Shape up!

One of your aims in losing weight in the first place was probably to improve your figure, so don't ignore the important contribution that regular exercise can make.

Now is the time to get up and get moving!

As well as gradually increasing your energy intake to a stable weight maintenance level, you should also be gradually increasing your activity level or continuing with the exercises you started whilst losing weight.

Regular exercise is more beneficial than occasional bursts of activity, and choose activities you enjoy which are not a penance! You're much more likely to stick to your programme. And do wear comfortable clothing and footwear - it all adds to the enjoyment.

Walk instead of taking the car or the bus. Use stairs instead of lifts or escalators. Ask around amongst family, friends and colleagues to find out what they enjoy and where and you'll probably find company for your chosen exercise.

Swimming, water aerobics, aerobics for beginners, cycling with family, friends or with a club.....all these and many more can help maintain your weight and keep your sleek new shape.

Burning Calories
Healthy exercise has always been part of the Cambridge programme, in addition to the Diet itself. But trying to figure out the effect of exercise is not always easy, because the number of calories you burn depends upon several factors:

• your weight
• the activity your are doing and
• the intensity level you are exercising at

The table below is a guide to the number of calories you could expect to burn in 30 minutes in a range of everyday activities. The rates are based on two nominal weights. Obviously, if you exercise at a higher intensity level, you will be working harder, expending more energy and burning more calories than someone who is not working quite so hard.