Weight loss is an admirable goal, and one which many of the individuals who enter our 8-week transformation challenge have.
While many of the weight loss transformations highlighted on social media showcase individuals losing 40, 50, or even 100 pounds, even modest weight loss (5%) is known to confer a wide range of benefits mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Today, we cover 7 big benefits of weight loss that extend beyond looking good in a swimsuit.
Joint Relief
Carrying around an extra 10 pounds on your body places an additional 40 pounds of stress on your joints, which can cause them to wear out quicker, leading to pain and potentially the need for joint replacement.
Extra body fat also creates inflammation throughout the body, including your joints, which can lead to damage and deterioration.
Losing weight can unburden your joints and help you maintain a better movement and range of motion as well as a higher quality of life in and out of the gym.
In addition to losing weight, using the right supplements can also help promote joint health and integrity. That’s why we created 1UP Joint Health Plus, which contains essential joint, ligament, tendon, and cartilage support ingredients like glucosamine, MSM, turmeric, boswellia, Type II collagen and hyaluronic acid.
Improved Mood
Depression is one of the many health complications that is commonly associated with obesity. Some research indicates that depression is associated with subsequent weight gain and obesity, whereas other studies give evidence that obesity is associated with the development of depression. Moreover, obese women are particularly vulnerable to depression.[1,2,3]
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that “all non-pharmacologic weight loss approaches (e.g. proper nutrition, exercise, stress management, etc.) resulted in a significant reduction in symptoms of depression.”[4]
Combat Diabetes & Insulin Resistance
Excess body fat wreaks havoc on your physiology, and in particular disrupts hormone function, including one of the most important nutrient-shuttling hormones in the body -- insulin.
When insulin isn’t functioning properly, the body cannot remove glucose from the bloodstream and use it to provide energy to your cells or store it in your muscle tissue as glycogen. This leads to hyperglycemia and if left unchecked can cause serious health problems.
Weight loss can help combat the onset of type 2 diabetes & insulin resistance by helping utilize glucose in the bloodstream as well as using up glycogen stores in muscle, thereby giving your body someplace to store carbohydrates when you eat them.
In fact, a 2019 study found that individuals who lost at least 10% of weight (20 pounds for someone weighing 200lbs) in the first five years of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes can help reverse the condition and help patients go into remission.[5]
Deeper Sleep
Sleep and weight loss complement each other. When you lose weight, you sleep better, and getting better sleep each night actually supports the weight loss process.
The reasons for this are many, but essentially, not getting enough sleep reduces energy expenditure during the day, disrupts hormone production, and makes you hungrier as well less full from meals.
That’s why we’re always harping on the importance of good sleep no matter what your goals are, because when you get great sleep each and every night everything else seems to get better in life.
Research also shows that losing just 5% of your bodyweight can help you sleep better and longer throughout the night. Moreover, getting rid of excess fat can also help alleviate snoring and sleep apnea.
If you’re already at a healthy body weight and looking to further improve your quality of sleep, you may also try:
- Reading before bed
- Avoiding caffeine & alcohol in the hours before bed
- Limiting blue light exposure (TV, computers, tablets, smartphones, LEDs, etc.)
- Taking warm bath or shower
- Journaling
- Meditating or praying
- Listening to calming music
- Using a nighttime relaxation and recovery aid, such as Beauty Dream PM or Recharge PM
Greater Energy & Motivation
One major by-product of better sleep (via losing weight) is a noticeable increase in mental and physical energy during the day.
With better rest and recovery, your body has more time to replenish its energy stores, helping you feel more upbeat, alert, and driven to get stuff done during the day at home, at work, and at the gym.
Younger-Looking Skin
Many of us embark on our weight loss journey simply wanting to slim down and tone up (and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!). But, another big benefit of weight loss comes in the form of glowing skin.
When you lose weight, you eliminate a lot of the processed junk and toxins in your diet and lifestyle, instead replacing them with micronutrient-dense fruits and veggies. You’re also burning off calories like crazy during your workouts, which quite literally is pushing the junk out of your pores through sweat, promoting even more detoxification.
The end result is more youthful, supple looking skin!
Better Memory
The benefits of weight loss extend beyond the physical, as we touched on above with improvements in mood and well-being. Well, you can also add increased brain power to the list of weight loss benefits as well.
Studies show that memory improves when individuals lose weight. So, not only will you be happier, more energetic, and well-rested all the time, you’ll also remember those things that you really need to do today (as well as your great Aunt Millie’s birthday)![6]
Takeaway
Weight loss offers a wide range of benefits. Yes, it’ll be great to slim down and fit into that old outfit tucked in the back of your closet, but also take a moment to appreciate the other benefits you’ll obtain from losing weight -- greater confidence, increased physical & mental strength, improved cardiometabolic health, reduced risk of chronic lifestyle diseases, etc.
If you’ve struggled to lose weight in the past (something a great many of us have struggled with at times), we’ve created a number of options to help you succeed and get the results you want, from our comprehensive fitness app, available on Google Play & Apple, which provides customized diet and training based on your goals, gender, age, and experience to our line of premium-quality supplements, including our best-selling weight loss aids, Make Her Lean Max and Pro Ripped Max.
No matter where you are on your fitness journey, we’re here to help you every step of the way!
References
- Carpenter KM, Hasin DS, Allison DB, Faith MS. Relationships between obesity and DSM-IV major depressive disorder, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts: results from a general population study. Am J Public Health. 2000;90:251–257.
- Heo M, Pietrobelli A, Fontaine KR, Sirey JA, Faith MS. Depressive mood and obesity in US adults: comparison and moderation by sex, age, and race. Int J Obes. 2006;30:513–519.
- Barry D, Pietrzak RH, Petry NM. Gender differences in associations between body mass index and DSM-IV mood and anxiety disorders: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Ann Epidemiol. 2008;18:458–466
- Fabricatore AN, Wadden TA, Higginbotham AJ, et al. Intentional weight loss and changes in symptoms of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Obes (Lond). 2011;35(11):1363-1376. doi:10.1038/ijo.2011.2
- Diabet. Med. 37, 681– 688 (2020)
- Endocrine Society. "Weight loss improves memory and alters brain activity in overweight women." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 17 June 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130617110937.htm>.
