1. Your heart will thank you. Trying to reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and high cholesterol? Then it’s time to shed those extra pounds. Just by losing ten or fifteen pounds, you can reduce your chances of heart diseases dramatically.

2. Your partner will thank you. When men are asked about the number one sexy feature a woman in bed can have, about 89% of them say that it’s confidence. Many women (or men for that matter) who are overweight do not fall into the confident category. In fact, they’re much more likely to fall into the category of having such low self-esteem that they’re just not so exciting in bed or willing to try new things. If you love your body, you’ll be more likely to allow other people to love your body. Lose some weight and you and your partner will notice a huge increase in your sexual energy level and your desire to show off what you’ve got—two things that can add a serious boost to sexual performance. Also, men who are overweight run a great risk of encountering erectile dysfunction somewhere down the line. (Your online pharmacy can help you find a treatment for that!)

3. Your children will thank you. Obese parents have overweight children who are less likely to take eating healthy and living an active lifestyle seriously. The best way to raise good eaters and active children is to eat well and live actively yourself. Children learn by example after all, and mom and dad should be their greatest role models.

4. Your doctor will thank you. He’s been telling you for years that you should eat well and exercise. Can’t hurt to give the old doc something to smile about too, right?

5. You will thank yourself. You deserve to look good and feel good about yourself. Don’t you think it’s about time?

This article was written by Cynthia Bond, a dietician and nutritionist who specializes in  weight loss and exercise.