Being nutrition authors we know the drill. In this business, every spring hits with New Year, New You. All the new diet books come out promising a better YOU…not that they really know who you are, or what your personal goals are. The TV shows show off spring fashion and brightly colored fruits and vegetables get center stage in magazine recipes. Then, Memorial Day hits and the media moves to bathing suit season with headlines such as, “How to get that beach body in only 1 week” or “Drop those final ten to be bikini ready.” Right? You know how it goes. You’ve seen it year after year. And while we do believe there is a certain perk for looking the way you always wanted to in a skimpy little next to nothing bikini, or those new board shorts, on the beach, we want you to know that THERE ARE MORE BENEFITS TO LOSING WEIGHT THAN LOOKING GOOD IN A BATHING SUIT.

Here are 15 benefits from, head to toe, (above and beyond the visual perks) of losing weight:

1. HEAD – You reduce your risk of depression! Not only will you look better but mentally you will feel better too. Obese individuals have a 4.6 times greater chance of suffering from major depression.
2. THROAT – You reduce your risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea! You know how difficult it is to function without a good night sleep. Most morbidly obese develop this sleep depriving condition.
3. BREASTS – You are far less likely to develop breast cancer! This should be a no-brainer. No one wants to suffer through breast cancer. Studies show that you increase your risk by 200% by packing on the pounds.
4. LUNGS – You can breath easier without asthma! How can you enjoy the crisp ocean air if you can’t breath it in? By managing your weight both men and woman can reduce your risk of asthma by 85%.
5. HEART-You will get sunny blood pressure readings! Don’t let the Doc put a damper on your day by reporting your blood pressure is through the roof. Individuals who maintain a healthy weight reduce their risk of hypertension by 600%.
6. PANCREAS – You can’t wear summer sandals if you have to get a foot amputated due to diabetes. While that may be a bit harsh… it’s true! And better yet, it is avoidable. You can annihilate the risk of diabetes (reduce it 7-fold), by not becoming overweight or obese.
7. LIVER – You can avoid 3 liver related health conditions & diseases! Avoid becoming one of the 76% of all obese adults with non-alcohol fatty liver disease, reduce risk of cirrhosis and decrease risk of liver cancer by over 400%. Your liver will surely thank you.
8. KIDNEY – You don’t have to suffer from kidney stones. This summer play in the sand and avoid the stones. Individuals who are overweight increase their chances of getting painful kidney stones by up to 200%.
9. BOWELS – Cancel out the chances of cancer down below! That’s right! You have an impressive 65% decrease in likelihood of getting rectal cancer. But, better yet… you reduce likelihood of colon cancer by a whopping 93%.
10. UTERUS – Fertility…Fertility…Fertility! That’s right, ladies. You odds of conceiving go way up if you weight is in a healthy range. 90% of obese women who lost weight resumed ovulation, and 78% were then able to become pregnant. BABY… those are some great odds!
11. OVARIES – Reduce risk of PCOS! Those small cysts are big problems. 50% of all women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are overweight or obese. Reduce your odds and your ovaries will thank you.
12. TESTES – Those little guys need to get their swim on! Losing weight can help a guy’s fertility as well. Dropping the extra pounds increased sperm count, semen quality and reproductive hormones.
13. LEGS – Enjoy being pain free by reduce risk of arthritis! Did you know that diabetes is linked to arthritis? …As are all the diseases caused by inflammation. We already shared that losing weight reduces diabetes so studies show that because of this you can also reduce risk of arthritis by 440%.
14. YOUR WHOLE BODY – Overall Cancer Prevention! All cancers, with the exception of lung, stomach and bladder, have been linked to obesity. This means that your odds of living a healthy, cancer free life are HUGELY improved by simply staying at a healthy weight.
15. YOU – MIND AND BODY… YOU CAN THRIVE! – You deserve to achieve your goals, live the life you dream of, and share it with those you love. Your ability to be a good friend, co-worker, lover, spouse, or parent depends on your ability to stay healthy to be there for others. The only way you can be there for others is to start being there for yourself today!

With all this said we don’t want you to simply start the summer starvation diet. That is not a solution. In fact, reducing your caloric intake and increasing your caloric output through intense exercise will actually INCREASE your odds for many of these conditions. That is because you will put yourself in a state of deep micronutrient deficiency by doing this. So, instead lose weight using a smart, sustainable and micronutrient sufficient method. Not only will micronutrient sufficiency help you to avoid creating those health conditions and diseases, but it will also increase your body’s ability to maintain a healthy metabolism, and hormonal balance. This means you can lose weight faster and more efficiently. You can learn all about our weight loss protocol in our new book The Micronutrient Miracle.