Finding time for
exercise
If you really want to lose
weight, the fastest way to
do so is to combine a
healthy diet with
exercise. This doesn’t
necessarily mean
expensive gym
membership, or joining a
fitness class; however you
should choose an activity
that will raise your heart
and breathing rate, and
aim for 30 minutes a day,
at least 5 days each week.
If you’ve been inactive for
some time, you can start
with 10 minutes each day,
and gradually increase
the duration, as your
strength improves. Here
are a few examples of
aerobic exercise:
Brisk walking
Aerobic classes
Swimming, or water
aerobics
Playing tennis,
squash , or badminton
Cycling
You should also try to
incorporate strength
training in your routine a
couple of times each
week. This will help to
build strong bones and
muscles. If you can’t
afford to join a class, or
gym, you could lift
weights at home, however
take care to learn exactly
how to use them safely.
It’s important to be as
active as you possibly can
throughout the day, as
every little helps! Check
out my previous articles,
for more tips on how to
achieve this:
How to Increase your
Physical Activity
While you Work
6 Top Tips for
Increasing your
Physical Activity
Here are a few
additional tips from Diet
and Fitness Resources:
Park at the far end of
the car park.
Take the stairs
instead of the
elevator or escalator.
Walk the dog for an
extra 5 minutes.
Go for a walk during
your lunch break, or
walk to buy your
lunch.
Walk to the corner
shop instead of
driving.
Walk to a friends
houses instead of
driving.
Get friends and
family out of the
house for a game of
football or Frisbee.
Remember,
gardening and
household chores
count as well.
One final question: How
many calories does it take
to burn one pound?
There are 3,500 calories
in one pound of body fat.
If you divide 3,500 by 7
days in the week, you get
500 calories. Therefore,
you should focus on
creating a deficit of 500
calories a day, which over
the course of one week,
theoretically will result in
one pound of weight loss.
This can be achieved
either by creating a
caloric deficit through
your diet, burning the
calories through exercise,
or a combination of both.
I suggest a combination of
both as the best option.
Again, try to work on
making a few small
changes in your diet to
create a 250-500 calorie
deficit, then by adding 30
minutes of exercise each
day you will be well on
the way to losing 1-2
pounds a week, which is
safe, and healthy weight
loss.