I Need To Lose Weight And I Feel Desperate About It

Obesity can pose many health problems and is gaining more attention each year from government authorities due to the growing cost to the health system. There are many serious, and in some case fatal health conditions that have been linked to obesity including:

- type-2 diabetes
- heart disease
- hypertension
- strokes
- certain cancers

Recent studies have shown that males who are extremely overweight or obese are at a much increased risk of developing colon, prostate or rectal cancer. Similar studies indicate that overweight women are more likely to develop cervical, uterine or ovarian cancers. Esophageal cancer has also been connected to obesity in some cases. Each one of these conditions can be fatal, so if you fall into either of these categories it is imperative that you do something about it as soon as possible.

Some other diseases and health issues that have been linked to obesity include fatty liver disease, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, osteoarthritis, gout, breathing problems such as sleep apnea, menstrual irregularities in women and infertility issues in both sexes. Most health professionals agree that the more obese an individual is the higher the chance that they will develop one or more of these health problems.

If your BMI (Body Mass Index) is 40 or greater you are considered to be obese. Unfortunately, this means that you are at a very high risk of encountering serious health problems. Even if your weight problem has not become quite that bad, your doctor will still recommend that you do everything in your power to lose weight if you have a BMI of 29 or greater.

There are certain pre-existing medical conditions which can indicate that more serious health problems are just around the corner, such as:

- high blood pressure
- high LDL cholesterol levels
- low HDL cholesterol levels
- high triglycerides
- high blood glucose

These warning signs need to be taken very seriously and if you have two or more you should be extremely careful about your weight. There is some good news though. If you can succeed in losing as little as 10% of body weight you can decrease obesity related health risks considerably. Losing this much weight can also help to prevent the onset of type two diabetes.

When treating obesity, doctors generally prescribe a combination of a healthy diet, regular exercise, behavior modification, and in some cases various weight-loss medications. In extreme cases of obesity, surgery may even be recommended.

It is very important to stick to your new habits so that you can achieve permanent weight loss. In many ways losing weight is a lifelong endeavor. There must be an ongoing change in behavior as well as a commitment to eating healthily and exercising on a regular basis.
Modifying your behavior means changing how you think, feel and act with respect to food and exercise.

You need to develop a plan for safe and healthy weight loss, set achievable short-term goals, avoid food triggers, and keep a food and activity diary. This will allow you to record and remember your improvements. It is also important to celebrate each success, big or small. This, in turn, will help to inspire you on into the next part of your journey to permanent good health and fitness.