Burning Calories to Maintain Weight
To maintain weight you need to burn about 2,500-2,800 calories per week through physical activity.
By Richard Weil, MEd, CDE
How many days a week and how long should I exercise?
Question:
Hi. I am an 18-year-old female, and over the past six months I have lost over 30 pounds by combining exercise and dieting. I am now at a weight where I am comfortable and that is healthy for my height. How many calories should I burn to maintain weight and what kind of exercise should I do? I do not want to lose any more weight and I do not want to spend hours in the gym. Should I do more strength training and less cardio? I am a very active person and I am involved in many activities, and I am not training to run a marathon or anything like that. I just want to be healthy. How many days a week and how long should I exercise?
Answer:
Research suggests that to you need to burn about 2,500-2,800 calories per week to maintain weight through physical activity. You can do 400 calories all at once in a workout, or accumulate it throughout the day. It amounts to roughly 45-60 minutes of total moderate intensity physical activity (e.g., brisk walking). It would be helpful to lift weights 2-3 times per week to keep up your muscle mass, and then spend 4-5 days per week on cardio. You can estimate caloric expenditure of activities at www.caloriesperhour.com. I hope that helps.
Richard Weil, MEd, CDE, is an exercise physiologist and certified diabetes educator. He has published dozens of articles on exercise and health and has appeared on many television programs. He also speaks about health at many national conferences.
The opinions expressed herein are the guest's alone and have not been reviewed by a WebMD physician. If you have a question about your health, you should consult your personal physician. This event is meant for informational purposes only.
Published May 12, 2003.
By Richard Weil, MEd, CDE
How many days a week and how long should I exercise?
Question:
Hi. I am an 18-year-old female, and over the past six months I have lost over 30 pounds by combining exercise and dieting. I am now at a weight where I am comfortable and that is healthy for my height. How many calories should I burn to maintain weight and what kind of exercise should I do? I do not want to lose any more weight and I do not want to spend hours in the gym. Should I do more strength training and less cardio? I am a very active person and I am involved in many activities, and I am not training to run a marathon or anything like that. I just want to be healthy. How many days a week and how long should I exercise?
Answer:
Research suggests that to you need to burn about 2,500-2,800 calories per week to maintain weight through physical activity. You can do 400 calories all at once in a workout, or accumulate it throughout the day. It amounts to roughly 45-60 minutes of total moderate intensity physical activity (e.g., brisk walking). It would be helpful to lift weights 2-3 times per week to keep up your muscle mass, and then spend 4-5 days per week on cardio. You can estimate caloric expenditure of activities at www.caloriesperhour.com. I hope that helps.
Richard Weil, MEd, CDE, is an exercise physiologist and certified diabetes educator. He has published dozens of articles on exercise and health and has appeared on many television programs. He also speaks about health at many national conferences.
The opinions expressed herein are the guest's alone and have not been reviewed by a WebMD physician. If you have a question about your health, you should consult your personal physician. This event is meant for informational purposes only.
Published May 12, 2003.
