Losing Weight Can Reduce Your Risk Of Disease (VIDEO)

Losing weight and keeping the pounds off is a goal many people have, but now research shows that staying healthy can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer.

Loading Slideshow

• Susan BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/07/i-lost-weight-susan-anderson_n_3288056.html" target="_blank">Read Susan's story here.</a>

• Susan AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/07/i-lost-weight-susan-anderson_n_3288056.html" target="_blank">Read Susan's story here.</a>

• Lori BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/10/i-lost-weight-lori-filipiak_n_3288185.html" target="_blank">Read Lori's story here.</a>

• Lori AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/10/i-lost-weight-lori-filipiak_n_3288185.html" target="_blank">Read Lori's story here.</a>

• Natasha BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/05/i-lost-weight-natasha-bunby_n_3279886.html" target="_blank">Read Natasha's story here.</a>

• Natasha AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/05/i-lost-weight-natasha-bunby_n_3279886.html" target="_blank">Read Natasha's story here.</a>

• Lisa BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/03/i-lost-weight-lisa-thompson_n_3224682.html" target="_blank">Read Lisa's story here.</a>

• Lisa AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/03/i-lost-weight-lisa-thompson_n_3224682.html" target="_blank">Read Lisa's story here.</a>

• Patty BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/28/i-lost-weight-patty-loeffler_n_3201052.html" target="_blank">Read Patty's story here.</a>

• Patty AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/28/i-lost-weight-patty-loeffler_n_3201052.html" target="_blank">Read Patty's story here.</a>

• Dani BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/29/i-lost-weight-dani-holmes-kirk_n_3247225.html" target="_blank">Read Dani's story here.</a>

• Dani AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/29/i-lost-weight-dani-holmes-kirk_n_3247225.html" target="_blank">Read Dani's story here.</a>

• James BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/31/i-lost-weight-james-brice_n_3266806.html" target="_blank">Read James's story here.</a>

• James AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/31/i-lost-weight-james-brice_n_3266806.html" target="_blank">Read James's story here.</a>

• Albert BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/24/i-lost-weight-albert-rivera_n_3188599.html" target="_blank">Read Albert's story here.</a>

• Albert AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/24/i-lost-weight-albert-rivera_n_3188599.html" target="_blank">Read Albert's story here.</a>

• Sherrisse-Lee BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/22/i-lost-weight-sherrisse-lee-lewis_n_3178545.html" target="_blank">Read Sherrisse-Lee's story here.</a>

• Sherrisse-Lee AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/22/i-lost-weight-sherrisse-lee-lewis_n_3178545.html" target="_blank">Read Sherrisse-Lee's story here.</a>

• Marcus BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/i-lost-weight-marcus-anderson_n_3178182.html" target="_blank">Read Marcus's story here.</a>

• Marcus AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/i-lost-weight-marcus-anderson_n_3178182.html" target="_blank">Read Marcus's story here.</a>

• River BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/17/i-lost-weight-river-jack_n_3163443.html" target="_blank">Read River's story here.</a>

• River AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/17/i-lost-weight-river-jack_n_3163443.html" target="_blank">Read River's story here.</a>

• Victoria BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/15/i-lost-weight-victoria-york_n_3155351.html" target="_blank">Read Victoria's story here.</a>

• Victoria AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/15/i-lost-weight-victoria-york_n_3155351.html" target="_blank">Read Victoria's story here.</a>

• Mary BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/13/i-lost-weight-mary-riddle_n_3155621.html" target="_blank">Read Mary's story here.</a>

• Mary AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/13/i-lost-weight-mary-riddle_n_3155621.html" target="_blank">Read Mary's story here.</a>

• Kristina BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/10/i-lost-weight-kristina-davis_n_3139651.html" target="_blank">Read Kristina's story here.</a>

• Kristina AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/10/i-lost-weight-kristina-davis_n_3139651.html" target="_blank">Read Kristina's story here.</a>

• Theresa BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/08/i-lost-weight-theresa-borawski_n_3061234.html" target="_blank">Read Theresa's story here.</a>

• Theresa AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/08/i-lost-weight-theresa-borawski_n_3061234.html" target="_blank">Read Theresa's story here.</a>

• Christian BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/06/i-lost-weight-christian-anthony_n_3056324.html" target="_blank">Read Christian's story here.</a>

• Christian AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/06/i-lost-weight-christian-anthony_n_3056324.html" target="_blank">Read Christian's story here.</a>

• Katey BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/29/i-lost-weight-katey-dyck_n_2973114.html" target="_blank">Read Katey's story here.</a>

• Katey AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/29/i-lost-weight-katey-dyck_n_2973114.html" target="_blank">Read Katey's story here.</a>

• Tom BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-w-watson/weight-loss-success_b_3117782.html" target="_blank">Read Tom's story here.</a>

• Tom AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-w-watson/weight-loss-success_b_3117782.html" target="_blank">Read Tom's story here.</a>

• Mandi BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/26/i-lost-weight-mandi-toan_n_2972936.html" target="_blank">Read Mandi's story here.</a>

• Mandi AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/26/i-lost-weight-mandi-toan_n_2972936.html" target="_blank">Read Mandi's story here.</a>

• Crystal BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/22/i-lost-weight-crystal-english_n_2956353.html" target="_blank">Read Crystal's story here.</a>

• Crystal AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/22/i-lost-weight-crystal-english_n_2956353.html" target="_blank">Read Crystal's story here.</a>

• Leah BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/i-lost-weight-leah-smith_n_2916032.html" target="_blank">Read Leah's story here.</a>

• Leah AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/i-lost-weight-leah-smith_n_2916032.html" target="_blank">Read Leah's story here.</a>

