Forget Dieting part III
By Barbara Zimmer, LCSW, Former EAP counselor at Middlesex Hospital

Move That Body
Incorporate exercise into your daily activity. All weight loss and weight management information I am familiar with stresses the importance of combining cutting calories with regular exercise. It is recommended you engage in some form of aerobic activity 3-5 times per week for 30-60 minutes. A 30 minute walk at a moderate pace will burn 150 calories for a person 150 lbs. Weeding the garden also burns the same amount of calories, and some household chores burn even more calories depending on the activity and person. You don’t have to join a gym, and if you’re short on time make gardening or cleaning the house your exercise.

Aerobic activity burns calories, which helps to reduce body fat. Regular aerobic activity can help to strengthen your heart muscle and lower your blood pressure. Weight bearing aerobic activity such as walking, jogging, or dancing helps to maintain strong bones. Lastly, aerobic exercise relieves tension and decreases stress. Can you find any reason not to incorporate it into your life?

The focus here is on long-term results. Eliminating a 1 oz. bag of potato chips and exercising for 30 minutes daily such as walking moderately will burn 300 calories per day. If you maintain this behavior you will lose approximately 30 lbs. in a year. This may not sound like much, but the point to remember is that even making very small changes in your eating and activity level will yield significant results. Eating smaller portions of healthy food and exercising on a regular basis can lead to even greater results. You design the plan. Start with 10 minutes of brisk walking, but get moving. Any activity is better than no activity and any effort at a healthful eating plan is progress. Of course all literature stresses checking with your doctor before beginning an exercise plan, especially if you have any health problems.

People who have been successful at losing weight and keeping it off very often start with small changes in their eating and activity level. Their new behaviors eventually become second nature as they make permanent changes in how they think about food.

If you would like to talk about this or any other problem or concern, please call Solutions Employee Assistance Program at 1-800-526-3485 or www.solutions-eap.com<http://www.solutions-eap.com>

George "Bud" Wassell, M.S., LPC, CEAP
Director, Solutions EAP
213 Court Street
Middletown, CT 06457
800-526-3485
fax: 860-704-6221
http://www.solutions-eap.com