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Step 6But what about fitness?
One of the most important part of weight loss is to consider you calorie intake versus your calorie expenditure. You should really think about how many calories you're taking in and how many you're burning throughout the day. Here are a couple of calculators to tell you how many calories you're burning during certain activities:
UMMS Calories Burned Calculator
ACS Calorie Calculator
It is true that the obesity epidemic is blamed partly on our sedentary lifestyle here in America. I personally believe our diets to be more of a problem, but physical is just as important as nutrition when it comes to being healthy, which is really the whole point of losing weight!
I understand that in some areas it is harder for people to have access to physical activity. It is also harder once you've become overweight to start. However, here are some basic guidelines to follow to help you increase the amount of physical activity and help you understand just how much physical activity you need.
First of all, how much physical activity should a person get? And what types of activity are considered adequate?
It is normally recommended that adults get 30 minutes of exercise a day at least 5 days a week - for children and teens, they should get at least 60 minutes a day at least 5 days a week. When people normally ask me what I consider to be adequate exercise, I normally say anything as (or more) strenuous as simply walking. You need to feel a change in your heart rate. The easiest activity for most people to get into is walking, so it is the most frequently mentioned. However, some people might find it is impossible or near impossible to walk - in these cases it is important to consult a doctor before beginning an exercise program. Most times a water fitness program will be a good substitute, as it places less stress on the body.
But for the rest of us, it is easiest to begin walking either outside or even in place in our homes. You can then build gradually up from walking to jogging or biking, or even ease into aerobics or yoga when you're feeling more fit.
Here are some good ideas for getting you daily dose of physical activity:
- Get your friends, spouse or children involved. Not only is this a healthy activity, it will encourage the people you love to be more active and it will make it much more fun.
- Walk laps around the office or the block on your lunchbreak.
- Park farther away at the store. Instead of grabbing a cart all the time, use a handbasket instead or carry your items.
- Enroll in a fitness class. You can find many of these locally. Check with your local gyms, college campuses, and community centers.
- Try an exercise video. Yes, most of them are painfully cheesy and somewhat painful to watch, but some of them are quite fun as well! There are many offerings at the beginner level to help you ease into whichever activity you pick.
- Get involved with a sports. Try something new, like tennis, golf, or volleyball. This is an excellent chance to meet new people and form healthy habits and relationships.
- Exercise while watching TV. Get up during the commercial breaks and walk around the house. Do stretches. Lift weights. Do whatever you can to decrease the amount of time your butt is on the couch!
And here are some good resources regarding physical fitness:
The American College of Sports Medicine
The President's Council on Physical Fitness
Along with the sources I posted on step 3, you should have enough to read for a few years, haha! The ACSM site is my personal favorite. They even offer free online brochures on a variety of fitness topics.
As well as reading online, I think it's a good idea to get a magazine subscription or to even just pick one up that catches your eye from time to time. Magazines like Self, Oxygen, Fitness, Men's Fitness, etc. will provide you will tips, motivational stories, and complete workouts that can normally be done in the comfort of your own home. I find that reading about fitness and the consequences of being overweight and out of shape are enough to keep me going. ;)
UMMS Calories Burned Calculator
ACS Calorie Calculator
It is true that the obesity epidemic is blamed partly on our sedentary lifestyle here in America. I personally believe our diets to be more of a problem, but physical is just as important as nutrition when it comes to being healthy, which is really the whole point of losing weight!
I understand that in some areas it is harder for people to have access to physical activity. It is also harder once you've become overweight to start. However, here are some basic guidelines to follow to help you increase the amount of physical activity and help you understand just how much physical activity you need.
First of all, how much physical activity should a person get? And what types of activity are considered adequate?
It is normally recommended that adults get 30 minutes of exercise a day at least 5 days a week - for children and teens, they should get at least 60 minutes a day at least 5 days a week. When people normally ask me what I consider to be adequate exercise, I normally say anything as (or more) strenuous as simply walking. You need to feel a change in your heart rate. The easiest activity for most people to get into is walking, so it is the most frequently mentioned. However, some people might find it is impossible or near impossible to walk - in these cases it is important to consult a doctor before beginning an exercise program. Most times a water fitness program will be a good substitute, as it places less stress on the body.
But for the rest of us, it is easiest to begin walking either outside or even in place in our homes. You can then build gradually up from walking to jogging or biking, or even ease into aerobics or yoga when you're feeling more fit.
Here are some good ideas for getting you daily dose of physical activity:
- Get your friends, spouse or children involved. Not only is this a healthy activity, it will encourage the people you love to be more active and it will make it much more fun.
- Walk laps around the office or the block on your lunchbreak.
- Park farther away at the store. Instead of grabbing a cart all the time, use a handbasket instead or carry your items.
- Enroll in a fitness class. You can find many of these locally. Check with your local gyms, college campuses, and community centers.
- Try an exercise video. Yes, most of them are painfully cheesy and somewhat painful to watch, but some of them are quite fun as well! There are many offerings at the beginner level to help you ease into whichever activity you pick.
- Get involved with a sports. Try something new, like tennis, golf, or volleyball. This is an excellent chance to meet new people and form healthy habits and relationships.
- Exercise while watching TV. Get up during the commercial breaks and walk around the house. Do stretches. Lift weights. Do whatever you can to decrease the amount of time your butt is on the couch!
And here are some good resources regarding physical fitness:
The American College of Sports Medicine
The President's Council on Physical Fitness
Along with the sources I posted on step 3, you should have enough to read for a few years, haha! The ACSM site is my personal favorite. They even offer free online brochures on a variety of fitness topics.
As well as reading online, I think it's a good idea to get a magazine subscription or to even just pick one up that catches your eye from time to time. Magazines like Self, Oxygen, Fitness, Men's Fitness, etc. will provide you will tips, motivational stories, and complete workouts that can normally be done in the comfort of your own home. I find that reading about fitness and the consequences of being overweight and out of shape are enough to keep me going. ;)
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Sep 8, 2007. 2:00 PMsurfreak
says:
As a general rule, HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is a much more effective weight loss and fitness building activity than the popularly held idea of exercise. Google it or visit Crossfit.com for an explanation.
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May 16, 2011. 9:01 PMThe Locksmith
says:
I agree, but most people refuse to do any kind of high-intensity training.
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