The Obesity Crisis, Weight Loss, and a Healthy Sex Life

People are worried about their weight, and for good reason. Despite widespread awareness of the dangers of the obesity crisis, obesity is at an all-time high with more than one-third of U.S. adults being critically overweight¹. Not only does this vastly increase the probability of suffering from heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions, but obesity also costs the United States around $150 billion in medical costs each year². When it comes to who is suffering from the obesity crisis, it appears that obesity equally affects people from different ethnic backgrounds, educational levels, and socioeconomic statuses.

How People Try to Avoid the Obesity Crisis

In order to avoid the obesity epidemic, over 45 million people participate in some sort of diet program each year, according to the Boston Medical Center³. A recent report by Market Data Enterprises found that Americans collectively spent upwards of $60 billion on weight loss products and programs in 2011 alone⁴.

The problem, unfortunately, is that many people are simply unable to meet their weight loss goals or unable to keep the weight off for the long-term. A report by researchers from UCLA finds that up to two-thirds of all people who go on a diet regain the weight they lost within four or five years after having initially started the diet⁵.

Many people are finding that instead of simply trying to limit the number of calories you eat on a daily basis, changing what you eat is a more effective strategy. Low-carbohydrate diets such as the Keto Diet have shown that they have the ability to help people lose weight in the short-term and maintain that weight loss over the long-term.

Other Ways to Avoid the Obesity Crisis

Recently, Australian celebrity Susie Elelman came out with another weight loss book/memoir titled “The Thinking Person’s Diet: Still Half My Size.” Elelman originally lost upwards of 50 kilograms on a self-taught diet. Years later, she has maintained that weight loss and offers a unique perspective on how to lose weight and keep it off permanently.

According to Elelman, who describes herself as a “foodaholic”, weight management is 80 percent diet and only 20 percent exercise. For people who hate those early mornings at the gym, her weight loss program focusing on correct diet and limited exercise is enticing. Furthermore, the exercise option she most often advocates for is having sex…and lots of it.

There are several positive health effects associated with sex. Not only does a healthy sex life improve your overall immune system⁶, but it can also help you burn calories in a quick and efficient manner. One study found⁷ that men burned over 100 calories when they had sex while women burned almost 70 calories during sex.

Any serious effort to avoid the obesity crisis and meet your weight loss goals should be a multi-pronged effort including healthier eating and regular exercise. The good news is that a healthy sex life can also help you meet your weight loss goals.

Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD

This article has been medically reviewed by Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD.

Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD is an aesthetic medicine specialist whose work focuses on patients who are treated for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other weight-related issues through nutritional analysis, keto diet programs, and supporting medications.

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Tobias Roberts

Tobias lives in the mountains of El Salvador where he and his family run a small, diversified permaculture farm and eco-tourism cooperative. When not weeding the quinoa field or picking peaches, he enjoys writing about sustainable lifestyles, permaculture, and agroecology.

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