Benefits of Shedding A Few Pounds

Of course, the initial wave of compliments and comments from family, friends and co-workers is a big plus! But in addition to those positive comments (and looser jeans & clothes!), the many benefits of weight loss are almost immediate. In fact, new research is showing that taking off a few pounds (even if you have many more to lose) can improve your physical health by leaps and bounds.

"Research that has been accumulating over the last five to ten years is finally proving that even a modest weight loss of 5 percent to 10 percent of body weight can mean across-the-board health benefits," says Karen Miller-Kovach, M.S., R.D., lead scientist and the general manager of research and development at Weight Watchers International, Inc. The findings, which were summarized last year by a task force of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institute of Health, were gathered after a review of all the research on the topic. The findings are groundbreaking: They should encourage everyone losing weight to take pride in even the smallest losses - and take heart that their health is improving with every pound lost.

The biggest health bonus to a modest loss?  According to Miller-Kovach, it's the almost immediate drop in blood pressure and blood-cholesterol levels. "With even a 5 percent drop in total body weight, you see significant blood-pressure reduction," she says. Translated, that means if you're a 150-pound woman and lose, say eight pounds, you can improve your health profile significantly. "What we're learning is that a person doesn't need to reduce to an ideal body weight in order to have real health benefits."