Being physically active and eating fewer calories will help you lose weight and keep the weight off over time.
While people vary quite a bit in the amount of physical activity they need for weight control, many can maintain their weight by doing 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) a week of moderate-intensity activity such as brisk walking.
People who want to lose a large amount of weight (more than 5 percent of their body weight)—and people who want to keep off the weight that they’ve lost—may need to be physically active for more than 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week.
Speak to your doctor before starting a physical activity program if you have a health problem such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or asthma.
Need help becoming more physically active?
Your Guide to Physical Activity and Your Heart uses science-based information to help adults develop a safe and effective program of physical activity that can be sustained. Or check out our fact sheet on physical activity on NHLBI’s Diseases and Conditions Index.
