Your Weight Loss Report
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YOUR GOALS AND PLAN Congratulations on taking steps to lose weight! Based on your responses, you’re heading down the right path toward reaching your goals, and we’ve figured out how to get you there. Your desire to lose weight because you are ready to improve your health and body image is a powerful motivator. This will help you to achieve your weight loss goals. Studies show that people who diet and exercise for themselves are more successful at weight loss. Do it for yourself and not someone else, like your spouse, doctor, or employer.
YOUR GOAL Over the next 90 days, you say you would like to lose 3 inches from around your waist. In order to lose 1 pound of body fat per week, you need to cut and/or burn 3,500 calories per week. But first you need to have an accurate idea of your starting point, such as how many calories you currently take in and use. You could do this by keeping a food journal, measuring everything you eat, and tracking calories you consume and calories you burn through exercise and normal daily activities, like doing housework or yardwork. Or you could simply let us tell you.
YOUR STARTING POINT From your responses, we have made several calculations for you. This will give you a clear idea of where you are right now, before starting to lose weight. That will give you a much better idea of what your plan should be so you can get to your goal and be a weight loss success. 1. YOUR BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) Whether you are overweight can be determined by your BMI (body mass index), which is calculated from your height and weight. The BMI usually is a good predictor of health and weight status. However, it sometimes overestimates weight in people with large frames or muscular physiques. Based on your weight and height your BMI is 28.4. 2. YOUR RESTING METABOLIC RATE (RMR) Based on your age, gender, height, weight, and waist size, your RMR is 1738. Your body uses that many calories just by living and breathing. It takes energy from calories to run your body’s processes, such as digestion, manufacturing blood cells, maintaining body temperature, and regenerating skin. You must take in that amount of energy through food every day just to keep your body working. 3. YOUR RMR + ACTIVITY You reported that you are sedentary. That’s a shame, because being active reduces your risks for many health problems, such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Based on your physical activity level and RMR, your body uses approximately 2085 calories per day. That means that if you take in 2085 calories per day, you might stay at your current weight. If your activity level declines, you would need fewer calories than this amount or you could gain weight. To lose weight, you'll need to decrease your total calories or increase your level of physical activity. If you've got plenty of reasons not to exercise, your exercise excuses may be making you sedentary. It's time to change your mindset and break through the excuses. Check out the Top 6 Exercise Excuses and How to Beat Them. Be ready to fit in a little fitness any time by making sure you have these inexpensive exercise gadgets at home or in your car. 4. YOUR CALORIE CONSUMPTION NOW Because you report having gained or lost no more than 5 pounds in the last two months, your weight is currently stable. Therefore you're probably taking in roughly the same amount of calories as your body is using. We estimate that you are currently consuming 2085 calories per day, on average. To start losing weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body is using. For maximum health and weight loss, it's best to eat fewer calories and exercise regularly.
YOUR PLAN In order for you to meet your three-month weight loss goal, you will need a daily deficit of 1166 calories. You say that you want to lose weight by mostly cutting calories and exercising slightly more than you are now. That means you will need to limit your daily intake to approximately 1200 calories and increase your physical activity enough to burn 281 calories. If you find it difficult to cut that many calories, another approach would be to have a 50-50 split between cutting calories and burning calories: Exercise a bit more and eat a bit less than you already have been. For instance, if you need to create a daily deficit of 500 calories, you could walk for 30 minutes at a 3-mph pace to burn about 250 calories. Then you would have to cut only 250 calories from your diet. To cut calories by reducing food intake, try eating a sandwich made with only one piece of bread or a burger without the top bun. Just doing that will eliminate about 80 calories. Having a two-egg omelet instead of a standard three-egg omelet saves you 70 calories. Drinking water instead of a 16-ounce soda cuts 200 calories. Always put about 2 tablespoons of maple syrup on your waffles or pancakes? Top them with fresh berries instead and save nearly 100 calories. Replace ground beef with lean ground turkey in your meatloaf or chili and save 45 calories per 3-ounce serving. Switch from chocolate ice cream to chocolate frozen yogurt and trim 50 calories. Choosing healthier, lower-calorie options or smaller amounts of the high-calorie options won't make you feel deprived or hungry. Opting to make these kinds of small changes adds up to big success and gives you the confidence of being in control of how you fuel your body. To start implementing your plan, make sure you make over your kitchen with healthy options. If you have kids, you can get them to start developing healthy cooking and eating habits by making sure they have the top kitchen tools for kids. YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL By sticking to the 90-day plan above, you will be back to the weight you said you were most comfortable as an adult, (170 pounds) in about 9 weeks. Just remember that slow and steady is the best way to lose weight. Studies have found that people who lose too much weight too quickly often gain it back, and then some. Those who lost weight slowly were more likely to keep it off. A rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week is generally considered ideal and practical; if you exceed that, you may be losing water weight or lean muscle instead of fat. Cutting too many calories to speed up weight loss may restrict your diet so much that in addition to losing pounds and inches, you also lose important nutrients. That can result in feeling sluggish as a result of a slowing metabolism. A slow metabolism won’t burn calories effectively, making it harder to drop those pounds.
