The far-reaching effects of a little bit of weight loss

Losing 5% of your total body weight triggers a cascade of health benefits.

Losing weight is tough for all of us, whether it's shedding a few pounds or 50. And if in the past you've not been able to lose as much as you would like, you may assume there's little point in trying. But if you lose even a small amount of weight, you'll reap benefits that will make a big difference in your health.

"The magic number is 5% of your total body weight; that's when we see clinically significant physiologic changes," says Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine physician with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.