Exercise is essential for weight loss

If your aim is to lose weight in the long term, then it is essential to include exercise in your weight loss plan.
Combine exercise with healthy eating
Just adopting a healthy eating plan and not exercising at all, will not be beneficial to long-term weight loss and the general health of your body.
Shonee Muller, manager of the Discovery Wellness and Fitness Centre at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, says: 'If you are not a gym-goer, but still need to burn those extra kilojoules, walking around the block, going for a run with your dog, and doing body-weight exercises at home - running up and down steps, doing lunges, squats, push-ups and sit-ups - are all forms of training, which also improve cardiovascular conditioning and strength.'
Examples of calorie burning
She provides us with the following examples of calorie burning:
* If a 60-year-old cycles at a pace of 9 kilometres per hour, he will burn 16 kilojoules per minute.

* If a 50-year-old runs at 5.5 minutes per kilometre, she will burn 40 kilojoules per minute.
Weight loss cannot be predicited
She also adds that you should note that it is impossible to predict weight loss. You may experience periods where your weight doesn't change but your body composition and fitness levels change.
Seek assistance from a physical trainer, if you need to find a suitable workout routine tailored to your needs. Also chat to your doctor first, if you suffer from any medical conditions.

1. Prev:How to take the â€˜die’ out of dieting
2. Next:Play cat and mouse to burn calories