How (and Why) to Lose Weight With Asthma

Losing weight with asthma can be challenging but also worthwhile. Avoiding processed foods and consuming more fruits and vegetables can help you achieve a healthy weight. Regular exercise may help to improve lung function and aid in weight loss as well.

Asthma can make breathing more difficult, so physical activity may be uncomfortable—especially if your asthma is exercise-induced. Low-impact activities, such as walking, cycling, or yoga, are usually best if you have asthma. You may face other difficulties with weight loss as well. However, addressing and overcoming these challenges can help you manage asthma and improve your overall health.

Why It's Important to Lose Weight With Asthma?

Research indicates that excess weight increases asthma risk. And it seems like the two conditions often go hand-in-hand. Obesity is a common co-morbidity in people with asthma. In fact, about 15% to 52% of people who report that they have asthma also have obesity.

It's unclear why, but the risk of asthma is even greater among people assigned female at birth who are overweight or obese. About 8% of people assigned female at birth who are considered "lean" have asthma, compared to almost 15% of those considered obese.

Rates are also higher in overweight African American and Hispanic people assigned male at birth.

How Obesity Affects Lung Function

There are several ways that excess weight can impact your overall lung function and your management of asthma. There are some who believe that obesity may worsen airway obstruction. However, studies investigating this effect have yielded mixed results.

But there are some changes that have been strongly supported by research. They include:

• Increased inflammation: Studies show that simply having more fatty tissue can increase your overall amount of inflammation, and metabolic abnormalities may lead to changes in the lungs that contribute to respiratory diseases—including asthma.
• More difficult breathing: Carrying additional weight can make breathing more difficult by compressing your lungs, potentially making existing asthma worse and symptoms harder to cope with and manage.
• Increased chance of hospitalization: Since pulmonary function is reduced in people with obesity, studies have found that people with asthma and obesity have a hospitalization rate that is four to six times higher than non-obese people with asthma.

The Link Between Asthma and Metabolism

The link between asthma and metabolism is complex. It is widely understood that people with asthma have increased metabolic rates. The higher rate is attributed to the extra energy cost of breathing in people with the condition.

However, that higher calorie burn doesn't necessarily translate to weight loss. In fact, people with asthma have an increased risk for metabolic syndrome, a condition closely tied to obesity.

Authors of one study suggest that the relationship between asthma and metabolic syndrome is a two-way street. That is, if you have obesity and asthma, you are at a higher risk for metabolic syndrome. However, it is also suggested that metabolic syndrome increases the severity of asthma.

Some experts suggest that medications for metabolic syndrome may also help in the treatment of asthma. For example, metformin—a medication used to control blood sugar—may be instrumental in treating asthma, although more studies are needed. However, researchers also suggest that lifestyle modifications, including taking steps toward weight loss, are a practical approach to treating both conditions.

How Losing Weight Can Help

If you currently have obesity, losing weight may improve your overall health. Weight loss may help you to become more active and move more comfortably throughout the day. But there are distinct benefits for people with asthma.

Even a change of 5 pounds, according to research, affects the likelihood of an attack, impacts everyday activities, and alters the need for emergency steroid treatments to control asthma symptoms.

Even if you don't lose weight, better respiratory health (from exercise) and an anti-inflammatory diet may contribute to better health and less severe asthma.

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How to Lose Weight With Asthma

To start losing weight, create a weight loss plan with a healthcare provider and determine:

• How much weight loss to shoot for
• How long you should expect it to take

Having a clear sense of these two things from the start is important for managing your expectations and staying motivated.

Next, decide how you will track your weight loss progress. Some people find that weighing themselves every day is helpful, while others prefer to weigh in once per week or less often. Still, others choose not to use the scale at all but use other measures such as the way clothes fit or how comfortable they feel during exercise.

Along with charting your weight loss, record how you feel day-to-day. Is your breathing labored? Did you need your inhaler? This data will help identify what's working as well as what aspects of the plan may need modification.