• Vanessa BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/24/i-lost-weight-vanessa-rabb_n_2972663.html" target="_blank">Read Vanessa's story here.</a>

• Vanessa AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/24/i-lost-weight-vanessa-rabb_n_2972663.html" target="_blank">Read Vanessa's story here.</a>

• Teresa BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/17/i-lost-weight-teresa-kidd_n_2907724.html" target="_blank">Read Teresa's story here.</a>

• Teresa AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/17/i-lost-weight-teresa-kidd_n_2907724.html" target="_blank">Read Teresa's story here.</a>

• Jenalee BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/15/i-lost-weight-jenalee-hill_n_2902874.html" target="_blank">Read Jenalee's story here.</a>

• Jenalee AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/15/i-lost-weight-jenalee-hill_n_2902874.html" target="_blank">Read Jenalee's story here.</a>

• Donesha BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/10/i-lost-weight-donesha-bolden_n_2862429.html" target="_blank">Read Donesha's story here.</a>

• Donesha AFTER

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/10/i-lost-weight-donesha-bolden_n_2862429.html" target="_blank">Read Donesha's story here.</a>

• Melody BEFORE

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/08/i-lost-weight-melody-regnary_n_2823091.html" target="_blank">Read Melody's story here.</a>

From our partners

• 4 Killer Routines To Beat Treadmill Boredom - Shape Magazine
• Does Yoga Count As Exercise? - Greatist
• Cancer: An American History (INFOGRAPHIC) - Everyday Health

Comments

[JulienBachman]

05:09 PM on 08/03/2012

Wow - all these years and I never knew that loosing weight was important to ones health. This is a brilliant article! What an amazing discovery!

[msd7733]

06:28 PM on 07/05/2012

Medication never fixes the problem in most cases it will make more problems. You can't dump sugar in a gas tank and we are pretty much the same way.

[Stepboy]

06:09 PM on 07/05/2012

Lift a pen She had no problem lifting Forks and sppons and knives. God to lift her you need a Fork Lift. MMMMNnnnn she could use that to lift her food.

[Lylac Krazy]

04:14 PM on 07/05/2012

Cant lift a pen?????
They are kidding, right?
I pretty much imagine that give her a fork and it will carry more than a freaking steam shovel as it heads towards her mouth. Heck, I bet she can repeat that as many times as needed to fulfil that mega calorie count.
Sorry people, I have no sympathy for the lazy and lazy is what this is.

[pslcitizen]

03:25 PM on 07/05/2012

Congrats to those who changed their lives for the better!

[pslcitizen]

03:24 PM on 07/05/2012

Is this new findings? I thought most people already knew this.

[helenalf]

12:42 PM on 07/05/2012

Low income and poor leisure time equals poor eating and no rest. Let an overworked parent rest and serve them well prepared dining. If you do this, wipe out obesity.

[Siouxsie Fisher]

11:57 AM on 07/05/2012

I'm sorry. There is no way she was "close to 200 lbs. " in that picture with the green shirt. I'd say at least 250. Someone was in denial. Either way. Good for her.

[Holly Phillips]

01:59 PM on 07/05/2012

I am with you. She weighs more that 200 lbs! Unless she is 4 ft tall!

[SALJ]

11:10 AM on 07/05/2012

I've been 180 for almost 3 yrs, I55 for seven years,125 before that.I want to loose weight.

[Ayla87]

12:48 PM on 07/05/2012

Have you tried going veg? Not trying to be preachy but a vegetarian diet is amazing for weight loss. I've lost 30 pounds so far. Just make sure you don't over do it on the carbs.

[hattie54]

01:00 PM on 07/05/2012

Cut way back on the carbs!!! This is what finally made me lose weight.Counting sugar and calories didn't really work.Carbs were making my blood sugar go up too.The nurse told me 60 carbs per meal but that really didn't work.Once I cut it to 10 carbs or less per meal,the weight started to come off.I try to walk a few times a week too.Don't eat much white rice,bread or potatoes.Stick with the brown grains and brown rice.

[Rubberfish]

05:12 PM on 07/05/2012

Are you diabetic? The nurses that give the nutrition classes have no clue what they're talking about. The nurse in my class even said we could eat white bread, pasta, and rice too, but every time I eat any of this my blood sugar levels spike. Even my doctor said I shouldn't eat that.

[aforeignaccent]

10:55 AM on 07/05/2012

These stories are always the same. Why is it a surprise that eating a "healthy" diet and exercise will help you lose weight ? The key here is the aahaa moment when these folks realize that they actually can make the changes they are already aware of.. Congrats to them

[victorzeller]

10:50 AM on 07/05/2012

American the land of the free and the FAT.

[hattie54]

01:13 PM on 07/05/2012

Beats being a skinny unhappy person living in the Middle East.

[PoppaG]

10:46 AM on 07/05/2012

Once you fall into a rut it is so hard to get out. Hats off to these people who fought back and won.

[firststatemate]

10:29 AM on 07/05/2012

Congratulations, Alisa, on your success in taking control of your life and health. You look fabulous. May your Mom rest in peace.

[Noones Buznes]

10:27 AM on 07/05/2012

Here's the thing: The nutritionist is literally preaching to the choir here; this woman ALREADY made the changes, lost the weight...Shouldn't she have had this discussion with this woman BEFORE she lost the weight, not after? She already gets it. By the way, she did great.

[PissPotPete]

10:19 AM on 07/05/2012

Give us this day our daily fat story. Mooooo Moooooo !

[southpierlight]

03:08 PM on 07/05/2012

And we wonder why you only have 5 fans....