Many people consider being overweight as a major health issue. It’s no secret that being overweight increases your risk of developing a number of diseases. These include heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Being overweight also makes you more susceptible to other health issues such as osteoarthritis and gout. There’s also the obvious physical toll that carrying extra weight around the middle takes. It’s not all bad though. There are ways that you can utilize the advantages that being overweight provides.
Increased Cardiovascular Endurance
To begin with, being overweight provides you with more endurance when it comes to your cardiovascular system. This is because more weight means more blood circulating in your bloodstream. More blood means more oxygen getting to your cells which in turn, means increased energy. It’s like a natural weight loss drug that your body produces! The downside is that it doesn’t last forever. Eventually, the extra weight gains back and you have to start over again. That’s why it’s important to lose weight gradually.
Increased Mental Focus
Mental focus is another important component to consider when looking for ways to lose weight. If you’ve ever tried to lose weight quickly by following a fad diet or exercising regularly without changing your eating habits or routines, you may have noticed that your mental focus began to deteriorate. It becomes very difficult to stay focused on tasks when your brain is constantly replaying the events of the day in your head. This is why many fad dieters eventually give up and go back to their old ways. They couldn’t maintain the changes they made in their lives because it wasn’t sustainable. For this reason, it is important to establish a healthy eating pattern that you can maintain for the long term. Doing this requires a lot of focus so you have to make sure that you’re not distracted by either food or exercise impulses when doing your daily chores. Take your time instead and you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you notice how much better you feel both mentally and physically.
Increased Body Relaxation Time
The opposite of mental focus is relaxation. When your mind is completely empty, you are relaxed. This is why being overweight provides you with more opportunities for relaxation. People who are physically inactive don’t get enough rest due to the amount of daily activity they have. This constant activity requires a lot of energy which in turn, makes them tired and prone to illness. Inactive people also tend to eat faster and more often than people who get more physical activity. This eating behavior puts them at risk of obesity and the diseases that go along with it. In contrast, being overweight provides you with more opportunities for relaxation and also helps you to sleep better at night due to the redistribution of fat in your body. This fat provides some cushioning which makes lying down on a couch or in a bed more comfortable for you. Many people who are overweight find that taking a nap during the day is one of the best things that could ever happen to them. The extra weight means that the nap will last longer and also provides them with more relaxation time than usual.
Improved Digestive Function
Another advantage that being overweight provides is improved digestive function. Your gut (the digestive system) needs a lot of time to digest food. The amount of time it takes for your food to be absorbed into your bloodstream and utilized by your body is called the digestion cycle. Your digestion cycle is longer when you’re at a healthy weight. Due to the amount of food you’re eating, your body will be in a constant state of digestion and absorption. This means that you’ll have more energy as well since your cells will be receiving plenty of nutrients which provide them with the raw materials to grow and repair themselves. It also means that your bowel movements will be a lot more frequent as your body is constantly processing and absorbing food. The downside is that when your digestive system works this way, you’ll need to remember to eat more frequently throughout the day otherwise, you’ll spoil your appetite and make it difficult for your body to shed the excess weight. To avoid this, make sure to eat slowly and deliberately without rushing. Take your time and you’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to appreciate the benefits that being overweight provides.
Increased Bone Density
Being overweight also has the effect of increasing bone density. Bone is a protective material that covers your internal organs and provides structure to your skeleton. It’s made of collagen (a protein) and calcium (a mineral). When your body doesn’t get enough calcium, it starts to break down bone causing you to become more susceptible to osteoporosis (bone thinning and weakening disease). This is why it’s important to get enough calcium in your diet as well as having sufficient vitamin D levels. Your body doesn’t make vitamin D it needs to survive so get out there and get some UV rays from the sun or take a vitamin D supplement.
There are numerous health benefits to being overweight. Make sure to take advantage of these benefits and don’t be afraid to embrace the extra weight. As long as you’re not hurting yourself or anyone else, there’s no wrong way to feel. Just make sure to get some exercise and eat healthy meals regularly.