Increase Your Activity Level

By Bob Greene

If your weight loss has slowed—or worse, stopped—or you find that you're ready to take on a new challenge, then you should consider moving up an activity level. (Check out The Best Life Activity Scale for a refresher.) Believe it or not, it's not that difficult to bump up your activity level, and doing so comes with major benefits, including improved sleep, more energy and of course, a greater calorie burn. Plus, when you get to level 3 and add strength training to your regimen (if you haven't already hit that level), you'll reap even more perks. That's because resistance training helps protect the bones and builds and maintains muscle, which burns more calories than fat. To move up from where you currently are to the next level, try these tips:

To go from level 0 to level 1
The easiest way to move up to level 1 is to simply walk more. A pedometer can help track your steps (take an initial reading, then make it your goal to add more steps each day or week). Initially, aim for at least 3,500 steps per day and build on that number each day by walking everywhere—to the store, to work (if possible), to your child's school. There are so many opportunities to walk in our daily lives that you don't necessarily have to build in a separate workout time. For instance, instead of emailing a coworker, walk down to his office to chat. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Don't look for the closest spot in a parking lot; instead, park farther away and walk.

To go from level 1 to level 2
Choose one or two types of aerobic exercise that you like—it can be as simple as walking or jogging or something more formal, like taking a spinning or dance class at the gym. Try to do 15 minutes a session at least three days a week. (If you can't do this right away, don't worry. Do whatever you can and build up to that point. Each week, add two minutes to your workouts until you reach 30 minutes per session. If you're in a 30- or 45-minute exercise class, go at your own pace. You can march in place during the jumping part of a routine, for instance.) When you're able to complete a 30-minute session, you'll be meeting the 90-minute aerobic requirement. If you're counting steps instead of minutes, work up to at least 6,000 a day.

To go from level 2 to level 3
I definitely put the bar at Level 3 because that's where the real magic starts happening—both in terms of health and weight loss. Strength training helps strengthen bones, reducing your risk for osteoporosis. And, you'll burn more calories, too, because the more muscle you have (strength training helps you maintain and build muscle tissue), the more calories you burn—even when you're just resting. I know that some people are intimidated to work with weights, but it's not that difficult. Start with one to two sets of six different moves (refer to the Basic Eight for exercises) at least two days a week. You can do this whenever you want—on the same days as your cardio workouts (either right before or after, or at a separate time if you prefer) or on your off days—whatever works best for you. After six weeks, increase the number of sets you do to three. You'll also be upping your aerobic activity, too: You'll work toward a total of 150 aerobic minutes per week or 10,000 steps.

To go from level 3 to level 4
You'll be adding two more strength-training exercises (for a total of eight moves). You'll do two to three sets of each for a minimum of three days a week. You'll also continue to ramp up your aerobic exercise: You should be aiming for at least 250 minutes per week. Now is a good time to add another or a new form of exercise to your routine. So, if you've been running on the treadmill, try the rowing machine. If you've been biking, take an aerobic dance class. You can also add a Pilates, yoga or stretch class to your routine and take regular walks. If you're tracking steps, aim for 14,000 steps per day.

To go from level 4 to level 5
By now, being active is not something you have to do—it's simply a part of your lifestyle. At this level, you'll be doing an hour of aerobic exercise a day, six days a week (or walking at least 18,000 steps per day). You'll also be doing three sets of at least 10 different strength training moves three or more times a week. To really challenge yourself, try entering a 10k or half marathon, join a workout club (ask around at your gym or a local sporting goods store), or find a training partner. Having a goal to work towards or someone to train with will help keep you motivated and make the time go faster.