3 Mental Health Benefits to Losing Weight

We all know there are endless physical benefits to losing weight, but we don’t talk as much about the benefits to our mental health.

From reducing social anxiety to increasing your positivity and optimism, there’s a whole host of mental benefits to focusing your attention on reducing your weight but here are our top 3 mental health benefits to losing weight we think everyone should focus on if they’re looking for motivation to carry on with their weight loss journey:

Reduces Social Anxiety

Many people who are overweight or simply unhappy with their body, suffer from social anxiety and by losing weight and getting fitter, you can dramatically improve this.

Situations such as eating out, public transport and meeting new people for the first time can all become increasingly anxiety-inducing if you’re not happy with your size. They can all feel like intimidating scenarios, but by getting fitter and healthier, your confidence will automatically increase and you’ll naturally feel less anxious.

Boosts Self Esteem and Confidence

Another pretty self-explanatory mental health benefit to losing weight is a boost in self-esteem and confidence.

Feeling better in your appearance kickstarts a whole host of other confidence boosts as you’re more likely to go out of your comfort zone and try new things.

Confidence is a physical trait too, so not only are you more likely to believe in yourself but that increased self-esteem is visible in the way you hold yourself and a genuine smile on your face.

Improves Symptoms of Depression

A lot of people who have become overweight or unhappy with their weight begin to feel low or depressed. Depression in itself can affect the way you eat, causing some people to gain weight, whilst others lose it, but if you’re feeling depressed about your weight and turn to food for comfort, this can be a vicious cycle.

Taking action to improve your health and lose weight will, as mentioned above, improve your confidence which in turn, is likely to make you feel more positive, optimistic and reduce the symptoms of depression you’re experiencing.

It’s important that you choose to lose weight in a realistic and sustainable way as fad diets and intense exercise plans often aren’t easy to keep up with long term and can result in weight loss followed by more weight gain. So, to care for your physical and mental health when losing weight, we always advise a guided and realistic route.

When there are mental health benefits as well as physical benefits to losing weight, why would you not want to make this change in your life?

Start your slimming journey today by getting in touch with your local Bodyline Clinic and find out how we can help you become the slimmest yet happiest version of yourself.