Serious weight loss plan

For example, if you do not exercise or perform an activity to assist your weight loss plan, you would have to consume 500 less calories per day to lose 1 pound per week, or 1, 000 less per day to lose 2 pounds per week. However, if you include exercise in your plan, you would only have to cut back 250 calories per day (hardly noticeable) and the other 250 would be burned by your chosen activity. As you build muscle, your body will become much more efficient at burning off additional calories, even while at rest.

The Calorie Chart and Activity Tables will help you plan the tasks of figuring how many calories you need to get to your goal weight, and types of activity you can perform to assist you in your plan.

With Exercise

Exercise plays a vital part in any healthy plan. As we age, we need to build muscle that we lose with aging to maintain our ability to take care of ourselves well into our later years in life.

The great thing about exercise, is that it will benefit you at any age, whether you begin young or old. It has been shown that even seniors will reverse muscle loss, increase stamina and improve balance and agility by performing weight bearing exercise. Exercise at any age is a definite plus for your health and helps to maintain a healthy weight as well.

Also, by building muscle you automatically rev up your calorie burning metabolism so you'll burn calories in addition to those burned during your exercise sessions.

Your exercise routine should include aerobic exercises to strengthen your cardiovascular system. This will help the body supply oxygen and keep your blood pumping at healthy levels and can regulate high or low blood pressure.

You should also do some form of muscle resistance exercises, using weights or the weight of your body (push-ups, etc.) to challenge the muscles. By challenging them, you create more muscle fiber, making your body stronger for everyday tasks. Also, by replacing body fat with muscle, you will automatically burn an extra 100-250 calories per day, even while at rest.