Exercise For Weight Control

You can control your weight by balancing the number of calories you consume with the amount of calories your body burns through physical activity and regular metabolism. Regular exercise not only helps you burn calories, but can also improve your health in many different ways. How much exercise you need to help control your weight depends on the type of exercise you choose and how much you eat.

Aerobic Exercise

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 50 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on five days each week to promote and sustain weight loss. Aerobic exercise can include brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling and other sports or activities that use your large muscle groups and increase your heart rate for an extended period of time. Including interval training to your aerobic workout by alternating higher-intensity bursts of activity followed by lighter-intensity periods can also help you burn more calories during your exercise session.

Strength Training

Strength training exercise can also aid in weight control by helping you increase or maintain your muscle mass. As your muscle mass increases, your metabolism also increases. This can help your body burn more calories even when you are not exercising. The American Council on Exercise recommends muscle-strengthening exercises for your major muscle groups at least two times each week. You can lift weights, use resistance bands or do exercises that use your body weight as resistance, including pushups or pullups.

Benefits

Regular exercise of all types is important for reducing your risk for developing heart disease, some types of cancer and type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition to helping you control your weight, regular exercise can help you boost your mood and increase your chances of living healthier for longer. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, in addition to participating in regular exercise, is essential for good health.

Considerations

Visit with your doctor before starting an exercise program, particularly if you have a condition that may make exercise unsafe for you. Meeting with an exercise specialist or a registered dietitian may also be helpful as you develop an exercise and eating plan to help you control your weight. Choose exercises that you enjoy to increase your chances of sticking with your workout routine. Slowly and gradually work your way up to the recommended amount of exercise to help prevent potential injuries that can come from doing too much exercise too soon.