Obese or overweight may contribute to rising cholesterol level; maintaining your BMI in a healthy range by loses weight help lower cholesterol level.
Being overweight or obese can increase the chances of having a high level of triglycerides & LDL, and low level of HDL. Also, it can lead to high pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems. Having excess weight around the waist may be likely to develop the metabolic syndrome.
Weight loss Cholesterol-lowering effect
If overweight and have high cholesterol, may need to get the LDL and the weight under control by changing the diet and by increasing physical activity. At the start of the TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) program, the focus will be on lowering LDL by reducing saturated fat and calories and by increasing fiber, which could also, helps to lose weight. Various studies confirm that losing weight (weight loss) lower your cholesterol numbers.
After about two to three months of cholesterol home remedies, if still continue to be overweight. Then you may need to focus additional attention on losing weight as the approach to LDL goal, especially if have the metabolic syndrome.
15 Health benefits of losing weight
You can reduce your cholesterol levels significantly by losing 5% to 10% of your body weight. However, it is not easy to accomplish, begin with small steps. Incorporate regular physical activity into your daily routines such as walking up and down stairs, play with kids, walk during a phone conversation, gardening, and a lot more. Do regular exercise such as aerobic and weight training. Avoid sugar and refined simple carbohydrate and replace it with a healthy homemade meal.
- Stop diabetes - Help avoiding type 2 diabetes, stops pre-diabetes from progression towards diabetes, and improved blood glucose control if you already have diabetes. Losing weight increases insulin sensitivity that is lower insulin resistance.
- Get quality sleep - Research shows that losing 5 percent of your body weight can help you sleep better and longer throughout the night. What’s more? Shedding excess body weight can help alleviate sleep apnea and snoring.
- Lower Blood pressure - Losing 5 to 10% of weight, decreases your blood pressure by 5 mmHg on average.
- Reduced risk towards heart attack & stroke - Extra pounds of weight puts too much strain on your circulatory system, and your heart needs to pump harder. Losing weight reduces the strain on your heart and thus lower the risk towards a heart attack and stroke.
- Lower risk for Joint Pain - Extra weight on your midsection increases the everyday wear & tear of your joints. Losing weight put reduced strain on the skeletal frame and joints, which in turn lower the risk of joint pain.
- Improved Fertility - Epidemiological evidence clearly shows being obese has an adverse impact on reproductive health. An excess body weight causes sex hormone metabolic disturbances; this leads to menstrual disturbances, erection problem, and subfertility. Losing weight improves your sexual performance and fertility.
- Reduced psychological problems - Studies have shown that weight loss greatly enhances the quality of life and associated with increased self-esteem and lower rates of depression.
- No more Allergies - Additional weight strains your respiratory system and thus increased risk towards respiratory conditions. Losing weight might lower respiratory system strain, thus help alleviate allergy.
- Reduced Inflammation - In studies looking at the effect of excess weight especially abdominal fat cells produce a large number of substances that result in inflammation in blood vessels. This inflammation results in plaques and clots, which in turn causes strokes and heart attacks. Losing weight significantly lowers the levels of inflammatory substances circulating in the blood.
- Full of energy – Excess weight lower dopamine, which in turn increases body weight. Losing weight increases dopamine, which helps further weight reduction. Additionally, increased dopamine increases your energy level and enhances your mood.
- Improved immune function - Australian researchers found that for obese individuals, shedding just 10 pounds could straighten out an off-balance immune system.
- Ability to move around easily – No one will dispute, losing weight improves our ability to move around easily without any difficulty.
- Better Bladder Control - Losing weight lower the pressure to the abdomen and thus lessen urinary incontinence.
- Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s & Dementia - Weight loss lowered inflammatory chemical circulation in the bloodstream, thus reduce memory loss and chances of developing dementia.
- Increase life expectancy - Losing weight makes you healthier than before, this put you in a position to live a healthy long life.
You start respecting your body more. It is not easy to lose weight; it makes you discipline and persistence. You become an inspiration to others, and they too try to do the same and consult you as an expert.
Healthy Body mass index
The Body Mass Index or Quetelet index is a statistical measure of body weight based on a person's height. It is easy to measure and calculate, so most widely used tool to identify weight problems, such as underweight, overweight or obese.
BMI calculation formula
BMI calculation formula in SI units
BMI = Weight in kg is divided by the square of Height in meters.
