Exercise to lose weight - why bother?

We all know that exercise and diet are important in weight control.

Some will tell you that you need about 2000 calories of day to function normally. A typical gym workout probably uses about 200 to 400 calories. Hence some may think, "why bother".

A good exercise regime, particularly one that aims to workout all your muscle groups will
  • build muscles and hold back muscle wastage (sarcopenia)
  • use up fat
  • remove excess salt so as to help keep your blood pressure under control
  • give your circulatory system a good work
  • make you feel and look better
  • and give you something to talk about to your friends and family.
In terms of weight loss, think of this way. If you exercise early in the morning, you will need to get up early and rush to the gym. As a result you will find it convenient just to eat a light fibre rich cereal based breakfast (about 200-300 calories).

A typical workout is thus equal to one light breakfast. So if you follow this regime, by working out you get to eat one less meal per day.

If you eat sensibly during the rest of the day, exercise will thus help to keep your weight in check.

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