Weight loss is about more than how you look or how your clothes fit. Shedding unwanted pounds can do wonders for your health. Losing just five to 10 percent of your excess weight can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. And there are other weight loss benefits you may not have considered, such as more energy and higher self-esteem.

Weight loss and energy levels

One of the first things most people notice when they start losing weight is how much more energetic they feel. Losing weight means your body is using less energy just to get through the day, and that means you may notice you have more energy to do the things you’ve been missing out on. Weight loss also improves how your body uses oxygen, so you won’t feel out of breath so easily.

What would you do with an extra dose of energy? Join a community sports team? Spend more time playing with your kids or grandkids? Sign up to volunteer for a good cause?

Weight loss and self-esteem

Obesity and low self-esteem often go hand in hand. From dealing with judgement and comments from others to facing one failed weight loss attempt after another, it’s easy to see how many people who are overweight also struggle with self-esteem. While many people who lose weight also experience a boost in self-esteem, you may not experience this weight loss benefit as quickly as you might experience a rise in energy levels. It can take some time to begin to see yourself in your new body and to feel good about how you look.

If you’ve struggled with low self-esteem, here are a few suggestions to help you regain your confidence on your weight loss journey:

• Give yourself permission to feel good about yourself.

Use self-talk to proclaim that you have the right to feel good about yourself — even if you are just beginning your weight loss journey or you haven’t reached your goal weight yet. You have the right to feel good about yourself because of who you are on the inside. Celebrate that person.

• Use words of affirmation to promote positive thinking.

“I affirm my intelligence.” “I affirm my ability to achieve my goal.” “I affirm my choice to be as healthy as I can be.” “I affirm my newfound energy.” “I affirm the power I have to achieve my weight loss goals.” Statements such as these give you the power to turn negative thoughts into positive.

• Get support from others.

Surrounding yourself with a community of people who will support you in your goals and on your journey is critical. The people with whom you surround yourself will have an impact on the way you feel about yourself. Choose to spend time with those who encourage your confidence and self-esteem.

Getting healthy may top your list of reasons to lose weight or consider bariatric surgery, but there are certainly plenty of other weight loss benefits you will enjoy as you begin your journey to shed the extra pounds.

Do you have questions about weight loss? Call us today!