Exercise will improve weight loss, tone muscles, and reduce loss of muscle mass. A recent study showed that exercise is the most important factor in maintaining weight loss. Don’t wait until you have hit a plateau to include exercise in your daily routine!
Remember that exercise should be approved by your physician.
In General:
- 20-30 min of activity per day
Aerobic Activity:
- 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week OR
- 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week
- 1 minute of vigorous activity provides similar health benefits as 2 minutes of moderate activity
Strength Training:
- All major muscle groups at least 2x/week (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms)
Reduce Sitting Time:
- Stand every 30 minutes to reduce health risks and improve longevity (sitting is the new smoking!)
To Start:
- Figure out what you like and are most likely to do
- Do you prefer to work out with others?
- Do you want to exercise before, during or after work?
- Do you like to dance, swim, lift weights, ride a bike? Figure out what you want to do.
- Set a specific, reasonable goal (ex. Sign up for a 5K and start walk/jogging at least 2x/week).
To Stay Focused and Maintain a Habit:
- It takes about 30 days to form a habit, so stay consistent for about a month
- Put your clothes out the night before or change to gym clothes at work
- Pair exercise with non-food rewards (ex. do you like Netflix? Allow yourself to watch ONLY if you go to the gym)
- Park further away in the parking lot and walk to your destination
- March in place during TV commercials
- Listen to your favorite motivational music as you exercise
- Take a flight of stairs instead of the elevator
- Keep a record or journal to hold yourself accountable
- Ask a friend or family member to participate with you
- Vary workouts to alleviate boredom
- Develop specific, realistic, and achievable goals
- Check out exercise apps on your phone