Now that you have established why you want to lose weight and other details pertaining to your weight loss journey, you can begin to explore different weight loss methods. Diet, exercise, medication, and surgery are all options that you may want to consider.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Changing your diet quality may help you to reduce your overall calorie intake to lose weight. For some people that might mean reducing portion sizes, but you can also achieve weight loss by choosing nutrient-rich foods that are naturally lower in calories.

Consider these strategies:

Shift to plant-based eating: Consider building meals around plant-based foods, instead of meat (especially red meat). Fill up on fruits, veggies, and whole grains to maximize nutrition and reduce calories. Studies show that emphasizing plant-based foods may reduce your asthma symptoms.

Focus on healthy fats: Studies suggest that consuming foods that provide omega-3 fatty acids may help you better control your asthma. Foods with omega-3s include walnuts, avocado, olives, and olive oil or fatty fish like tuna or salmon. But keep in mind, that fat is high in calories, so you'll want to consume fatty foods in moderation when weight loss is the goal.

Choose an established diet plan: If you prefer not to develop your own diet, try using an established eating plan that has been backed by strong scientific evidence. The Mediterranean Diet and the DASH Diet have both been studied extensively for their health and weight loss benefits.

Prepare for hunger: Keep healthy snacks with you during the day for times when you're out and need a little something. When you're at home or attending an event, turn to fruit and vegetables, which can be made more exciting with healthy dips, like hummus.

Learn to eat mindfully: Take the time to fully experience your meal or snack. Eat slowly and enjoy the taste, texture, and smell of your food. Slowing your meal time may help you eat less while increasing food enjoyment and satisfaction.

Plan meals around a calorie goal: Some people choose a calorie goal for their weight loss journey. In general, to lose one pound per week you should cut out approximately 500 calories per day. Reducing more than that may help you lose weight faster, but it can also backfire and lead to binge eating. The easiest way to find your target number is to use a weight loss calculator.

Get Active With Exercise

A good weight loss plan will include some physical activity to boost your metabolism, burn more calories, build endurance, and increase muscle.

When adopting a new routine for physical activity, you need to be aware of your asthma triggers and how to work out without having an exercise-induced asthma attack.

This may mean starting slowly and gradually increasing the length and intensity of your workouts. If cold air or pollen triggers symptoms, it may mean exercising inside on days with low temperatures or high pollen counts.

Here are a few more tips for including more movement in your day:

Schedule your workouts: If you have been sedentary, start by scheduling five-minute sessions once or twice per day. Put the sessions on your calendar (and set reminders!) just like you schedule all of your other important appointments. Make consistency your goal. As you become consistent, make each session longer or combine them into one longer session. Thirty to 45 minutes per day can provide substantial rewards.

Focus on cardio: Studies suggest moderate aerobic training promotes anti-inflammatory effects in asthma patients. Aerobic or cardio exercises are those that increase your heart rate and deepen your breathing. Brisk walking, swimming, biking, and jogging are all aerobic activities. The more you build up your heart and lungs, the more you lower your risk for an asthma attack during exercise.

Warm up slowly: As your workouts get longer, you may be tempted to just jump into the meat of the workout. But it is essential to warm up slowly when you have asthma. You can take as much as 15 minutes to ease into your activity with lower-intensity movements that allow your body to adapt to the workload gradually.

Consider yoga: Whether you take a yoga class or not, the breathing exercises taught in yoga can benefit those with asthma. Studies have shown that Pranayama yoga breathing techniques may be just as effective as aerobic exercise for asthma control, reduced symptoms, and improved quality of life in people with asthma.

Be cautious with organized sports: Activities that involve sustained extended periods of exertion, like soccer, running, or basketball, are more likely to trigger your asthma. If you favor team sports or an organized class, choose something like volleyball or baseball so you can take breaks. Cold-weather sports like ice hockey, cross-country skiing, and ice skating may be activities to avoid until you get your heart and lungs in the best shape possible.

