Every time I hear the word exercise, I wash my mouth out with soap. -Author unknown

From "Healthy Horizons," by Dr. Mark Prather:

If you’ve experienced significant weight loss, chances are it was due to a change in your level of physical activity. You may have started a new job, a new workout program, or just a new habit of taking long walks after supper.

On the flip side, if you’ve experienced weight gain, it was probably because you stopped doing one of the above. Maybe you took on a desk job for the first time... you became significantly less active. Activity level impacts weight loss or weight gain.

The amount of activity you partake in is directly related to the condition of your body. The better the condition of your body, the more activity you will do. The worse the condition of your body, the less activity you will do.

Have you ever met a friend who perhaps suffered a knee injury or fell sick for a month and suddenly put on a lot of weight? The injury or illness did not cause the weight gain per say, but the inability to remain physically active did. ...

The reverse is also true. Often an individual will start a simple diet and vitamin regimen and suddenly they are in better physical condition and therefore inclined to be physically active. Weight loss soon follows.

The key to losing weight and keeping it off is giving your body the proper care so it can remain in good condition and therefore remain active. Achy joints, shortness of breath and back pain can make it impossible to stay in shape. But when your body feels great, you want to do more, play more, see more!

Weight loss is not just about staying active, it’s about keeping your body in good condition so it can remain active!