Metabolic Syndrome: Losing Excess Weight

Metabolic syndrome is a set of five health factors that can lead to serious health problems. The factors greatly increase your risk for diabetes, heart attack, or stroke. Extra weight with a large waist is one of the factors for metabolic syndrome. Being overweight or obese means that you weigh too much for what is healthy for your height. A large waist size is 40 inches or more for men, and 35 inches or more for women.  But you can take steps to lose weight and lower your risk for serious health problems.

Benefits of weight loss

Even with a small weight loss, you may have more energy and feel better. Losing even a small amount of weight can affect your blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and blood sugar. You may be able to take less medicine for blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar. Or you may be able to stop taking medicine. As you lose weight, your risk for diabetes, heart attack, and stroke will get lower.

Getting started

The best way to lose weight is to do it gradually. For example, lose 1/2 to 1 pound a week. You will need to be more active and eat healthier foods. Make sure to:

• Exercise every day. Talk with your healthcare provider to make sure it is safe for you to exercise. Make sure you start slowly. Begin with 10 to 15 minutes of activity. Try to exercise or be active for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. You can exercise all at once or break it up into 10- or 15-minute sessions. And think about other ways you can be more active throughout the day.

• Eat healthy foods. Most successful dieters make changes in what, when, and how much they eat. The best way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories. You should make sure you check your portion sizes, eat breakfast, plan your meals and snacks, and eat slowly.

Working with your healthcare provider

Talk with your healthcare provider. He or she can guide you through the process of losing weight. As you begin to make changes, your healthcare provider will:

• Check your weight loss progress

• Check your blood pressure and blood test results

• Talk with you about your results

• Make suggestions about diet and exercise

• Recommend other experts or programs

• Make changes to your medicines and help with any side effects

Getting additional support

It can be hard to make healthy lifestyle changes. It may take some time to create new habits.  Your healthcare provider may suggest other experts or programs to help you, such as:

• Health coach. A health coach gives ongoing support and makes suggestions to help you with healthy lifestyle changes, like weight loss.

• Weight loss programs. There are many safe weight loss programs. Some are free or low-cost.

• Dietitian. He or she can help you make changes to your diet.

• Exercise specialist. He or she can help you with an exercise plan.

• Occupational therapist. He or she can help you make lifestyle changes to help you lose weight more effectively, particularly if you already have health issues or complications. 

• Counselor. A counselor can help you deal with your feelings and emotions. There are psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers who specialize in weight problems.

• Bariatric or obesity specialist. These healthcare providers are experts in obesity. They can help with diet, exercise, behavioral therapy or counseling, medicines for weight loss, and very low-calorie diets.

• Bariatric surgeon. Weight loss surgery may be a choice. But it is only advised for people who are over a certain weight, who have health problems because of their weight, and who have not been able to lose weight with other treatments.

Keeping the weight off

After losing weight, keeping it off can be even harder. Don’t give up. Make sure to:

• Keep exercising. That means at least 40 to 60 minutes most days of the week.

• Keep eating healthy foods. Continue eating foods that are healthy and avoiding those that aren’t.

• Stay motivated. Watch your health improve. If you eat something unhealthy or skip exercising, don’t give up. Simply make your next choice a healthy one.