Why the First 5% of Weight Loss Provides the Biggest Health Benefits

When you’ve been trying to overcome obesity, it can sometimes feel as though you need to change every part of your life and your body to try to get any health results at all, but that’s not the case! In fact, according to the results of a new study, weight loss may not actually be what we once thought it was in terms of the way it can make a difference in our physical and mental wellbeing.

The findings from an American study have shown that weight loss that drops your body weight by only 5 percent can actually be all you need to do to start to see considerable health benefits if you are obese. It’s true that the more you lose, the more you’ll benefit, but even reaching that first goal can provide you with health benefits you will be able to feel and that your doctor will be able to measure. These aren’t just small health benefits either.

What’s great about this weight loss news is that it not only means that people will be able to gain far greater health more quickly than previously realized, but it can also make health goals far more achievable. When you think you need to lose 10 to 15 percent of your body weight to be able to gain significant health benefits, that type of goal can feel as though it is very long off and quite out of reach. It can play havoc on a person’s motivation and drive to continue.

However, when goals are broken down into smaller stages – that is, 5 percent at a time – they are suddenly within a dieter’s grasp. Knowing you will be able to see and feel the difference in your health within a much shorter length of time and after a smaller amount of effort can help you to reach that first goal and then be driven to do it again to drop then next 5 percent, which is technically smaller (since you’ll have already lost 5 percent of your body mass).

In this way, each next step is closer than the last, while considerable health benefits are brought to the dieter throughout every stage.

The benefits that can be seen after losing only 5 percent include insulin sensitivity improvement, a decreased risk of diabetes and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Considering the importance of those health issues, lowering their risk and impact can play a vital role in quality of life and longevity.

* This article is for informational purposes only and not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult with your doctor before making any changes to your medications, supplements, diet, or exercise routine.