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Weighing In On Physical Activity

Keeping To A Healthy Weight

Weighing In On Physical Activity

Physical activity is a powerful tool for managing your weight. Whether you are trying to trim weight or maintain it, physical activity and well-balanced eating habits make it easier to manage your weight. In turn, keeping your weight within a healthy range helps improve your overall health, lowering your risk for health conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis.

To lose excess weight, you need to use up more kilojoules (energy) than you take in. You can do this by:

  • eating fewer kilojoules,
  • increasing the kilojoules you burn by being more physically active, or
  • eating fewer kilojoules and being more active.

To maintain your weight, you need to balance the kilojoules you take in with the kilojoules you use each day.

Get an Active Edge

Health experts agree that people who are physically active are more successful at managing their weight. Besides burning kilojoules, physical activity helps you manage your weight in other ways.

  • Changes your body composition. Regular physical activity helps you build and keep muscle and lose body fat. Your body will appear trimmer, even if you don’t lose weight. When you cut kilojoules alone, you tend to lose muscle along with body fat.
  • Boosts your metabolism. Even after physical activity; your body can continue to burn more energy. And when you have more muscle your body requires more energy. So if you are eating the same or fewer kilojoules you are likely to lose weight.
  • Lowers your appetite. Like many people, you may find that you are not as hungry when you add moderate physical activity to your daily routine. And exercise may motivate you to make better lifestyle choices.
  • Relieves stress. If you replace stress-induced nibbling with physical activity, you’ll save yourself from extra kilojoules.
  • Promotes a sense of well-being. Participating in physical activity makes you feel better overall. It also can improve your mood and the quality of your sleep.
Everyday Activities Count Too!

On Your “Weigh” to an Active Lifestyle

People of all ages should spend time each day being physically active. Adults should aim for at least 30 minutes, preferably more each day. To help manage your weight, work up to a total of 60 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each day. Children and adolescents should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate activity daily.

Any type of physical activity you choose to do will increase the number of kilojoules your body uses. Think about ways to make physical activity a regular part of your lifestyle. You can schedule structured activities into your day, such as exercise classes or recreational activities. Or you can focus on adding short segments of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout your day. This may include activities that you are already doing, such as gardening or housework. It can also mean easily added lifestyle activities, such as walking to the shop, using the stairs or walking the dog. Other examples of moderate-intensity activities include walking briskly, dancing, or raking leaves – or any activity that uses the large muscles in your arms and legs.

Regularly accumulating at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity over the course of a day can have a positive effect on your weight and health. There are lots of ways to burn kilojoules – and the more you do, the more you burn.

If you haven’t been active in the past, work up to your goal gradually. And check with your doctor if you have any medical conditions, or chronic health problems, such as heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis or diabetes, before you add any vigorous activities.

Take Steps To Be More Active

One way to measure your activity level is by counting your steps. Use an accurate pedometer to track the number of steps you take each day. You may be surprised at the results. Experts recommend 10,000 steps per day. If you fall below this number, make it your goal. If you are at or above 10,000 steps, challenge yourself to gradually add another 2000 steps to your day.
Family activities are a great way towards a healthy weight

Make Physical Activity a Family Affair

Kids, too, need regular physical activity to be at a healthy weight. Experts recommend setting limits on the amount of leisure time you permit children to spend watching television or using the computer. Instead, encourage your children to get up and move. Organized sports or classes are a good way to include regular physical activity. Active play with friends and family is another fun way to get moving. Make it a family affair and choose activities that you can do together. The whole family reaps the benefits of physical activity when adults are role models for children. The activities in the box below are just a few ideas.
Play Your Way To Fitness

Play Your “Weigh” to Fitness

  • Play hide and seek
  • Fly a kite
  • Use a skipping rope 
  • Ride a bicycle, scooter or tricycle
  • Rollerblade
  • Dance
  • Go ten pin bowling
  • Play tennis, badminton or squash 
  • Participate in organized sports, such as rugby, cricket, basketball, football or hockey
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