Behavior plays a significant role in obesity. Modifying behaviors that have contributed to developing obesity is one way to treat the disease either alone or in conjunction with other treatments. A few suggested behavior modifiers include:                

• Changing eating habits
• Increasing physical activity        
• Becoming educated about the body and how to nourish it appropriately       
• Engaging in a support group      
• Participating in an extracurricular activity 
• Setting realistic weight-loss management goals

Self-monitoring:

It has been said that losing weight is as simple as, “what you put in, you must put out.” However, quite often individuals do not realize the amount of calories they ingest on a daily basis. Because self-monitoring is critical for success with lifestyle changes, it is important to look at the various self-monitoring techniques.

What is Self-monitoring? Self-monitoring refers to the observing and recording of eating and exercise patterns, followed by feedback on the behaviors. The goal of self-monitoring is to increase self-awareness of target behaviors and outcomes, thus it can serve as an early warning system if problems are arising and can help track success. Some commonly used self-monitoring techniques include:

• Food diaries      
• Regular self-weighing  
• Exercise logs     
• Equipment such as pedometers, accelerometers and metabolic devices

Although specific diseases and treatments vary, behavior modification is the major key in weight-loss or prevention, and decreases the risk of diseases. Self-monitoring is a key to behavior modification, and there are a multitude of ways to self-monitor.

With technology advancements, self-monitoring techniques are changing and improving to help defeat some of the major barriers to compliance. The bottom line is that no matter how you do it, self-monitoring should be an important part of your weight-loss, weight maintenance or healthy lifestyle change.

Physical Activity:

Regular physical activity is necessary for good health. It is primarily important for someone who is trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Exercise can not only help to control weight, it contributes to healthy bones, joints and muscles.

Physical activity does not have to be strenuous to be beneficial. Someone who has been sedentary but wants to get started with an exercise program should begin by incorporating a few minutes of activity into each day, gradually building up to 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activities.

Those that have been active, but maybe at less than what is recommended, should strive to adopt more consistent activity.           

• Moderate Intensity – physical activity for 20 minutes or more on five or more days of the week         
• Vigorous Intensity – physical activity for 30 minutes or more on three or more days of the week

Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activities

Moderate: Moderate activity is physical activity ranging from 40 to 60 percent of maximum heart rate. Moderate intensity activity causes a slightly increased rate of breathing and it feels “light” to “somewhat hard.”

Examples of moderate intensity activities:           

• Leisure walking,              
• Yard/house work            
• Leisure bike ride             
• Dancing               
• Light swimming

Vigorous: Vigorous intensity is physical activity above 60 percent of maximum heart rate. Vigorous intensity activities result in increased rates of breathing and sweating and feel from “somewhat hard” to “very hard.”

Examples of vigorous intensity activities:  

• Brisk walk           
• Jogging
• Hiking  
• Cycling
• Aerobics

U.S. Recommendations for Physical Activity

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends the following physical activity guidelines for children, adults and older adults:               

• Children and adolescents should do one hour or more of physical activity every day.         

• Adults should do two and a half hours  per week of moderate intensity activity, or one hour and 15 minutes per week of vigorous intensity activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous intensity activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes, preferably spread throughout the week.    
     
• Older adults should follow the adult guidelines. If this is not possible due to limiting chronic conditions, older adults should be as physically active as their abilities allow.

Developing Your Physical Activity Goals

Once you have decided why you want to exercise and make a commitment, then you can set a SMART goal and use the FITT principle to make a plan.

Now let us look at how to put these two principles together and start our plan. Here are some examples of poor and well-written goals:

Poor Goals:             

• Increase cardiovascular exercise.                            
Better: I will walk five days per week for 30 minutes.         
• Lose weight.                     
Better: Lose 10-15 pounds by walking four days per week for 30 minutes a day.

SMART Goals:            

• I will increase my exercise by walking three times per week for 15 minutes each time.       
• I will relax in the hot tub at the gym for 10 minutes after my two workouts this week.   
• I will take the stairs once a day at work, every day this week.

The easiest program for most people to begin is a walking routine. Realistically, any movement that you do is better than none. Do what works for you right now in your life.

Remember these few things about exercise:   

• Make it simple 
• Make it realistic              
• Make it happen               
• Most importantly, make it fun!

The most important commitment you make is to your health and wellness.