Weight Loss For Arthritis Relief
If you’ve suffered from any kind of joint pain, including arthritis, even modest weight loss can actually significantly affect your pain. In short, research has shown that a 5% to 10% reduction in weight can make a significant difference in joint pain and exercise tolerance to help you lose more weight and even strengthen the muscles around the joint. But most experts realize that it is not easy to lose weight when you are in serious pain, especially when it’s arthritis related. But there are a few steps you can take and methods of exercise that actually place less stress on the joints.
First, make livable and reasonable goals. If you lose 50 or 60 pounds, that is fabulous. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. But not everybody is going to be able to lose that amount in a short time. So don’t worry about comparing yourself to everybody else and making bigger goals than the Smiths. Just keep your goals reasonable, lose 10 pounds at first, and then keep it off.
Second, stick to low impact exercises. Whether using the elliptical instead of the treadmill or using the lighter and less straining moves in yoga or pilates, it is important to learn a new way to exercise. If you put too much strain on your joints, you may lose weight. But you may also do more damage to your joints in the process. So try walking, swimming, or water aerobics as low impact, yet effective exercises.
Third, stick to a good diet. Don’t make a dramatic change all at once, because you are then destined to fail. Make a gradual change to more filling and nutrient dense foods. And more importantly, make sure to choose foods that are high in calcium so as to keep your bones healthy and help your joints as much as you can.
Finally, ask for help. Don’t let your pride get in the way of results. If you have a support network, you have somebody you can go to for advice or assistance, and you can even find somebody to diet and exercise with you if it will help you to achieve success.
All in all, even with joint pain or other conditions, weight loss is always possible, and it can even significantly improve certain conditions you may suffer from. You just have to choose the right exercises and diet for your particular outlook on life, whether contributing factors are your age, your diet, a health condition, or a joint condition, the results vary.