The key to weight control is keeping energy intake (food) and energy output (physical activity) in optimum balance. Thus, a regular program of weight control must include a regular program of exercise and a strict control over calorie intake.

When your physical exercise program burns up more of the energy than you consume, weight loss will begin to take place, so the key to a good program of weight loss is to reduce your calorie intake while at the same time using up your stored fat. Your exercise program needs to demand that you begin to burn up some of the stored fat in your body in order for you to lose weight.

How much you lose and how quickly you lose weight is going to be determined by the amount and type of activity you choose for your exercise program and also by the amount and type of food you consume. If you consume 100 calories a day MORE than your body needs, you will gain approximately 10 pounds in a year. On the other hand, if you walk a mile a day, you will burn anywhere from 100 to 1000 calories daily depending on the quality of the walk. (A stroll is not going to use as many calories as a brisk walk.)

A combination of controlled exercise and controlled diet offers the best approach to weight control.

Since muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue, your program of exercise won't necessarily tell you how much stored fat you have lost. Fat does not "turn into" muscle tissue. Fat tissue and muscle tissue are two separate things. Muscle does use up calories at a faster rate than fat tissue, and this will directly affect your body's metabolism. Your Basal Metabolism Rate is the amount of energy you require to sustain your body at rest. this will vary with your age, sex, body size, genetic makeup and body composition. People with higher levels of muscle tend to have a higher metabolism rate and will use more calories in the resting stage. This is one reason why frequent exercise and building up your muscle tissue are important components of an effective weight loss program.

You may not appear to be losing as much weight as you would hope for, however, your own feelings about your improved physical condition will tell you a great deal. With an effective exercise and diet program, you will gain increased vitality and an improved energy level, and you will enjoy life more when you practice a heather more active life style.