Are you 20 pounds overweight? Maybe you are, maybe you are not, but many people are 20 pounds overweight. In fact, about one-third of all Americans are at least 20 pounds overweight.

That’s no small thing; studies show that being 20 pounds overweight means that those extra pounds increase the risk of developing diabetes by 60 percent, and having high blood pressure by 80 percent, both of which significantly increase the risk of heart attacks. Not good!

A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine even found that moderately overweight people were up to 40 percent more likely to die early due to the risks of chronic diseases associated with excess weight.

How to lose weight and beat the odds If you are 20 pounds overweight, forget for a second about losing 20 pounds, losing even 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can slash the above risks.

“The number one thing is consistency,” says Omar Holl, a trainer at Broomfield 24 Hour Fitness in Colorado. “Just turn your workouts into a daily habit, and you’ll start shedding the pounds.” Cardio exercises are your ticket. This move will race your heart and harden your lower-body and core muscles, too, says Holl.

Modified walking lunges Keeping your abs drawn in, feet pointing straight ahead, and arms at your sides, step forward with your left leg into lunge position. Flex your right knee and lower hips into a full lunge position. Next, pushing through your left heel, stand upright, balancing on your left leg with your right hip flexed 90 degrees.

Extend and flex your right knee (kicking motion). Next, step forward with your right leg into the lunge position again. Keep moving forward for 10 to 15 reps for one to three sets, using dumbbells for added resistance. [source: You24]