Set Healthy Goals to Fight OA Symptoms

You may feel like you're seeing a lot of posts encouraging you to live a healthier lifestyle and, if appropriate, lose some weight to help alleviate some symptoms related to Osteoarthritis. The fact of the matter is, choosing to eat healthier and drop a few pounds can really help and is something you can control on your own!

How Much Do You Need to Lose?

Even small changes in your weight can make a difference. If you shed just 1 pound, you'll take 4 pounds of pressure off of your knees. Drop 10 pounds and you'll take 40 pounds of pressure off. The more pounds you lose, the better.

If you're overweight, experts suggest you aim for 10% of how much you weigh now.

Research backs that up. In one study, people who lost at least 10% of their weight had more relief in pain and inflammation than people who lost less than that. Try to set a 10% goal for yourself. For instance, if you weigh 200 pounds now, try to lose 20 pounds. Aim for a loss of 1-2 pounds a week.

You can try diet, exercise, or a combination of both. If you're very overweight or have other health problems, talk to your doctor about other options like low-calorie diets, gastric surgery, or weight loss medications.

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