Weight gain and and an inactive lifestyle can influence heart diseases. These also increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and increased blood cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of heart disease. Knowing how to maintain or lose weight and also to maintain cardiac (heart) fitness is important.

Tips on Calories:

1. The formula for losing or gaining weight is generally simple. If you burn more calories than you take in, you'll lose weight because the calories are used up and your body begins burning fat instead. If you take in more calories than you burn, the extra calories are converted to fat and are stored in the body.
2. Use up at least as many calories as you take in.   
3. Find out how many calories you should be eating and drinking to maintain your weight. 
4. Don’t eat more calories than you know you can burn up every day. 
5. Increase the amount and intensity of your physical activity to match the number of calories you take in. 
6. Regular physical activity can help you maintain your weight, keep off weight that you lose and help you reach physical and cardiovascular fitness. 
7. For weight maintenance, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. If you can’t do at least 30 minutes at one time, you can add up 10-minute sessions throughout the day.

Tips on Physical Activity:

1. Being active brings many benefits for your heart and your health.
2. Regular exercise improves blood pressure and blood sugar levels
3. It also reduces risk for diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, depression, and colon and breast cancer. 
4. Try to live an active lifestyle: incorporate as much physical movement into your usual daily activities as you can. For example, decide to take the stairs instead of riding the elevator; try not to drive to a nearby shop, and instead try walking to the shop. 
5. How much activity do you need?  At least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. For losing weight, 30 to 60 minutes moderate physical activity is required on most days.

---

Dr. Santhosh K.G. Koshy, DM, FACC, FSCAI is the Director of Interventional Cardiology and Director of UT services at Methodist Healthcare and the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in Memphis, Tenn. All opinions expressed here are those of their authors and not of their employer. Information provided here is for medical education only. It is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice. Call 888.777.5959 for more information.