agardner
Monday, November 12, 2018 - 16:10
When was the last time you evaluated your weight loss goal?  If you’re like most people, you may have determined a goal weight without realizing that you can begin to see health benefits after losing just the first 5% of body fat.  Instead of chasing huge weight loss goals, focusing on just the first 5% can not only improve your physical and mental health, but it can also give you the encouragement and confidence that you need to stay consistent.


  • Even a small amount of initial fat loss can improve the way your vital organs function.The first 5% of fat loss can reduce the “visceral fat” in your body.  Visceral fat is the dangerous fat that surrounds your vital organs and impairs your body's ability to operate most efficiently.

  • The first 5% of fat loss can also reap huge heart health benefits by reducing your blood pressure and reducing the cholesterol that builds up in your arteries, which leads to heart disease. After losing the first 5% of body fat, the levels of triglycerides and blood sugar also decrease.

  • Losing the first 5% of body fat also improves your mental and emotional health, making it easier to stick with a consistent exercise routine and healthy diet.After losing a small amount of weight, people generally report feeling more optimistic, sleeping better, and experiencing higher levels of energy.  When you begin to feel better, you begin to want to workout and enjoy a healthy meal, leading to a more consistent lifestyle change.

  • Movement may begin to feel easier after just losing the first 5% of your body weight.Even the most routine movements like walking down the street or climbing a flight of stairs may feel challenging when you’re just getting started.  Even after a small amount of weight loss, those same once-challenging movements begin to feel more efficient and require less strain on your joints.

  • Small victories result in big self-esteem gains. When you begin to see early results from your weight loss efforts, you might also notice that your clothes begin to fit better and the way you see yourself improves.  Even if your ultimate goal remains daunting, knowing that you have the ability to make important changes in your body and lifestyle can make you feel more optimistic about continuing with a healthy lifestyle.


So now that you know you don’t need to achieve your ultimate weight loss goal to begin to see remarkable health improvements, how do you get there?  A great place to start is with FitClub’s In-Body System that can measure your body composition. This service is included in your FitClub membership and can be scheduled at the front desk of any location. Having an accurate picture of what your body is made of can help you make sense of the numbers and break your weight loss goal down into more manageable, achievable chunks.  Working with a personal trainer at FitClub can also ensure that you’re chasing the healthiest goals for your body and doing it in a way that keep you motivated, injury-free, and living a healthier lifestyle for life.