Losing weight isn’t easy — and that’s only one part of the battle. After you’ve lost excess pounds, it can be hard to keep them off. Many people experience weight regain, which means they gain back some or all of the weight they worked so hard to lose. But why does this happen?

Moving to Burn Calories

To lose weight, there’s a good chance you’re cutting calories by eating less and choosing healthier, lower calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables. But over time, it can be difficult to keep up a diet of fewer calories. If you start eating more calories and don’t burn them off, they can add up to extra weight.

This is where an exercise program comes in. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says exercise is a great way to help keep pounds off after weight loss. Moving your body burns calories, so you don’t have to rely upon food choices alone to keep calorie counts within your healthy range.

Not everyone needs the same amount of exercise to keep the weight off. But in general, experts recommend doing moderate-intensity exercises up to 30-60 minutes a day, 5 days a week. These activities are considered moderate-intensity exercises, and you can do them at home:

•  Wash windows or floors for 45 to 60 minutes

•  Garden for 30 to 45 minutes

•  Push a stroller 1.5 miles in 30 minutes

•  Rake leaves for 30 minutes

•  Walk 2 miles in 30 minutes

•  Walk up and down stairs for 15 minutes

Your exercise can be done all at once or broken up throughout the day. If you’re looking to do sport-related activities, some good options include basketball, bicycling, jogging, tennis and dancing. The key is to find an activity that gets you moving — and that you can stick with.