Exercise Prescription for Obesity

The Intensity of the Exercise Changes with Body weight
People with a normal obesity level over 120% (20% more than standard body weight) should avoid intense and strenuous exercise and start with light exercises. That's because the amount of calories consumed varies depending on body weight. A heavy person needs a lot of energy to move his/her heavy body, and has the makings to become tired easily during intense exercise.


Exercise Suggestions for an Effective Diet
# "I ate little for a long time, but I'm not losing any more weight. So, I gave up and started eating again and now I've gained it back."

# "Starving and eating less, I dieted really hard, but my flab is just the way it was before."


These are the most common complaints heard in counseling. Why? Because of the lack of proper exercise. Many people, when they diet, only control their meals by eating less or going on a low-calorie diet. It's hard to successfully diet without exercising. Our bodies adjust to low-calorie diets by lowering basal metabolism. Eventually, our bodies get used to smaller amounts of food, and calories are left over, which is why people can't lose additional weight. The yo-yo effect occurs because people resume normal eating after dieting and basal metabolism remains low, producing excess calories.



An Outline for the Most Basic Exercises
Exercising can be divided into exercise that improves heart and lung function, and weight training, which improves physical strength.

# Aerobic exercise for heart and lung function improvement

Aerobic exercise is appropriate for controlling body weight because plenty of oxygen is provided and the entire body consumes energy. It is recommended that a person start with aerobic exercises once that person is considered obese or overweight. This is because the appropriate exercise can effectively break down body fat. Dieting by eating less may actually break down body protein instead of body fat.

Walking fast, jogging, indoor bicycle riding, walking up stairs, swimming, water aerobics, hiking, and aerobic dancing are some examples of this type of exercise. Normally, when treating obesity, a low-intensity 30- to 50-minute workout, without rest, is more effective than doing high-intensity exercises. Choosing an appropriate intensity level is important.