Can losing weight make me feel more energetic?

June 15th, 2014

Try this.  The next time you are at a gym, walk around the gym with one 5 pound weight in each hand for about 5 minutes at a pace you normally would walk.  Next, put the weights down and walk for another 5 minutes.  Feel a difference?  I’m sure you will realize it’s much easier to walk without the weights!  But also your breathing is more labored when you are carrying more weight.  The muscles in your back, arms and legs may start to feel sore.  Now magnify that feeling for 24 hours/7 days a week!  That is what you it would feel like if you put on an extra 10 pounds.  Being overweight or obese can make you feel tired, and that can hurt your motivation for exercise, and cause more weight gain.  It is a vicious cycle, which is very difficult to break.

Now let’s say you are 10 pounds overweight.  If you lost that weight, you will be carrying that much less weight around in your day to day activities.  If you suffer from knee pains, that is 10 pounds less weight your knees will have to bear.  Think of how much more energetic you will feel!  We often don’t realize the impact of our weight on our energy level because we usually gain weight gradually.  One pound here and there, our body grows accustomed to the changes, but it is still affected by the excess weight in the long run.

The next time you step on the scale, calculate your BMI (Body Mass Index).  If you are overweight (BMI>25) or obese (BMI>30), think about how losing just a little bit of weight will make you feel.  Could you use more energy in your day?  Could your joint pains and body aches be improved?  Are you feeling more tired than you used to?  Losing weight may be the solution!