.

Your knees, hips and back carry the load of your whole body.

Cutting down on the weight that they carry, even by a little, will keep them working and healthy much longer and reduce your risk of arthritis pain.

Starting to feel better that you've “only” lost 7 of those 40 pounds you set as a goal?

You have nothing to do but celebrate and use that as momentum to release the next 7! Your body is responding and you can totally do this!

If you're ready to step into a full program that unlocks sustainable results you should sign up to join tens of thousands of others who are finding success in Fit Rise! It's like having your very own personal trainer in the comfort of your living room!

Yours in health and happiness,

Danette

P.S. Please share this with your friends and I welcome your comments below. Did you realize losing only a small amount of weight had such a big impact on your health?