Let's lose your weight and maintain your body shape

American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at least 150 minutes every week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes every week of vigorous exercise. That can be broken down into 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week.

In the beginning, it doesn’t even matter if your exercise sessions are so short that they aren’t contributing significantly to calories burned. All that matters, in the beginning, is that you’re doing what you’re capable of doing. That’s how to begin preparing your body for longer workout sessions in the future.

Why is it important to do exercises for an obese individual?

The goal of treatment for obesity is weight loss. Exercise is an essential part of any weight-loss program and should become a permanent part of your lifestyle. The benefits of exercise can include:

1. burning off calories and losing weight

2. maintaining muscle tone

3. increasing your metabolic rate (the number of calories your body burns 24 hours a day)

4. improving circulation

5. improving heart and lung function

6. increasing your sense of self-control

7. reducing your level of stress

8. increasing your ability to concentrate

9. improving your appearance

10. reducing depression

11. suppressing your appetite

12. helping you sleep better

13. preventing diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol

14. decreasing your risk of some cancers, such as breast, ovary, and colon cancer

You can do the following exercises to lose weight

• Walking

• Cycling

• Squatting

• Lunges

• Glute Bridges

• High knees

• Arm circles exercise

What guidelines should be followed during exercises?

• Avoid setting your expectations too high. Start slowly and build your stamina gradually.

• Find a friend to exercise with.

• Avoid being competitive. Try to improve on your last effort instead of comparing yourself with someone else.

• Recover completely from illness before resuming exercise. Then start with less exercise and increase the amount you do gradually to avoid injury.

• Remember that exercise needs to be continued throughout your life. Don't try to be too intense. Enjoy getting healthy. Have fun.

Kalani Weerasinghe

References

• https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults

• https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_adults/en/