BMI calculation formula in Imperial units
BMI = Weight in pounds is multiply by 703 and divided by the square of Height in inches.
Or
BMI = Weight in pounds is multiply by 4.88 and divided by the square of Height in feet.
Studies on the relationship between body mass index and serum cholesterol show a significant, direct association of BMI with total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in men. HDL-cholesterol was inversely relating to BMI in both sexes. Lower risk of CHD (coronary heart disease) in women compared with men or similar BMI.
- If the BMI is within 18.5 to 24.9, then it is considering as normal weight.
- If the BMI is within 25 to 29.9, then it is considering as overweight.
- If the BMI is 30 or greater, then it is considering as obese.
Healthy waist size
A waist measurement of 35 inches (40 inches for men) or more for women is one of the factors involved in the metabolic syndrome. It also indicates an increased risk of the obesity-related conditions, such as heart disease.
Many health experts are even more stringent in recommending a target of 30 inches or less for a woman and 35 for a man.
How to measure Waistline?
Here is the procedure to measure your waistline size.
- Take a measuring tape.
- An upper garment covering the waist should be removed, or at least hold it up with the hands.
- It is easy to identify the exact waistline; it is just a ½ inch above the belly button (navel).
- The measuring tape should hold just above the navel and wrap around the body. Confirm that the tape runs a perfect circle the waist without sag in between.
- During measurement, do not pull your stomach inwards and be relaxed.
- Note down the number that ends near the starting point of the tape; it is the waist size measurement.
8 Easy ways to lose weight
- Limit Sugar - On average, Americans eat about 15 teaspoons of added sugar each day. This excess of added sugar usually hidden in various processed foods, so you may be consuming a lot of sugar without even realizing it. Minimizing your intake of added sugar is a great way to improve your diet and weight.
- Avoid Refined Simple Carbs - Refined carbs have had most of their beneficial nutrients and fiber removed. The refining process leaves nothing but easily digested simple carbs. Refined simple carbs rich diet spikes blood glucose and insulin level, which in turn leads to inflammatory chemicals released into the bloodstream.
- Eat Slowly - Faster eaters are much more likely to become obese, compared to those who eat more slowly. Slow eating helps the body to signal satiety, and you start to reduce your diet intake.
- Avoid unhealthy fats - Replace unhealthy Fat such as Trans fat with Coconut Oil or Ghee. Studies show coconut oil can boost your metabolism, while help you eat fewer calories. Ghee helps digestion and metabolism, thus help lower your body weight. However, too much of oil/ghee will rise your body weight.
- Get Enough Sleep - Studies have shown sleep-deprived people are 55% more chance to become obese than those who get enough sleep. Sound sleep is important for weight loss.
- Eat More Fiber - Fiber increases the feeling of fullness and promotes the release of satiety hormones. Thus you eat less naturally, even without your knowledge. Fiber feeds friendly gut bacteria; this has linked with a reduced risk of obesity. However, you should increase your fiber intake gradually in steps to avoid abdominal discomforts such as bloating, cramps and diarrhea.
- Do Cardio — Jogging, running, cycling, power walking or hiking can help burn more calories and improve mental & physical wellbeing and promote weight loss.
- Do Resistance Exercises - Loss of muscle mass is a side effect of dieting, then your body will start burning fewer calories than before. Weightlifting built-up muscles and thus burn more calories in a healthy way.
6 Simple home remedies for weight loss
- Lemon Juice - Drink preferably unsweetened lemon juice (1/2 fruit squeezed in a glass of water) in the morning on an empty stomach. Lemon juice helps improve digestion and aids in detoxification. Good digestion is a most for weight loss.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - Drink one or two teaspoons of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar in a glass of water just before breakfast and dinner. It helps break down fat, prevents the accumulation of body fat, and thus lower weight.
- Aloe Vera - Aloe Vera stimulates the metabolism, increases energy consumption, mobilizes unused fat in the body and thus lower body weight.
- Green Tea - Replace soda or other drinks with green tea. Drink 3 to 4 cups of green tea daily help lose weight. You can combine it with ginger for more effective result.
- Hot Water Remedy - Switching from cold water to hot water can flush out the toxins from the vessels and boost metabolism, thus help lose weight easily.
- Ginger - Grate a little ginger and mix in some lime juice and Himalayan salt, chew this before meals help you lose weight.