Exercise
Exercise is the other half of the energy equation. Exercise in this context is all of the energy that we expend in a day. Exercise can be anything that burns calories, although in modern times we tend to think of gym memberships and marathon training.
In my opinion the best thing is to identify something active that you enjoy and stick with it: gardening, walking, bike riding, etc. Also, add exercise to your daily schedule: park further away and walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator, stand up at work instead of sitting, etc. Below are two charts that outline how many calories we burn during various activities to give you an idea of how well you're balancing your energy consumption.
Remember, exercise should not be a chore. It should become a daily part of your life because you enjoy it! Find something that is active that you're happy doing long term. If exercise is always something we dread doing, we'll stop doing it, and slip back into old, bad habits.
If you're an athlete, a former athlete, or someone just looking to stay in shape, please visit the Advanced Exercise section for more specific exercise instructions.
In my opinion the best thing is to identify something active that you enjoy and stick with it: gardening, walking, bike riding, etc. Also, add exercise to your daily schedule: park further away and walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator, stand up at work instead of sitting, etc. Below are two charts that outline how many calories we burn during various activities to give you an idea of how well you're balancing your energy consumption.
Remember, exercise should not be a chore. It should become a daily part of your life because you enjoy it! Find something that is active that you're happy doing long term. If exercise is always something we dread doing, we'll stop doing it, and slip back into old, bad habits.
If you're an athlete, a former athlete, or someone just looking to stay in shape, please visit the Advanced Exercise section for more specific exercise instructions.
