Losing weight is one of the hardest and most rewarding things an individual can do. Not only do you look better and feel better when you`re lean and strong, but also a small change can have a big impact on your health. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, losing just 20 percent of your total body weight can lower your blood pressure and help reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.

You`ve probably heard the bad news statistic that 95 percent of people who lose weight fail to keep it off. The good news is that statistic is being not challenged, but debunked. It`s based on a tiny study of only 100 people conducted in 1959 and has simply been repeated so often that no one questions it – until now. More modern studies suggest that if you have made the lifestyle and eating habit changes that allowed you to shed your excess weight, you have an excellent chance of keeping it off. One of the most effective tools at your disposal is exercise.

Aerobic activities are those that get your heart rate up and keep it there for an extended amount of time. In order to be effective, you must engage in aerobic activities for at least 30 minutes, three times per week. Aerobic workout DVDs, running, swimming laps and bicycling are all good aerobic activities. Running in place on a small, personal trampoline is excellent if you have difficulties with high-impact aerobics. High-intensity, short duration aerobic activities such as sprinting and jumping rope are also excellent when combined with a longer workout.

Strength training is one of the best workouts anyone can do. Building muscle not only makes you physically stronger and fitter, but it also increases the number of calories you burn while at rest. Don`t worry about bulking up if you`re a woman; you`d have to work really hard to get large muscles. Work out with weights that are a comfortable challenge, such as 1.5 lbs, 3 lbs. and 5 lbs. Work out one to three times per week, with at least 10 different exercises targeting different muscle groups and do between 8 and 12 repetitions of each exercise.

We all have days where a trip to the gym is just not gonna happen, but if you`re serious about keeping weight off, it`s a good idea to get out and move for at least 30 minutes, even if it`s just a brisk walk around the block. Walking not only gets you out and moving, but it can also help relieve stress and suppress your appetite, which makes it far less likely for you to find yourself on the couch ordering pizza.

You are far more likely to stick to exercise if it`s fun. Spending at least 30 minutes, three times a week doing something that gets your heart rate up and works your entire body can help you maintain your weight loss as well as relieve stress, because the old saying is absolutely true. Laughter is the best medicine. At SlimmingPoint.com, they are crazy about trampolining and rely on the experts at Trampoline Pad Shop to keep flying high.