OVERCOMING HURDLES
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Based on your responses, you have established a goal for weight loss that should be attainable, but it may require a challenging amount of consistent effort. Are you up for the challenge? If not, retake this assessment to adjust your goal and get a new personalized plan that you can feel more confident about achieving. If you're ready now, start taking the steps outlined in your plan to achieve your goal. Easier said than done? It doesn't have to be. Cutting calories, making healthy choices, and being more active are the keys to losing weight. Weight loss is a matter of adjusting calories in and calories out to maintain a deficit. You can, and should, continue to adjust the calories you take in and burn as you work toward your weight loss goal and lose excess pounds. Any time you want to readjust your plan, come back and take this WebMD Personal Diet Evaluator again to get a revised plan based on your new weight, body mass index (BMI), resting metabolic rate (RMR), and activity level.
HURDLES TO OVERCOME Everyone has challenging days in which they don't follow their plan to the letter. Account for those days, but don't let them derail you completely. If you eat more than you planned to one day, increase the amount of physical activity you do to burn the extra calories you consumed. (Developing this skill also will help you maintain your weight loss after you've achieved your goal.) To help you be a weight loss success, we've identified a few other hurdles from your responses. Making subtle changes to overcome these hurdles may help your weight loss efforts: Limit Alcohol. Alcohol contains no nutritional value. It is, however, loaded with calories. A single beer packs about 150 calories. A 4-ounce glass of chardonnay is about 75 calories. Be Mindful of Your Triggers. Do work deadlines send you to the vending machines? Do you sit in front of the TV and snack mindlessly on chips after an exhausting day? Emotional eating, especially when you're stressed, can be controlled if you're aware you are doing it. Become mindful by keeping a food journal. Record when you eat, what you eat, how much of you eat, and what mood you were in while eating. If you notice you overindulge on stressful days, try practicing relaxation techniques to ward off the stress. Exercise is a great stress reliever - go for a walk instead of chowing down in front of the TV. Not only will you reduce stress but your choice will be burning calories instead of adding them. Break the Clean Plate Habit. Eat slowly until you are full (but not stuffed) rather than until all the food is gone. Adopting this eating style and increasing your awareness of when you are just less than full may help you drop pounds. It takes time for your stomach to relay to your brain the message that it has had enough, so be sure to eat slowly so those signals can get through. Don't Just Sit There! Being sedentary not only slows your metabolism, making weight loss more difficult, but also greatly increases your risk for several serious diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer. The more active you are, the more fit you are, the more energy you'll have, and the better you'll feel. Being active burns calories to provide the fuel for your movement and increases your body's metabolism. If even a few minutes of activity are challenging, just do a few minutes. As your body becomes accustomed to (and starts to enjoy) being more physically active, slowly increase the length of time you exercise, how frequently you exercise, and how intensely you exercise. When your body adjusts to routine exercise it will become easier. Build up to exercising at least five days a week for 30 to 60 minutes at moderate or high intensity. Track your workouts using this printable personal fitness chart. If you have kids and you want your physical activity to include them, there are plenty of ways to boost your whole family's fitness level. Find eight active ideas here. Catch Up at Work. Long hours at the office, skipping lunches because you're too busy to eat, not to mention the added stress, all can have you loading up on sugary foods and caffeine. The sugar-and-caffeine highs may give you an energy boost, but you'll need more when your body crashes. Those highs and lows create a vicious cycle that can lead to weight gain. If you must eat at your desk, be prepared with healthy snacks or lunches you bring from home.
