Obesity is now being called an epidemic in the health community. In fact, it will soon be the leading cause of preventable death in the world, even before cigarette smoking. Obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke and even cancer. All of these health risks can be accompanied by a general improvement in quality of life, with weight loss being one of the best things you can do for yourself.
No matter what we would like to believe, there simply isn’t a magic solution to losing weight. The body will shed excess fat when it needs more calories to work through the needs you put in on a given day than the amount of calories you eat. It's that very simple. So, in order to lose weight, you need to reduce the amount of calories you eat as well as increase the amount you burn.
There is a wide range of options to choose from when looking for a weight loss program. All of them often spend a lot of time explaining what to eat, how much and even at what time or in what combination. But few of them emphasize the importance of exercise – not just for losing weight, but for your general health and wellbeing. Exercise is vital when trying to lose weight for several reasons:
First, as you start to eat less, your metabolism will slow down somewhat. Exercise helps bring your metabolism back to an efficient level. Second, as mentioned, exercise burns more calories, so you can lose weight faster and be motivated by your efforts. Third, exercise actually releases endorphins, a chemical that improves your mood.
Exercise doesn’t have to mean spending hours at the gym or straining through exhausting workouts. In fact, in order to stick with it in the long run, exercise should be something that you enjoy. Start by increasing the level of your activity as a whole. Take the stairs whenever you can. Park more at the mall door when you go shopping. Take a walk in the park or one of your favorite neighborhoods and bring a dog or friend with you. Take dance or martial arts training.
Once you become more active in general, you’ll find it easier and more natural to move into regular exercise. Which you’ll need to do eventually in order to get regular, noticeable health benefits. Your heart rate should rise to a fat burn level and last for at least 20 minutes, 3 times a week or more. However, if you don’t want to go to a gym, there are other options. Videos and DVDs are now available for all types of exercises. That way you can change your routine whenever you want so that you don’t get bored with what you’re doing. Try aerobics, kickboxing, yoga, or any activity you want in the comfort of your own home.
If you have physical limitations that would keep you off from exercising, you can still find a way to increase your activity level. Water aerobics is an excellent option for those who have joint problems or limited mobility because it relieves stress on your body, which provides your weight. But you still get the resistance to challenge your muscles from the water. There are even classes and videos that allow you to exercise while sitting.
Whatever kind of exercise you choose, it’s important to stay motivated and keep it fun. Try bringing a team together to turn it into a social event. Or get a pedometer, a device that tracks how far you can walk and see how many miles you can walk in a week. Have a contest between your friends and family and use something special with the winner (not food related!). Create an exercise experience that you are looking forward to, and it will soon become a regular part of your healthy lifestyle.
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