Take preventative safety measures: Formulate an asthma action plan so you aren't caught unprepared if symptoms should arise. For example, always use your preventive asthma medications or an inhaler before exercise if prescribed by a healthcare provider. Also, keep your rescue inhaler with you.

If you are working out at a gym, with a trainer, or a partner, make them aware of your asthma and what to do in an emergency. Also, be sure to:

• Monitor your surroundings for possible triggers.
• Skip your workout if you have a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu.
• Exercise at a level that is appropriate for your overall health. As a precaution, always do less than you think you can until you are confident about how an activity will affect you.

Consider Weight Loss Medications

Several medications that are approved for weight loss and the management of diabetes may also help you improve your asthma symptoms. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, also called GLP-1 RAs, or just GLP-1s may help reduce asthma symptoms, improve quality of life, and even decrease the risk of premature death in people with asthma and diabetes or obesity,

GLP-1 RAs include medications such as:

• Exenatide: a twice-daily, short-lasting medication given as a subcutaneous injection, sold under the brand name Byetta
• Lixisenatide: a once-daily, short-lasting medication given as a subcutaneous injection sold under the brand name Adlyxin
• Exenatide extended release: a once-weekly, long-lasting medication given as a subcutaneous injection sold under the brand name Bydureon
• Liraglutide: a once-weekly, long-lasting medication given as a subcutaneous injection, sold under the brand names Saxenda or Victoza
• Dulaglutide: a once-weekly, long-lasting medication given as a subcutaneous injection sold under the brand name Trulicity
• Semaglutide: a once-weekly, long-lasting medication given as a subcutaneous injection or oral pill, sold under the brand names Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus

Some preliminary studies suggest that these medications may provide some asthma relief even independent of weight loss or diabetes control. Researchers believe that the medication's anti-inflammatory effects are key to this benefit. However, current research is limited in scope, so more studies are needed.

Ask About Weight Loss Surgery

Several studies have suggested that weight loss from bariatric surgery improves asthma control in patients with obesity.

One study stated that asthma medication refills decreased by as much as 50% following bariatric surgery, and asthma patients have shown a decrease in symptoms and improvements in pulmonary function tests five years following their procedures.

For starters, surgery isn't an alternative to diet and exercise. Those who undergo surgery still make significant diet and exercise changes. The pre- and post-surgery requirements are a big commitment, and the surgery's success largely hinges on how well they are adhered to.

On the other hand, if you have severe asthma and haven't been able to lose weight through diet and exercise, this may be the right step for you. Discuss the risks and benefits with a healthcare provider. It's a decision that bears thoughtful consideration with an eye on what's best for your overall health.

Anticipate and Overcome Challenges

If you carry extra weight and have asthma, you face certain weight loss challenges that other people don't. For example, if your asthma limits your ability to exercise, it could be responsible for some of your weight gain and will likely make it harder for you to rely on physical activity to reach your weight loss goal.

Furthermore, conditions that frequently overlap with obesity can make asthma symptoms worse while robbing you of energy and motivation, making following a weight loss plan more difficult.

These conditions include:

• Depression
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Diabetes
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

There's no denying that all of this makes it harder for you to manage your weight. But that certainly doesn't mean that you can't—or that you shouldn't.

Knowing that you may encounter challenges can help you to prepare for them in advance. Speak with your healthcare provider about setting up a support system to address hurdles as they arrive.

Summary

If you have obesity and asthma, losing weight may help you manage symptoms better, improve your daily comfort levels, and even avoid hospitalization. Developing a diet and exercise plan are the first steps to starting your weight loss journey. If diet and exercise alone don't work, you can talk to your healthcare provider about medications or surgery.

It may take time (perhaps more than you expect) and you may have setbacks. But remember that even a small amount of weight loss can greatly improve asthma symptoms and overall health. And the more you lose, the easier you may find it to keep going.