Although a healthy diet is essential for creating health in your body and losing weight, exercise and being physically active in general is just as important.
The simplest way to look at exercise is that it increases the ‘calories out’ side of the weight loss equation. No matter how you do it, any form of physical activity will increase the daily calories you burn. But even if you’re not looking to lose weight, exercise is arguably as important as what you eat for overall health and energy.
Start with small goals, and don’t force yourself to run if you hate it. Your body will take time to get used to exercise, and it’s more important to keep yourself motivated long-term than to pick the most high-intensity type of exercise. Walking can be great exercise, and if you’re actually going to stick with it on a regular basis that’s the most important part.
Pick an activity you can realistically do for at least 30 minutes, and at least 3 times a week. Try different things if you get bored. Go for a bike ride one day, or go out rollerblading with a friend. Once you get in the habit, you can increase the duration, frequency and intensity.
Calorie burn (approx) of various exercises:
- 30 min brisk walk (3mph) – 110 calories
- 30 min jog (5mph) – 280 calories
- 30 min cycle (under 10mph) – 140 calories
- 30 min swim – 250 calories
- 30 min roller blade – 180 calories
Increasing your daily calorie burn will help you lose weight – as long as you don’t simultaneously increase the calories you eat that day. Many people reward themselves for exercising by eating, but usually wind up eating more than they’ve burnt. Don’t get in that habit! Reward yourself for exercise by having a long, hot shower, getting a massage or grabbing an herbal tea with your exercise buddy.
The benefits of exercise go further than simply increasing calorie burn in that it releases hormones into your blood that make you feel happy, reduce hunger and generally keep your body functioning properly. Try doing a quick workout after work and you may find that you don’t need as big a meal for dinner.
Strength training is a really important component of any weight loss exercise plan. Unlike aerobic exercise, which only burns calories while you work, strength exercise keeps burning calories for awhile after you stop. Also, muscle mass burns more calories than fat mass, so increasing the ratio of muscle in your body will increase your metabolism and make it easier to lose weight and keep it off.