Many of us are carrying a few extra pounds. Perhaps they’ve crept on gradually over the years, perhaps they’re the “Freshman 15”, or perhaps they’ve been present since early childhood.
It is easy to get complacent. Okay, we know we could do with losing that extra weight, but the thought of dieting and exercise just seems like too much hard work – it’s not going to make much difference, is it?
Since my late teens, I’ve lost nearly a third of my body weight (50 lbs). The knock-on effect on the rest of my life has been dramatic, and if you’re carrying an extra 10, 20 or 50 lbs, you too could gain all of this by losing them:
Instant Confidence Boost
For those who are naturally shy or awkward in social situations, being overweight makes things far worse. Do you covertly glance around a group of friends or colleagues to see if you’re the largest person in the room? Do you struggle to find outfits that flatter your figure – and resort to shapeless clothes which hide as much of you as possible?
Whether you just want to blend in with the crowd, and not stand out as bigger than all your friends, or whether you’d like to be the center of attention for once, feeling good about your body is a direct shortcut to build your confidence.
More Energy
Carrying around an extra 20lbs is like lugging a heavy rucksack everywhere with you. If you feel tired and lethargic, and if you often procrastinate over things you want to get done, being overweight may be the root cause.
I have every sympathy for overweight people who struggle to exercise – the more you weigh, the harder it is. But every pound you lose will make it that bit easier, and being more active has a huge host of benefits:
- Counters stress and mild depression
- Helps you sleep better
- Regulates your appetite
- Builds muscle (meaning that weight will stay off)
Making healthier food choices also makes a huge difference. Have you noticed how you feel sleepy and lazy after a big meal or a lot of junk food? Fresh fruit and vegetables, lean proteins and wholegrain carbs all give you sustained energy and make you feel vibrant and enthusiastic about your goals.
Better Career Opportunities
There’s a strong bias against overweight people in the media, which trickles down into every aspect of life. Unconscious as well as deliberate discrimination takes place all the time; if you’ve gone for a job interview and failed to get the position, it may be that you had similar skills and experience to the winning candidate – who was slim.
Of course, no-one should be discriminated against on the grounds of their body shape. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to counter the associations which many people have with fatness; when meeting someone for the first time, we all make judgements on appearance, and “overweight” often equates to “lazy”, “greedy” or “lacking self-control”.
However you feel about this (personally, I believe that such attitudes and prejudices need to change!), you can’t influence how another person judges you. And if you’re lacking confidence in yourself because of your weight, you’re unlikely to be pushing for that pay-rise or promotion.
Sense of Achievement
Successfully losing weight, especially if you’ve been carrying those pounds for a long, long time, is an amazing thing to do. You’ll have reached a visible, measurable goal that has huge knock-on benefits in all areas of your life … and you’ll feel great! If you struggle to complete projects, if you have plans and ambitions that fizzle out to nothing, losing weight just might be that first big goal that gives you a real sense of achievement and fires you up for more.
Look up your healthy weight-range today. If your BMI is over 25, set a target weight, and start on what could be the best journey of your life … so far. It’s just the beginning….
Do you have a story of how shaping up changed your life? Please share it in the comments below.
This was a guest post by Ali Hale. She runs a blog called The Office Diet which is aimed at busy office workers who are struggling to lose weight.
Your right on the job thing Ali, sad though that is in this day and age.
Another benefit is the reduced probability of snoring and/or sleep apnea and all that entails.
Hi Ali – I’ve lost 65 pounds since last June and have documented everything on my site:
http://www.amanreborn.com
I’m just over halfway to where I’d like to be, but I have already experienced all of the benefits you’ve listed. The boosts to my confidence and energy levels have been amazing and have definitely carried over to all aspects of my life.
You are spot on when you say that getting in shape is a journey – I had to see it as a journey and not a destination before everything finally clicked for me and I found success.
Salar
Hey Salar,
65 pounds is a fantastic distance to have travelled on the journey so far … well done! Glad you’ve had the same benefits I did, too. It’ll be downhill from this point on.
Good luck for the rest of the way!
Ali
Five years ago I lost 17kg. During this time I changed a lot. I made new friends and became much more self-confident. Now I would describe myself as a pretty fit average guy.
Losing weight definetly helped me to make these changes but I don’t know whether it was the cause.
It is very much about changing not only your dress size but your mindset too.
I’m working on a plan, for all of the reasons you’ve listed here and more. Now I just have to figure out how to make it work…
Hey Nicky,
Just figure out the first step you need to take, and do it. Then figure out the next. Even if your destination seems a long way off at the moment, you’ll get there in the end.
It’s a great journey — enjoy it!
Ali
“The greatest mistake a man can make is to sacrifice health for any other advantage” – Arthur Schopenhauer
Ali,
Great article! Thanks for sharing your story with our readers.
While I have never struggled with weight, I have been less active than I would like in recent times. I hit the gym over the weekend, and today I feel all the things you mention in your article – increased energy, increased confidence, etc.
If I knew about body weight exercises earlier, and how effective they were, I would have lost 70 lbs. sooner. They are easy to learn, you can do them at home (no gym), and are in some ways better than lifting weights (tighter and “snappy-er” muscle, and easier on the joints. Push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and pull ups.
They are easy to find on the internet, and lessons on Youtube or other video services.
Easy, cheap, and effective. Do it! I cannot stress body weight exercises enough!
What pushed me over the edge into a healthy life was building up to launching my own company. I surveyed the landscape of successful CEO’s, start up guru’s, etc…and didn’t see to many that were tired and fat. I figured that if I couldn’t manage my own body, how could someone expect me to manage people, money, etc. I realize there are exceptions but I had to start with me.
I have always struggled with my weight, not really bad but I am 20lb overweight. Food is my problem and puddings especially! Apple crumble.
And my wife is very slim, eats anything and doesn’t put on weight – she can’t!
So recently I have become much more active. My wife and I have started Latin and Ballroom dancing lessons.
And I have just purchased a Wii and the WiiFit game. I am determined to get my weight down but I need some fun doing it. So far it is working.
Andrew
While I appreciate the article, I did want to correct one inaccuracy. While people frequently talk about the “freshman 15,” most college students do not gain 15 pounds during the freshman year.
While some students do gain weight their first year, the average is about only 6 pounds for men and 4.5 pounds for women. See:
http://enews.tufts.edu/stories/011102Freshman15AMyth.htm
It’s important for students (and others) to know that this is a myth.
Thanks!
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
Thanks — I intended to use it as popular shorthand for “weight you put on at college” and put it in quotation marks to try to denote that. But I definitely should have been clearer; I didn’t intend to mislead readers!
Cheers,
Ali
I don’t have a story to share, but I appreciate the inspiration. I’m not seriously overweight, but I would like to be better shape… and you’re right, getting in shape has to be one of the fastest ways to change your life.
Thanks.
[...] Shape up your body, shape up your life Successfully losing weight, especially if you’ve been carrying those pounds for a long, long time, is an amazing thing to do. You’ll have reached a visible, measurable goal that has huge knock-on benefits in all areas of your life … and you’ll feel great! If you struggle to complete projects, if you have plans and ambitions that fizzle out to nothing, losing weight just might be that first big goal that gives you a real sense of achievement and fires you up for more. [...]
this is so true, thanks!!!