An important component of fitness is maintaining a healthy weight. Excess weight can limit movement and normal activity. It also contributes significantly to many serious health problems including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The good news, is that physical activity counteracts most of the negative health affects of excess weight and can help you look and feel your best.

The American College of Sports Medicine suggest these exercise guidelines for weight control.

Guidelines

• It’s important to change both eating behaviors and activity levels. Exercise alone is usually not very effective.

• The goal is to increase energy expenditure through physical activity. For best results:
   - Be physically active at least 200-300 min/week (3.5-5 hrs)
   - Burn at least 1000-2000 exercise calories per week.

• Keep track of activity each week using a system such as “aerobic miles”  (PDF of Aerobic Mile Chart).

• An aerobic mile is the number of minutes of any activity that is equivalent in energy to jogging one mile.

• Set an aerobic mile goal:
  [ ] 6 miles/week
  [ ] 10 aerobic miles per week
  [ ] 15 aerobic miles per week
  [ ] 20 aerobic miles per week

• Keep records of your daily activity. Write down your exercise time and/or moles completed daily. Check to make sure you are meeting your weekly goal. The Institute of Medicine recommends working up to an hour of moderate activity daily for best results in weight management.
   

References
American College of Sports Medicine, Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, "Musculoskeletal Flexibility",  6th Edition, Lippincott Williams, & Wilkins, 2000