I suggest before looking at the calorie count activity chart below, that you read this important information first.

From the moment you begin increasing your physical activity, good things start happening throughout your body. And the more you exercise, the greater the benefits. Just look at some of the improvements that are in store for you:

Exercise maintains your lean muscle tissue while you lose weight.

Moderately intense levels of exercise for sustained periods of time may help you rid of abdominal fat deposits and reduce your waist-to-hip ratio. The effect of exercise on body composition is still a controversial area of research, but some experts report that many people who are heavy through the middle do improve their waist-to-hip ratio with a combination of eating well and exercising.

Exercise helps control appetite.

Exercise builds bone and muscle. Because exercise tends to increase bone density, You have more protection against osteoporosis. Plus, You gain muscle tone and flexibility.

Exercise can reduce and eliminate menstrual pain.

Exercise may increase your resistance to colds and infections.

Exercise often improves sleeping disorders.

Exercise reduces many diabetes-related medical problems.

Exercise lessens the risk of many cardiovascular and circulatory diseases. You can improve reduced heart capacity, reduced lung function, slow wound healing, dangerously high levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, low levels of good HDL cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

Exercise helps correct stress induced eating problems.

Exercise raises your metabolism.

Exercise: How much, how often, how hard

The exercise you do has to be specifically designed to meet your needs.

Select a type of exercise that you are capable of doing without causing stress or strain on your bones and muscles. Avoid activities that require a lot of weight lifting or jumping at first. You can work the more demanding exercises in routine after your body becomes stronger and more flexible.

Avoid exercises that leave you out-of-breath and feeling exhausted. Can you talk during your exercise routine without gasping for air? If you can't, slow down.

Monitor your pulse and make sure that your heart is working at a moderately intense level.

First, Determine your maximum heart rate. Subtract your age from 220, For example, if your 50 years old, your maximum heart rate is 220 minus 50 or 170 beats per minute.

If you are an exercise beginner or have a history of heart disease, you probably shouldn't raise your heart rate above 60 percent of its maximum. (And you should see a doctor before you start exercising.)

Healthy, regular exercisers should keep their heart rates within a range of 60 percent to 80 percent of their maximum heart rate during exercise.

Always start each session with low-intensity activities in order to warm up. Then pick up the pace. When you are capable of sustaining your heart rate at the 60 percent to 80 percent level for at least 12 minutes, you will begin to achieve the benefits that come from "aerobic" heart and lung conditioning.

During an aerobic exercise session, your heart and lungs are working harder than usual in order to deliver increased amounts of oxygen-loaded blood to your muscles. This strengthens your heart muscle and improves lung function.

Choose exercises that fit your daily schedule and suit your economic needs. Why not start with physical activities that include walking and stair climbing? You should be able to fit exercise in your daily routine.. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park your car farther away from the workplace. Walk one length of the shopping mall at a brisk pace before you start to shop.

If you decide to purchase exercise equipment or join a health club, make sure the cost is worth the benefit you expect to receive.

Good Luck and have fun. You will like the way you feel when you get and stay in shape. If you are already in shape, Keep it up. Good Job.

The chart below will help you determine which exercise would be most beneficial to your health. Most of all, you need to have fun with what you choose to do.

The right side of this chart is: "Calories burned Per Minute of exercise. Each little box is a calorie count burned per minute for the exercise to the left of the chart. Look at your weight at the top of the chart and go down the chart to read it correctly. Set your goals. You'll feel so good and have a better start toward lifelong health.