13 Telling Signs You Need to Lose Weight ...

1. Your Clothes Don’t Fit

The last time you tried to squeeze into your favorite jeans, you almost fainted, and has your roommate shrunk your bathing suit? If your clothes don’t fit, it might be a sign you need to lose weight… or maybe your roommate is just playing a prank…

2. Your Mother Mentions It

Moms are fantastically tactful and loving people, so if your mother gently broaches the issue of your weight with you, especially in regards to your health, chances are, she has a point. Give her a patient ear, and listen without being offended. She may be telling you a difficult truth — you need to lose weight.

3. You Have No Energy

If you’re constantly feeling sluggish and tired, it may be another sign you need to lose weight, especially if you’ve never had energy issues before. Of course, there are many other causes for a sudden drop in your lust for life (like depression), so this is also a tipoff to see your doctor.

4. Your Doctor Suggests It

… and speaking of your doctor, if he or she mentions your weight as a health issue, it’s definitely a sign you need to lose weight, seriously! Being overweight can lead to serious chronic and even deadly health issues, like sleep apnea, diabetes, heart disease, and more. If your doctor feels you’re at risk for any of these, listen to her, and ask for her help in putting together a weight loss plan just for you.

5. You Avoid Mirrors

If you’re not feeling good about how you look, it’s another sign you need to lose weight. You might be your own worst critic, but sometimes, you have to trust your instinct and listen to your inner voice.

6. Your BMI Says

Your Body Mass Index number is another sign you need to lose weight, or even gain weight. The BBC website has an excellent free BMU calculator that takes into account your height, weight, age, and more, to tell you what your number is, and what it means.

7. Your Scale

I don’t normally suggest using a scale to gauge your weight (it can be a little deceiving), but it’s another tool in your kit of figuring out whether you need to lose weight. If you’re not sure whether or not you need to lose weight, a step on the scale may add a little more illumination.

8. You Don’t Know What You Eat

Most adult women need to consume about 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day to keep at a healthy weight. If you have no idea what you eat, or how many calories your diet provides you, then it’s another sign you need to lose weight. This would be an ideal time to start a food journal, to see what you eat, and when, and what your daily caloric intake might be.

9. You Don’t Fit

While your roommate was shrinking your swimsuit, did she also make all the kitchen chairs smaller, and the bathtub more narrow? If your body doesn’t fit into the furniture or the house quite the same way, this could be another sign you need to lose weight… or you have a very, very crafty and cruel roomie.

10. Your Body Tells You

All of these signs you need to lose weigh pale in comparison to what your heart, and the rest of your body, is telling you. Listen to yourself… again, your inner voice may be trying to tell you something you just don’t want to hear.

11. Heart Palpitations

One sure sign you might need to lose weight is if you have heart palpitations. Many overweight people will have an increased heart rate, or heart palpitations due to high blood pressure from a poor diet. Be sure to get tests run by your physician to see how your heart rate is, and if you constantly suffer palpitations from stress, or unknown reasons, don't just ignore them. This could be a sign you're overweight, or suffering other issues.

12. You Can't See Your Feet

Look down at your feet standing up. Can you see them? If your belly is in the way of seeing you feet, you need to lose some weight. An increased waistline is unhealthy, but when it reaches the point you can't see your toes without bending at an angle, weight loss needs to be something you consider.

13. Body Signs

When you're overweight, your body will tell you. Signs include things like frequent headaches, constant cravings, poor sleep, trouble waking up in the mornings, sluggish metabolism and no energy. Obviously when you see the pounds increase on the scale, this is another sign, but other signs in your body mentioned here are also very important to pay attention to, so don't neglect them!

If you’ve read this list, and three or more of these points sound very, painfully familiar (especially #4), it’s definitely time to consider beginning a serious weight loss journey. It’s not an easy realization, but it’s an important first step to a healthier, fitter, happier you! If you’ve lost weight, which of these signs helped get you going? Or was there another sign you need to lose weight that got you started? Please share!