When most people try to lose weight, they watch one number: the scale. But not all weight loss is...
The Secret to a Healthy Life: Come on, Get Happy
By: Scottsdale Weight Loss Center
Published: September 17, 2017
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What if a smile was exactly what the doctor ordered? Recently, a team of researchers conducted a comprehensive review of scientific findings over the past several decades and concluded that happiness has a direct positive impact on overall health. This means that the notion of putting on a smile and faking it until you make it actually holds some merit. If you want to start improving your health, the best place to start is with your mindset.
There are several leading theories as to why happiness can have such a strong influence on personal health.
These theories include:
- People who are happy are more likely to take care of themselves and choose healthy behaviors, including exercising, eating well, and sleeping well.
- Happiness can have a chemical influence on the body that positively influences cardiovascular and neurological health, lowering your risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease.
- Happiness can influence hormonal levels and decrease inflammation in the body, reducing risk of disease and providing helpful anti-aging benefits.
Similarly, there is a wide range of research that has found a strong link between depression, anxiety, and obesity. In particular it has been noted that those who struggle with depression are often more likely to struggle with obesity, as well as be less likely to engage in regular physical activity and less likely to eat a predominantly healthy diet.
Happy Life, Healthy Life
It is unclear across all of these studies whether emotional health comes first and influences the health of the body, or if it works the other way around. However, researchers have looked at the practice of using mindfulness and positive self-talk to improve personal happiness, and have found that as happiness levels improve it is also likely to see an improvement in personal health.
Being happy isn’t a guarantee that you are going to be healthy, but as you are trying to improve your health through a medical weight loss program, there is substantial evidence to suggest that improving your personal happiness can result in helping you feel healthier, too. Keeping a positive mindset can have a huge influence on your willingness to get out of bed and work out in the morning, or to head home to prepare a healthy meal for your family rather than rely on fast food again. Making these healthy decisions are often easier to do when you are feeling positive and happy, with an attitude that keeps you on track for weight loss success.
So, as you work through your medical weight loss program, consider what you can do for yourself to improve your personal level of happiness. The more you focus on being yourself and keeping yourself positive and happy, the more likely you are to see the weight loss results you have been looking for.
Nick
Nick's Story
"I wish I would have come here first. We spend all our time reacting to the next great weight loss tip or program. It might work for a while, but does not last and we end up yo-yoing from one fad to the next – as we gain more weight." Read More
Gina
Lost 44.5 lbs
"I had no trouble adhering to the meals and they really helped catapult my progress! The classes were so beneficial to me because they helped change my thinking about how I viewed health, nutrition, and fitness.
I will always have my relationship with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. They truly helped me change my life forever." Read More
Lauren
Lost 60 lbs
"Dr. Ziltzer and everyone who I have come in contact with at the Scottsdale Weight Loss office have been so encouraging and I look forward to seeing them each week. It is now a year and 2 months later since I started. I am down 60 lbs., which is the average amount a 9-year-old weighs, it is crazy to think I lost a whole person! I feel amazing, I hit my goal weight in November 2021 just before Thanksgiving. Nothing on my body hurts anymore..." Read More
Chuck
Lost 66 lbs
"The best thing I did was call the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. I have a lot more energy, I'm not hungry, and it feels great.
You can take it from me that this is a program that produces results. The staff is always positive, supportive, and never judgmental.
Your visits always result in positive reinforcement, no matter if you had a good week or a bad week." Read More
Emily
Lost 101 lbs
"Here I am at the lowest I have been since high school weighing in at 155lbs. I have lost 101 lbs, BMI of 39 when I started, to 21.6, and of course at body fat % of 47.1 to 26.5%. I told myself by my 30th birthday I wanted to be confident in the way I look and I owe it all to SWLC. The entire staff is so welcoming and they are rooting for you just as much as you are rooting for yourself...." Read More
Reviews
Meet Our Team
Robert Ziltzer, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Diana Bone, FNP-C
Specializing in Obesity Medicine
Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Kristen Ash, FNP-C, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Alicia Earley, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner
