Have you put on a few pounds lately? Maybe you are naturally larger but are suddenly carrying an unusual amount of weight.
Perhaps your body chemistry changed so much after pregnancy that your old eating pattern is now causing weight gain. If you have been sidelined by an injury, or have been under intense stress, or started taking new medication – all of these things can cause unexpected weight gain.
But whatever the reason, getting to the point where you can be classified as obese (having a body mass index of 30 or higher) brings with it a host of health complications.
With no judgment about the cause of your weight gain, we still want to help you turn the tide and get back to a normal weight for you (it does NOT have to be a size 2!). To that end, here are nine cautionary tales about what may happen if you keep gaining those pounds.
1. Heart Disease and Stroke
Carrying too much weight puts an enormous burden on your heart and circulatory system. Obese people are much more likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both of which increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. Belly fat, especially, triggers cardiovascular problems.
The good news is that it doesn’t take a ton of weight loss to begin turning the tide. Even modest weight loss has been shown to improve the heart’s ability to contract and relax. But the more you lose, the better protected you will be from the specter of a heart attack or stroke.