Lipedema is not weight-related but it can coexist with obesity and is often confused by other conditions. Here's how you can identify & self-diagnose lipedema.
April 17, 2025
Table of Contents
There is no denying that weight loss can be a challenge. Losing all that excess weight in one go would be ideal, but the body doesn’t and shouldn’t work that way – and for excellent reasons too. Think of weight loss as slowly chipping away what’s not needed and realise that even the slightest loss is still a gain for your overall well-being and health.
Here’s how a modest weight loss is still significant enough to ensure better health.
A matter of the heart
Cholesterol is a dreaded word, but there is good and bad cholesterol. A modest weight loss can effectively boost the heart’s health and, along with it, good cholesterol levels as well. This reduces the risk of heart disease and enables the organ to perform as it should.
Keeping inflammation in check
Inflammation is how the body responds to things like injuries, which is not a bad thing on a short-term and acute level. However, chronic inflammation increases the risk of diseases like heart disease and cancer, and others. Weight loss brought on by proper diet and exercise decreases inflammation while boosting the body’s immune function. It doesn’t take much for these changes to occur; a weight loss of as little as 5 percent puts you and your body on the path to better health.
Mood elevation
True health is about the body and mind. A modest 5 percent weight loss may seem negligible or insignificant, but the good it does extends beyond just what you see. It results in better sleep and improved moods. Getting adequate sleep is essential in regulating appetite and helps keep frustrations and other negative emotions at bay. With a better mood and positive outlook, the changes you experience encompass the body and mind.
A weight off the joints
As we age, we will realise the importance of bone health even more. Excess weight puts extra pressure on our joints resulting in more wear and tear, particularly on the knee cartilage. This often leads to poor joint health. Losing just a little weight takes, literally, some weight off and reduces the damage as well as the likelihood of osteoarthritis.
You don’t have to lose much weight to realise the many benefits of weight loss. A modest loss is a good start, and more importantly, it is a motivator once you start seeing the positive changes it does to your body and mind.
