There are at least 50 different health concerns that are more likely to occur in people who are overweight or obese. Heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and some diseases account for a significant percentage of U.S. deaths, but these categories also include less prevalent illnesses like gout and gallstones. More convincing still is the correlation between being overweight and depression, a general mood illness that can have severe consequences for daily functioning.

To avoid or reduce your risk of excess weight-related illnesses, you must strive to employ the best weight reduction strategies. These methods are working out, keeping a food diary, fasting periodically, cutting carbohydrate intake, and choosing the best weight loss diet for your goals. For this reason, this article covers the link between your weight and general health with some effective cardio for weight loss.

The Dangers of Being Overweight

The danger of developing severe health issues increases when body weight is consistently above the healthy range. Persons with excess body fat are at higher risk for serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and mental health issues.

Excess weight and depression

According to one study, those who are overweight are 55% more likely to experience significant depression throughout their lifetimes than those who are not overweight.

Also, other studies have shown a correlation between obesity and mental health issues, including depression, mania, and phobias. Still, others have found a stronger association between bipolar illness and a heightened risk of suicide.

So, how does being overweight increase the likelihood of depression?

Certain factors in a person’s everyday life and society at large can contribute to the development of mental health complications for people who are overweight or obese. Among these are:

Discrimination based on one’s weight: Society’s stigmatization of obesity is a significant barrier for people trying to lose weight. People who are overweight are often stigmatized and treated differently because of preconceived notions about their appearance, work ethic, and willpower.

These false beliefs can spread quickly across social networks, including families, friends, schools, and medical professionals. They can cause people to act in ways that hurt others’ self-esteem, career prospects, and health care.

Optimal living conditions: People who are overweight experience difficulties in their ability to perform physically demanding tasks at work.

Loneliness, social isolation, and difficulties coping with life’s challenges are all possible outcomes of being unable to participate in the activities one enjoys, such as going to social gatherings and traveling. Researchers have found a correlation between chronic pain and mental health issues.

Physiological problems include mental health risks or psychological burdens associated with obesity. Besides, some evidence suggests that having too much body fat and unhealthy eating habits raises inflammatory markers. Besides contributing to a weakened immune system, this heightened inflammation has been linked to an increased likelihood of developing depression.

Self-Esteem Issues: Low self-esteem often goes hand in hand with weight bias. Internalizing society’s prejudice towards overweight can make patients feel ashamed of their bodies and unhappy with their looks. Those who suffer from obesity may also worry about how others see them.

Excess weight, stroke, and heart disease

It’s not uncommon for people who are overweight to also have additional health issues, like high blood pressure or abnormally high levels of cholesterol or other blood fats. Both are risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke, two conditions that can develop simultaneously.

People who are overweight are around six times more likely to have high blood pressure than individuals who are average weight. The American Heart Association reports that an extra 22 pounds raise hypertension by 3 mm Hg in the systolic and 2.3 mm Hg in the diastolic directions, equivalent to a 24% increase in the likelihood of stroke.

Another study examined the link between being overweight and developing heart disease by combining data from 21 previous studies, including over 300,000. According to the results, the chance of developing heart disease increases by 32% in overweight people and 81% in those who are obese.

Authors conclude that even moderate quantities of extra weight can raise the chances of heart disease independently of those well-known hazards, with hypertension and cholesterol levels accounting for as much as 45% of the increased risk.

Body mass index and mortality or lifespan

When you’re overweight or obese, it might be challenging to do simple things like walking. Overweight people struggle more to complete simple tasks like walking, getting up from an unsupported chair, or even lifting 10 pounds. Experts assume that the increased prevalence of these issues is because people are overweight for extended periods of their lives.

Obesity or being overweight is associated with a reduced life expectancy due to their contribution to a wide range of severe health problems. In fact, midlife obesity has been linked to a 20%-40% higher mortality rate, according to some research. There was a two- to threefold increase in mortality among the obese population.

What are some of the best cardio exercises for weight loss?

To reduce several negative effects of obesity or overweight, you have to cut off on your weight, and you can achieve this by employing the best cardio for weight loss programs.

Low-intensity cardiovascular exercise

Low-intensity cardio can be beneficial for weight loss and calorie burning for beginners and people with physical limitations. Therefore, start engaging in activities like cycling, swimming, and jogging. As you become used to your new regimen, you can increase the difficulty.

Walking

Walking is an excellent calorie-burning, accessible, and low-impact exercise option for just about everybody, and it can offer various benefits to your heart. But a stroll in the evening won’t count as cardio. Exercising at a brisk, relatively fast tempo is optimal for fat loss. The Mayo Clinic suggests that regular, moderate walking can have these positive effects on your health:

  • Ensures a healthy weight
  • Build up your muscle and bone density.
  • Lift your spirits or mood
  • Boost your equilibrium and coordination.
  • Control or avoid weight-related illnesses like cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure

Jumping rope

In addition to its positive effects on coordination and mental acuity, jumping rope is an excellent cardiovascular workout that can increase your metabolic rate by roughly 1,300 burns per hour—alternate between jumping on one leg, both legs, and even in place for one set.

Image alt text: cardio for weight loss. An athlete doing swimming for weight loss.

Author credit: By Cpl. Earnest J. Barnes – https://web.archive.org/web/20080202213511/http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200572675630Photo ID: 200572675630Submitting Unit: Marine Barracks 8th & I, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1473804

Running upstairs

You’ll soon come to regard a set of steps as your preferred means of physical exertion. Whether you choose to sprint, lunge, or walk up the stairs, you will burn a lot of calories. Someone who weighs 150 pounds can burn up to 1000 calories in an hour by sprinting up and down the stairs.

Fortunately, you won’t have to run up and down flights of stairs at top speed to feel the positive effects. In just 10 minutes of climbing and descending stairs, a 160-pound person can burn 102 calories. Best of all, an excellent cross-training program may be completed in thirty min or less, allowing you to burn more calories than during a standard run.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

High-intensity interval training entails exerting oneself beyond one’s physical and mental limits by alternating between intensive work and rest periods.

The anaerobic and aerobic energy systems are trained and conditioned during HIIT workouts. These workouts are great for boosting cardiovascular fitness and reducing body fat in a shorter amount of time.

This exercise can be performed with weights and barbells, jogging and swimming, cycling, and elliptical machines. Typically, you’ll work out as hard as you can for 20-30 seconds, with only 10-20 seconds of recovery in between. When it comes to losing weight, HIIT eliminates the excuse of a lack of time, as just 20 minutes of HIIT is equivalent to the calorie and fat-burning benefits of up to a 60-minute jog.

Cycling

Low-impact cycling is excellent for your heart, legs, and waistline since it improves cardiovascular fitness, builds muscle, and speeds up metabolism. In addition to satisfying your hunger for exercise, the outdoorsy atmosphere of cycling might help you replenish your vitamin D and oxygen stores.

Other cardio for weight loss may include:

  • Rowing
  • Lunges
  • Swimming
  • Kettlebells

Conclusion

Cardiovascular exercises have several benefits to your health, including ensuring a healthy heart, improving your moods, boosting your immune and circulation, and assisting in cutting weight. They also help strengthen your bones and muscles, increase your confidence and efficiency, and ensure better sleep.

However, all these benefits will depend on choosing the various cardio for weight loss. Therefore, to help manage your weight, you can walk, cycle, run upstairs, swim, and do high-intensity interval training.