The Benefits of Healthy Weight Loss—and How to Get There

The evidence is more than just anecdotal. Data from a study of the lifetime health and economic benefits of weight loss among obese persons found evidence of increased quality of life for those participants who sustained a ten-percent weight loss. The study showed that, depending on age, gender, and initial BMI, weight loss would:

1. Reduce the expected number of years of life with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and type 2 diabetes;
2. Reduce the expected lifetime incidence of coronary heart disease and stroke;
3. Increase life expectancy by 2 to 7 months; and
4. Reduce expected lifetime medical care costs of these 5 diseases by $2200 to $5300.

So what’s the best way to lose that ten percent, or that stubborn ten pounds? Diets and lifestyle choices abound, and each book, website, television show, or exercise program can quickly and easily convince you of why it’s the best option for you. Regardless, there are certain tenets of successful weight loss which are (nearly) irrefutable. 

Know where you’re starting from. Take body measurements and weigh yourself.  Knowing this information will give you a baseline to gauge your progress.

Pick a reasonable goal. To be successful, pick a goal you feel certain you can attain within a set amount of time. One pound per week is the general rule of thumb.  

Be accountable. Share your goal with someone else, whether it’s a spouse, or a colleague; begin working with a trainer, or connect with someone with a similar goal in an online forum. They will act as an accountability partner to keep you focused and on-target. 

Eat. Find a diet that works for you. It doesn’t need to come from a current bestseller, just what works for, and feels sustainable to you. 

Move. Besides food, exercise is where potential weight-losers get hung up. Pick an activity you love, and do it. Start slow if you need to, but make a commitment and follow through by getting enough exercise on a regular basis. 

Kick-starting your weight loss efforts with a cleanse or detox can be just what you need to get motivated. With the potential to help you feel better and cleaner—not to mention losing a few pounds right off the bat—Herbal Clean products from QPretox and Simply Slender Master Cleanse to the Fixx and our Premium Detox 7-Day Complete Cleansing System, there’s something for every body.