Exercise is an important part of healthy weight (fat) loss as well as feeling strong and confident. Sometimes it is difficult to know where to start. My encouragement is to begin with observing how you currently move to determine your baseline or ‘starting point.’ Pedometers or smart watches can provide step counts which are one measure of activity. For instance, if your baseline is 3,000 steps daily, you would want to set a challenge for 3,500 or 4,000 steps daily until your body adjusts to that and build from there. Monitoring your progress helps keep you motivated (e.g., 10 repetitions last week, 15 this week).

It may be helpful to start with Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (N.E.A.T.) followed by structured exercise including aerobic and strength training as tolerated. N.E.A.T. movement includes non-planned exercise and accounts for calories burned with everyday activities (e.g., standing, walking, stairs, chores, fidgeting). It can account for 15-30% of our activity and calorie expenditure. Building in this type of movement into your everyday life can make a powerful difference in your health and weight. Some N.E.A.T. suggestions include walking while you talk on the phone, standing desks, sitting on an exercise ball, or practice sitting 3 times before you settle on that seat cushion (i.e., squats). Think about how many times you sit in a day…those “squats” really add up to a strong lower body where big muscles burn big calories.