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Exercise and weight loss

Alternative Names

Losing weight with exercise

Information

The key to weight control is keeping energy intake (food) and energy output (physical activity) in balance. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you eat.

Exercise is the best way to do this. When you exercise regularly, you build stronger muscles, even if you do not work out with weights. Muscles use more calories than fat throughout the day, even while you are resting. This helps boost your metabolism.

How much exercise you need to make a difference in your weight depends on how much you eat and what activity you are doing. A medium-sized adult would have to walk more than 30 miles to burn up 3,500 calories, the equivalent of one pound of fat. Although that may seem like a lot, you don't have to walk the 30 miles all at once. Walking a mile a day for 30 days will achieve the same result, as long as you don't eat more than usual.

If you eat 100 calories a day more than your body needs, you will gain approximately 10 pounds in a year. You could lose the weight or keep it off by doing 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily. The combination of exercise and diet is the best way to control your weight.

If you are doing a regular program of strength training (weight lifting), your muscles will get bigger. It is possible that your overall weight will increase, because muscle weighs more than fat.

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Books on Healthline

Action Plan for Arthritis Book by "A. Lynn Millar, PT, PhD" publisher: "Human Kinetics"
This book is written for the person who has arthritis and either is planning to start exercising or already is exercising and wishes to modify an existing program

Action Plan for Diabetes Book by "Darryl E. Barnes, MD" publisher: "Human Kinetics"
Living with diabetes is not easy. You know that diet and exercise are important in controlling your blood glucose, but how do you find balance in these areas without letting them take over your life?

Advanced Sports Nutrition Book by "Dan Benardot, PhD, RD, FACSM" publisher: "Human Kinetics"
Information in this book should help athletes become healthier and help them understand what it takes to compete at the highest levels

Strength Training for Women Book by "Lori Incledon" publisher: "Human Kinetics"
Throughout this book you will learn not only the hows of strength training, to satisfy your body, but also the whys, to satisfy your mind so that you become well versed in the benefits of strength training.