With more than half of US adults overweight or obese, advice for losing weight is plentiful. Long-term success, however, means keeping off the pounds lost. And exercise seems to be the best way to do that.

According to guidelines for weight loss and prevention of weight regain from the American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM), both reducing calorie intake (diet) and increasing calorie expenditure (exercise) are essential to success.

While the initial recommendations to aid weight loss are for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days (150 minutes/week), research has shown that higher levels are needed in order to maintain weight loss long-term, that is, to prevent weight regain. Therefore the ACSM recommends increasing the amount of exercise to 200 - 300 minutes/week. The increase should be done gradually over time.

The College also recommends that resistance exercise supplement endurance exercise in overweight and obese adults who are reducing their energy intake only modestly. This type of exercise focuses on improving muscular strength, making it easier for overweight and obese sedentary individuals to adopt a more active lifestyle.

Related information: Lifestyle changes - Manage weight - Activity | Fitness Channel

Source:  American College of Sports Medicine. Appropriate intervention strategies for weight loss and prevention of weight regain for adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Dec. 1, 2001.