Excess fat is your body’s way of building a handy storage of fuel for tough times ahead. If you are like most Australians, you probably don’t need to worry about hard times ahead and may wish to shift those extra kilos. (Assess your Body Composition )

The fact is all diets will work if there is less energy coming into the system than going out. The problem with most diets is their short term nature. Going on a diet means that you have to come off it at some stage. Most people return to their normal habits and put the weight back on, often more than they had in the first place.

Although simple in nature, the IN v OUT equation gets muddled as humans are complex social creatures and not lab rats. But exploring the equation a little more is a good idea.

Dieticians claim that 80 per cent of weight loss is due to diet. So part of the puzzle is to look at what you eat or take IN to the system. Avoiding fat is a good step in the right direction, as it is packed full of energy, with 9 calories per gram (compared to just 4 for carbohydrates and protein). Your body also expends very little energy digesting fat, so it gives you a double IN whammy.

Increasing your fruit and vegetable intake is important for long-term weight maintenance because these foods provide the perfect balance of nutrients and energy. Fruit gets a bad name for its sugar, but if eaten whole, there is actually not that much energy.

Refined carbohydrates can be a problem. They are sugar that have been taken out of its natural state and delivered by the teaspoon (or candy bar) and can add up over the day. Be particularly cautious of high-energy drinks. (Assess your energy intake from fluids )

The last point is the most important. Reduce your total intake of energy every day by establishing healthy eating patterns that you can sustain for life – this is the key to long-term weight maintenance.

Meanwhile, the exercise physiologists are jumping up and down in the corner. This is your real key to success, burning up the energy yourself through everyday physical activity and planned exercise.

Here is a five-point plan for burning energy (the OUT of the equation) and keeping the kilos off for good:

• 1. Think of movement as an opportunity not an inconvenience.
• 2. Look for opportunities to be active throughout your day.
• 3. Do 30, preferably 60 minutes, of exercise of moderate intensity, most days of the week. Alternatively, aim for approximately 70,000 steps per week.
• 4. Incorporate some resistance or strength-type training into your week that focuses on the large muscle groups.
• 5. If you can, enjoy 30 minutes of vigorous exercise on two to three days of the week.

  Creating a new you takes time and effort, but the rewards last a lifetime. With the appropriate mix of IN v OUT, you will look and feel better on a daily basis, and say goodbye to the flab forever.

  
  

  YOUR SAY: How do you find the time to do exercise? Tell us about it below...