The increase in fat puts you at higher risk for high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. A healthy weight is possible with regular physical activity that includes aerobic (“cardio”) activities. Examples are brisk walking, golfing, yard work, bicycling, and swimming. Add to that some muscle-strengthening exercises, and balance it with a healthy diet. And you can do more than just manage your weight. According to the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, getting at least 2-1/2 hours a week of moderate-intensity activity like brisk walking can lower risk for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and colon and breast cancers. Also aim for 2 days a week of muscle-strengthening activities.

It's the combination that makes fighting the extra weight so tough. After age 30, youthful muscle mass begins to decrease, which means your body needs less energy to operate. Often, we don't reduce our eating to match. Heredity, which determines where body fat will accumulate, kicks in. By age 30, we may have acquired bad habits, such as skimping on exercise and eating poorly. In addition, some people may see their waistline increase because of hormonal changes brought on by menopause. Becoming more aware of what you can do to help reduce belly fat is the first step to losing it.

If you don't use muscles, you lose them. One way to maintain muscle strength is by strength training, or doing exercises 2 days a week that build muscle. Fat stored in the body doesn’t use as much energy or calories as muscles do. Strength training makes your muscles strong and can increase the metabolic rate, the rate at which calories are burned. This is helpful for weight loss and weight control. Talk with your health care provider to find out more about which strength training exercises are best for you.

Doing sit-ups won't take fat off your abdomen. But the calories burned will help reduce fat throughout your body. Exercises that target the abdominal muscles in the belly help strengthen these muscles and can help firm and flatten the belly.

Even short bursts of activity can add up to real calorie burning. For example, try:

• Parking your car a few blocks from work and walking the remaining distance.
• Replacing coffee breaks with short walks around the block.
• Running in place or jumping rope during TV commercials.
• Taking the stairs instead of an elevator whenever possible.