The key to weight loss (and maintaining your goal weight) is a combination of diet and exercise. The one without the other is like Laurel without Hardy.

A training programme aimed at weight lo

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ss must consist of:

1. Cardiovascular/aerobic training for improved fitness and stamina (with your heart rate at approximately 70 % of your maximum)
2. Stretching to decrease the risk of injury
3. Resistance training to tone the muscles
4. Fat burning exercises. These consist of aerobic training at a higher intensity than training for mere fitness. The harder your train, the faster you run/walk/cycle and the longer you are able to keep going, the more fat you will burn. You will burn fat even in the hour or two following your work-out.

This four-pronged programme must be complemented by a weight loss diet. The golden rule of a weight loss diet is: calories consumed should be less than calories burnt. More exercise equals a higher expenditure of calories. So how do you go about it?

Your body needs a certain minimum amount of energy (measured in calories or kilojoules kJ) to function per day. This minimum daily amount needed is about 2 800 cal for men and 2 000 cal for women. If you are overweight or need to lose weight, you need to decrease your calorie intake by approximately 500 (more or less down to 2 300 daily for men and 1 500 daily for women) per day in order to lose 0,5 – 1 kg per week. Exercise will increase your calorie expenditure. So, if you eat less (but not starve yourself) and exercise three to four times weekly, you are sure to lose weight.

Choose a programme with all four components:

• Any of the programmes to improve your fitness
• Add your limited calories diet to your training programme.

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