Warning Signs You’re Becoming Obese
Gaining weight isn’t bad if it’s healthy and within normal limits. However, if it gets out of hand, it can cause many problems. Serious health problems, that is. Studies show that obesity and excess weight are suspected to be the cause of over 200 documented complications. Liver cirrhosis, cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, fertility, and some forms of cancer are just some of the reoccurring problems. Therefore, if you have a problem with excess weight or you’re worrying you’re one step away from obesity, you’ll have to do something about it. Consulting your doctor would be ideal. However, let’s first find out what are some of the warning signs you’re becoming obese.
Rising blood pressure
When you weigh more, your heart has to pump much harder in order to get the blood through your whole body. The harder the heart pumps, the higher your blood pressure is. That implies that if you’re becoming obese, your blood pressure is instantly higher than normal. Additionally, people with excess weight undergo certain hormonal changes that can also cause higher blood pressure.
When obesity leads to high blood pressure, it raises the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and kidney problems. Therefore, high blood pressure is one of the first warning signs you’re becoming obese and one step away from other health complications.
Increased blood sugar levels
Besides rising blood pressure, increased blood sugar is also one of the warning signs you’re becoming obese. Simply put, insulin resistance develops as a result of obesity, which means you require more and more insulin to store sugar. Eventually, that compensating capability is depleted, and blood sugar levels begin to increase.
Unfortunately, obesity is thought to be responsible for increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes by80-85%. Additionally, a new study reveals that obese persons are up to 80 times more likely than those with a BMI (body mass index) of less than 22 to acquire type 2 diabetes.
Bad cholesterol profile
Cholesterol is an excellent indicator of your general health. If your HDL (good) cholesterol is down, your triglycerides are rising (sometimes dramatically), and your LDL (bad) cholesterol is growing, it might mean you’re gaining weight. In addition, we already mentioned that insulin is a hormone that causes your body to go into storage mode. LDL, the cholesterol that is stored in the body, increases while HDL, the cholesterol-elimination type, decreases and, thus, TGs, a condensed storage form of sugar, increase.
This is a simplified version of how our cholesterol levels change when we gain weight. It’s important to regularly test these levels in order to be sure about your overall health.
Snoring more
Believe it or not, increased snoring might be one of the first warning signs you’re becoming obese. So, if your loved one is complaining that you’re snoring more, it might be related to your weight. And how is that? Simple! Obese people snore when sleeping because their weight raises the risk of obstructive sleep apnea owing to excess weight around the neck. So, if you ever think you’re snoring because you’re too tired, think again. Maybe you’re becoming obese.
Shortness of breath
People who are obese have a problem with moving around effortlessly. Since any kind of activity is a burden for them, it comes as no surprise that they suffer from shortness of breath. Additionally, excess fat in their body may cause complications with airflow getting in and out of the lungs. If you notice you’re getting out of breath even due to minor activities, you might be gaining more weight than recommended. This is something you have to discuss with your doctor.
In addition, an effective solution to this kind of problem is usually a more active lifestyle. This doesn’t mean going to the gym five times a week but simply moving more. For example, you can go for a 20-minute walk around the block every day. If you’re not feeling too exhausted, you can even consider setting up a home gym. Find a space where you can exercise 2 or 3 times a week from the comfort of your home. Of course, you should do some light exercises for your knees, back, and joints that will give you a little bit more strength.
Aching and soring easily
Gaining more and more weight puts massive pressure on your whole body, especially your knees, back, and joints. That’s why one of the warning signs you’re becoming obese might be excessive knee or back pain and constantly sore joints. All this pressure can harm your posture as well, making it hard for you to even walk. Unfortunately, obese people are also prone to more injuries because all that pressure weakens your bones. That’s why staying active and eating healthy is crucial in this situation.
Problematic skin
This may come as a surprise, but obesity can cause various skin disorders. Darkened, velvety regions around the neck and body folds may form due to hormonal changes. Moreover, stretch marks can appear as a result of constant skin stretching. The development of germs and even fungus might be aided by the retention of moisture in body folds as a result of extra weight. Furthermore, corns and calluses on your feet might also be early warning signs you’re becoming obese. So, if you want to avoid all these problems, you have to be careful about your diet.
The appearance of Varicose veins
Varicose veins are enlarged and abnormally shaped blood vessels resulting from a deterioration of the vessel wall. They occur as clumps of blue or purple veins encircled by tiny red capillaries, also known as spider veins, in certain situations. It’s a known fact that obesity can cause varicose veins. Unfortunately, this problem can be pretty unpleasant and usually extremely painful, especially if the breakage of these veins occurs.
Conclusion
Obesity can cause many complications with your health, as you can see. Moreover, there are many indicators the weight you’re gaining is creating issues in your body. That’s why you have to pay attention to these warning signs you’re becoming obese. Our bodies usually give us signals when something isn’t right, so we need to listen closely and carefully. This is the only chance to get things back on track in time. Otherwise, you’ll be facing some more significant problems soon. So, don’t play with your health; nurture it!
