Exercise and weight
Exercise is the only way to increase your body's energy consumption and improve performance. And exercise loses weight even without a low-calorie diet, although weight falls slower that way.

If you try to lose weight just by dieting, you'll lose some muscle tissue rather than only fat tissue. The basic metabolism then slows and to lose weight you need to continuously restrict the diet. The advantage of exercising is that someone who works out regularly consumes more energy at rest than a person on a strict diet.

How to define obesity?
Here is a simple formula: deduct 105cms from your height and the result is your recommended weight in kilos. If you weigh 10-15 kilos more, it's time to change your eating and exercise habits for good. Remember that the effects of a crash diet often fade quickly.

You can calculate your weight index by dividing your weight by the square of your height. E.g. if you weigh 75kg and are 1.7m tall, your weight index is 75/1.7^2 = 75/2.89 = 26. The index acts as a guide to proper body weight and is known as the BMI or Body Mass Index. When following your weight, always measure it at the same time of the day, for instance in the morning.

An online BMI calculator is available here.



Exercise regularly, eat regularly
As we said earlier, a weight-watcher should exercise regularly. As fitness improves, you can prolong training time up to an hour a session. You must start slowly at low resistance because too much strain can damage your heart and blood vessels.

Beginner exercisers must work at a low pulse rate (50%-60%) for a long period, at least 20-30 minutes.

Set yourself a target, e.g. how many kilos you want to lose by a certain date. Write it down and design an appropriate exercise programme. Combining exercise with a healthy diet ensures positive results.

Recommendations for a weight-loss diet
Eat carbohydrates - fruit, vegetables, berries, cereals - which contain only half the calories for the same amount of fat.

Avoid fat, sugar and alcohol. Remember that many foodstuffs include hidden fat and sugar (e.g. chocolate, full-cream ice-cream)

Eat regularly and reduce portion sizes. Have breakfast, lunch and dinner to avoid the tempation to snack. Small portions prevent your system storing excess calories.

Reduce or eliminate emply calories (sweets, chocolate, soft drinks, sugar).

Be patient and don't try too hard. It's best to reduce weight at half to one kilo per week.

And please remember that nothing will happen overnight. Muscles that have not been used for a long time need time to tune-up and fat tissues tend to be persistent.

But if you start training regularly with a certain goal in mind and follow the instructions in this guide, you may be surprised how quickly you see and feel the results. You'll notice that you don't get out of breath so easily and have the strength to do more. And you'll look fitter, too!

One important aspect of your training is versatility. Varying your training exercises different muscle groups and helps maintain motivation. Experiment and compare to find what's best for you.