DIET PLANS: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Increasing physical activity produces direct and indirect benefits. Simply exercising for 30 minutes, three to five times per week, will assist with weight loss. Increased exercise leads to increased energy expenditure and plays a large role in weight loss. Continued exercise most importantly leads to weight maintenance. Moreover, exercise reduces the risk of heart disease more than does weight loss alone. Increased physical activity helps decrease the risk of heart disease and type II diabetes, which go hand-in-hand with being overweight or obese. Also, exercise can prevent a decrease in muscle mass, something that is often seen in overweight or obese people.

Many people have difficult finding the motivation to exercise. Simply starting an exercise routine requires a lot of support from loved ones or a support group to offer encouragement. It is also important to realize that before you start an exercise regimen you may need to contact your doctor for medical clearance. Extremely overweight people need to start low and go slow, beginning with simple exercises and gradually increasing the complexity and intensity of their exercise. This approach is the best strategy for achieving successful weight loss and weight maintenance.

Some physical activities can be very simple to add to the daily routine—taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking instead of driving, are good examples. Eventually, a person can add more strenuous activities to his or her routine, such as speed walking, bicycling, tennis, and jumping rope.