Exercise for Weight Control Guidelines

To help guide you in your weight management and exercise efforts, use the following guidelines.

1. Remember that the total expenditure of calories during exercise ultimately determines the amount of fat use.
2. No single exercise routine is ideal for everyone because of the individual nature of metabolism plus factors like physical limitations such as age, sex, and genetics.
3. Develop a reasonable level of cardio-respiratory fitness (stamina) by exercising three to four times a week for 25 to 40 minutes at moderate intensities. As fitness improves, you increase the ability to burn more total calories for any given exercise intensity.
4. To increase the rate of fat loss, gradually increase the duration of exercise to 50-60 plus minutes at least three to five days per week at as high an intensity as can safely be sustained in order to maximize calorie burning. A word of caution: It is not safe for sedentary individuals to start exercising at high intensities. Gradually build up stamina to prevent injuries.
5. Include weight training twice a week to increase muscle mass.
6. Allow at least six months to see changes in the body composition (less fat/ more muscle) and an additional six to nine months for final body composition changes. You didn’t gain weight over night, don’t expect to get lean immediately.
7. The best exercise for weight control is one that you enjoy and will do on a regular basis.