How good does it feel to be light on your feet? How good does it feel knowing you may live a longer, healthier life?

How well will you sleep knowing you can accomplish most anything you want the next day -- your obesity won't be a barrier?

There are obviously many benefits acquired from losing weight. Though losing weight is admittedly not easy, the long term effects will be of help to anyone who suffers from unwanted and unhealthy excess weight.

The following are some of the remarkable benefits from losing excess weight:

Weight loss often reduces the pain of osteoarthritis

When one weighs a lot, the joints of his or her hips, knees, and lower back have to exert double or triple the effort to carry him or her throughout daily life. This can cause stress and tension on these joints. Weight loss decreases the load these joints must carry, decreasing or eliminating the pain of osteoarthritis.

Weight loss can improve sleep apnea

Or it can eliminate it all together. Sleep apnea is a condition wherein one can temporarily stop breathing for a brief period and then continue to snore heavily. Sleep apnea may result in or sleepiness or drowsiness during the day, and in some people leads to heart failure. Shedding excess weight could help in eliminating this problem.

Weight loss reduces cancer risk

Being overweight has been linked with a number of kinds of cancer. Specially for women, common cancers that are associated with being overweight include cancer of the breast, ovary, gallbladder, uterus, and colon. We are not trying to scare you, but rather to keep you informed. Men are also at risk for cancer if they are overweight. These may include cancer of the prostate, rectum, and colon. Excess weight, a diet high in cholesterol and fat, and lack of exercise should be avoided.

Type 2 Diabetes and weight loss

Diabetes puts one's life in jeopardy, and reduces lifestyle choices for many people because of its complications. Both types of diabetes, type one and type two have been regularly linked with being overweight. To those who already have diabetes, losing weight and getting regular exercise could help in controlling your blood sugar levels. Start to improve now, but increasing your physical activity. You could simply dance, jog, or walk. Any activity you find enjoyable will help you to do it more regularly, and once that begins to happen, unnecessary weight will slip away.

High blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease reduction

There is a three-in-one benefit gained from losing weight. Researchers have established that stroke and heart disease are among the primary reasons for death and disability in both men and women in the United States. People who are overweight have a serious risk of also having high levels of cholesterol, as well as "blood fat" triglycerides. One type of heart disease, angina, can cause chest pains as well as a decrease in the oxygen available to the heart.

Many heart symptoms strike with little warning. By decreasing your weight by a mere 5 to 10 percent, you may positively decrease the chances of developing heart disease or stroke. The other benefits listed above should be enough to convince anyone that matters of the heart...matter! Now the next step is up to you. Will you take it?