Importance of Maintaining A Healthy Weight

3 Important Aspects of Maintaining A Healthy Weight

The importance of maintaining a healthy weight for a heart patient can’t be overstated. The heart is the hardest-working muscle in the body. Weight directly affects the amount of work the heart has to do. Losing even just a few pounds can have a strong positive impact on your overall health.

Healthy Weight

Healthy Weight Exercise

Several factors determine a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is critical to avoiding heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and respiratory problems. In general, obesity is considered having too much body fat, which places extra pressure on your arteries, bones, and nerves, making it difficult for your body to function properly. Fitness is the most important key to maintaining a healthy body weight. Walking and other regular exercises are great places to start working toward maintaining a healthy body weight.

Body Mass Index

Your Body Mass Index, often called a BMI, is one measurement of your body fat compared to the overall mass of your body. If your BMI is over 30, you are considered obese. A higher BMI puts you at risk for the conditions associated with obesity. You should talk to your doctor about your overall health and the best ways to work toward achieving and maintaining your ideal weight. Lifestyle, diet, and exercise will all factor into the conversation.

Obesity risks

Obesity not only puts an extra strain on your joints and other parts of your body; it’s hard on your heart. The harder your heart has to work to push your blood around your body, the more strain it is under. In addition to the challenges to your heart, obesity is associated with several other diseases and disorders, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and respiratory issues. Talk to your doctor about how you can achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Your heart will thank you.

A picture of Giovanni B. Ciuffo, MD wearing his Mercy One doctor attire.

About the Author

Giovanni B. Ciuffo, MD Director is an expert in Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery and Bloodless Heart Surgery is the outcome of his commitment to the development and improvement of both of these techniques. He runs a Cardiothoracic Surgery practice and manages Minimally Invasive and Bloodless Heart Surgery Program where he cares for patients from all over the country and locally. Click here to learn more about Dr. Ciuffo.

Board Certified:
American Board of Surgery
American Board of Thoracic Surgery