You have decided to adopt a healthier lifestyle, inspired by celebrities and Instagrammers who challenge us to lose as much weight as possible. You have cut out the foods you know you shouldn’t be consuming and started exercising regularly. You have even cut back on the amount of salt you previously used to flavor your food.
You have reached your goal weight and are feeling fantastic! We bet you’re even considering keeping the weight off, which is great because maintaining a healthy weight is far easier said than done. This is why we are here to tell you that 10 pounds may not be the end of the road even though you will likely feel incredible when you reach it.
We don’t want to beat a dead horse, but the fact is that no matter how much of a role diet and exercise play in your journey to a healthier lifestyle, there is one factor that determines whether or not you will maintain your new found weight loss: How much weight do you want to lose?
Let’s say you have successfully lost 10 pounds and you are feeling extremely motivated to keep the weight off. What would you need to change in order to do that?
First, you will have to decide whether or not you want to continue losing weight. We aren’t telling you not to be happy with yourself! We are only suggesting that you consider what would happen if you don’t keep going. There are pros and cons to both options, so you need to think carefully before you make any kind of decision.
Pros Of Losing 10 Pounds
There are many advantages to losing 10 pounds. Here are just a few.
Increased Confidence
When you lose weight, not only does it feel good, it also creates a psychological boost. Many people struggling with weight loss have reported that once they started losing, they felt more confident about themselves, which led them to further lose.
This is probably because as we age our perceptions of what is “normal” change. Many people feel that they have to prove themselves to be worthy of respect as they age. Since weight loss is a sign of maturity and self-control, it gives people the confidence to be themselves, which may also lead to increased social confidence.
Health Benefits
In addition to creating confidence, losing weight can also improve your overall health. Here are some of the ways that it can do that.
Reduced Cardiovascular Risk
If you’re starting to lose a lot of weight, it is a good idea to address this issue. As we mentioned above, your perceptions of what is “normal” change as you age, which can put you at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, losing weight can help to reduce this risk. One study from the United Kingdom found that people who lost 10 percent of their body weight reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease by 16 percent.
Another way that losing weight can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease is by improving your cholesterol profile. One American study found that individuals who lost 10 pounds or more had lower cholesterol levels and an average reduction in their cholesterol levels of 19.5 percent.
Improved Metabolism
Even if you don’t think you have a metabolism issue, it is still a good idea to try and improve it. Studies have found that people who lose weight have higher metabolic rates, which means that they burn calories more efficiently. This could mean that you have a higher chance of successfully maintaining your weight loss.
Increased Energy
When you lose weight, it usually doesn’t take long for you to start feeling better. One study from the United Kingdom found that within just three months of starting a weight loss program, individuals reported feeling more energized and productive, as well as having an improved sense of wellbeing.
If you’re not feeling energetic, you may also not be giving your body enough nutrients. When you lose weight, your body needs more food than it normally does, and the healthy choices available to you may not be enough to support your body’s needs. One study from the Mayo Clinic found that people who lost weight had to eat nearly two hours more per day than before they started their weight loss program.
Cons Of Losing 10 Pounds
There are some significant disadvantages to losing weight. Here are just a few.
First, if you decide that you don’t want to continue losing weight, you will have to start gaining back the weight you lost, which may be a lot more than you would like to. Another disadvantage is that not everyone is able to maintain all the improvements they experience while losing weight. Sometimes our lives get in the way and we cannot commit to following a strict eating regimen or doing regular workouts. If you do want to keep the weight off, you have to face the fact that it is not easy, and there will be times when you may go wrong direction.
As we stated above, the disadvantage of losing weight is that you have to start gaining it back. However, this is not always the case. Many people who lose a lot of weight find that it is easier to keep it off than to gain it back. The key is to find a healthy balance between the two and enjoy the benefits of a healthier lifestyle without risking your health by falling off the wagon.