Obesity is now being a big concern in the health community. In fact, it will soon be the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, even before cigarette smoking. Obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke, and even cancer. With all of these health risks, as well as a general improvement in quality of life, losing weight is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
No matter what we want to believe, there is no magic way to lose weight. The body will shed extra fat when it needs more calories to function through the demands placed on you in a given day than the amount of calories you feed on it. It's that easy. Therefore, in order to lose weight, you need to increase the amount you burn along with reducing the number of calories you eat.
There is a wide range of options to choose from when looking for a weight loss program. They all often spend a lot of time explaining what to eat, in what quantities and even at what time or in what combination. But some of them stress the importance of exercise—not just for losing weight, but for your general health and wellbeing. Exercise is important when trying to lose weight for many reasons.
First, as you start eating less, your metabolism will slow down somewhat. Exercising helps bring your metabolism back to an efficient level. Second, as mentioned, exercise burns more calories, so you can lose weight faster and stay motivated in your efforts. Third, exercise actually releases endorphins, chemicals that keep your mood elevated.
Exercise doesn't have to mean spending hours at the gym or straining through exhausting workouts. In fact, for you to stick with it for a long time, exercise should be something you enjoy. Start by increasing your activity level overall. Take the stairs when you can. When you go shopping, park next to the mall door. Go for a walk in the park or a neighborhood you love and bring along a dog or friend. Take dance or martial arts lessons.
Once you become more active in general, it will become easier and more natural for you to exercise regularly. What you need to do eventually is to get regular, noticeable health benefits. You need to raise your heart rate to the level of fat burning and keep it there for at least 20 minutes, 3 times a week or more. However, if you don't want to go to the gym, there are other options. Videos and DVDs are now available in all types of exercise. This way you can change your routine whenever you want so that you don't get bored with what you are doing. Try aerobics, kickboxing, yoga, or any activity you enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
If you have physical limitations that prevent you from exercising, you can still find a way to increase your activity level. Water aerobics is a great option for people who have joint problems or limited mobility because it takes the pressure off your weight on your body. But you still get the resistance to challenge your muscles with the water. There are even classes and videos available that let you exercise in a sitting position.
Whatever exercise you choose, it's important to stay motivated and keep it fun. Try gathering a group together to make it a social event. Or get a pedometer, a device that tracks how far you walk, and see how many miles you can walk in a week. Create a competition among your friends or family members and treat the winner to something special, feel like doing some exercise that you look forward to, and it will soon become a regular part of your healthy lifestyle.
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