Health and Fitness Information Center

A Step Toward A Healthier Life - Step 2

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• Weight Control

Step on It
Monitor your body fat regularly to chart your progress and as part of a routine personal fitness program.

Recent guidelines issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) confirm successful weight loss requires increasing physical activity and reducing calories. Changing your balance of diet and exercise can help you achieve a healthier balance of fat and muscle in your body.

Exercise contributes to weight loss, and is most helpful in prevention of weight gain. It also can change overall body composition , by reducing fat while building muscle. In addition, exercise increases cardiovascular fitness.

Start an exercise program with moderate activity, progressing to 30 minutes or more on most or preferably all days of the week.

Exercise can be done in one session, or in short periods throughout the day that add up to 30 minutes.

Choose physical activities you enjoy and can do regularly. Consistency is important.

Walking is an excellent exercise because it is safe and accessible. Start at a slow pace, gradually increasing how long, how fast, how hard, and how many times a week you walk.

In addition to planned exercise, increase everyday activities such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator. It all adds up.