KEEP UP YOUR GOOD HABITS As you try to overcome your hurdles, don't forget to keep repeating your good habits, such as: Eating Light and Lean. It's wonderful that most of the time you choose light and lean options for your meals. Many light and lean options contain a good amount of vegetables, which means you're likely getting the nutrients and fiber your body needs for optimal health. Choices such as salads, fish, lean poultry, fruits, and dairy products made with skim milk are usually low in the saturated fats that are bad for your heart and arteries, too. Just make sure that you don't add high-fat dressings, sauces, or cheeses, as those would make your seemingly wise food choices much less light and lean. Watch out for too much sugar in your diet, too. Some "light" products make up for a decrease in fat by adding extra sugar. Sitting Down and Savoring Food. Sitting down to eat food from a plate (versus from your hands over the sink or in the car) means you can focus on and take time to enjoy what you are putting in your mouth. Putting your fork down between bites as you chew and swallow helps, too. Such habits also heighten your awareness of how much food you are eating, so you can pay better attention on your portions. Focusing on what you are eating also helps you feel more satisfied, and therefore you will be less likely to snack too much between meals or overeat during meals. Savor each bite, and you may find that you are more satisfied with less food. Make sure you can whip up a healthy meal at home by keeping your pantry and refrigerator stocked with these items.
KEYS TO WEIGHT LOSS The more you know the better decisions you will able to make. You answered 6 out of 6 questions correctly or 100%. True or False: To lose weight, I need to create a calorie deficit by burning more calories than I eat. The answer is True. Weight loss occurs when you eat fewer calories than your body burns. Your body needs a certain number of calories to perform its necessary daily functions. That's called your metabolism. When you add to that the number of calories that you burn through activity (everything from walking to housework and exercise) that's the total number of calories your body burns in a day. If you take in more than that number of calories and/or your activity level declines, then you will gain weight. For weight loss to occur, you'll have to create a deficit by eating fewer calories than that number and/or increasing your activity to burn more calories. True or False: Like a deficit of money in a bank account, a calorie deficit can mean more calories are spent (burned) than deposited (earned). The answer is True. If you spend more money than you earn, you'll wind up with a negative balance called a deficit in your account (and creditors calling you on the phone)! That's not a good situation in terms of finances. But in terms of weight loss, that's exactly what you want to do if you are overweight: You want to put fewer calories into your account, and you want to spend them faster than you put them in. You won't have creditors calling you, but you will see results as the numbers on your scale go down and you're able to pull the tape measure a little more tightly around your waist. True or False: A calorie deficit can be achieved by both eating less (cutting calories) and moving more (burning calories). The answer is True. To create a deficit of calories -- that is, a situation in which you are eating fewer calories than your body needs -- you can take one of five actions: 1. Only cut calories, to below your resting needs. 2. Only exercise but burn more calories than you consume. 3. Mostly cut calories, but increase your activity a little bit.
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Your Weight Loss Report
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4. Mostly increase your activity level, but cut out a few calories, too. 5. Both cut down on calories that you take in AND burn more calories by increasing your level of physical activity. This will give you the biggest bang for your buck. True or False: To lose 1 pound, I must burn 3,500 more calories than I eat. The answer is True. In general, you must create a total deficit of about 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound of fat. That means you can eat 3,500 fewer calories or burn 3,500 additional calories. Depending on factors like metabolic rate and hormone fluctuation, some people may be able to burn a little less to lose a pound, and others may need to burn a little more. But the average number that is widely used is 3,500 calories = 1 pound. True or False: To lose 1 pound in a week, I must create a daily deficit of 500 calories, or a weekly deficit of 3,500 calories. The answer is True. You must create a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound of fat. So to lose one pound in a week means you would divide that total deficit of 3,500 by seven days, which equals a daily deficit of 500 calories. You can cut that many calories from your diet every day and not increase your current physical activity level, or you can exercise long and hard every day to burn that many calories and not change the way you currently eat. Most people find a balance between the two; eating about 250 fewer calories and exercising to burn 250 calories more than usual. Choose the best answer. Which common item can be used as a guide to determine what a 1/2 cup portion of cooked rice looks like: A baseball, a deck of cards, or a light bulb? The answer is a light bulb. Being able to visualize proper portion sizes is an invaluable skill when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off. Eating a normal 1/2-cup serving of rice, which is about the size of a light bulb, saves you 100 calories if you would normally eat a 200-calorie baseball-size serving. Many of us have become so accustomed to larger-than-needed portions that eating a normal portion may seem like too little at first. But over time, as your body adjusts to smaller serving sizes, you may find that you feel satisfied with less food. It takes a little while to adjust, but it's so worthwhile. To help the process, fool your eye and mind by using a smaller plate for your meals.
DIET TIPS FROM WALMART Diet Tips from Walmart The following is a Sponsored Resource. The sponsor of this content has sole editorial control. Now that you and your family are starting down the path to better nutrition, Walmart is here to help you take those first steps. Here are some tips to think about when deciding on -- and sticking to -- a diet. 1. Trade Up, Not Down Diets are about sacrifice, right? Not necessarily. Armed with some creativity and determination, there's no reason why you should have to give up your favorites. Look for lower calorie, lower fat versions of the foods you love. Cut corners (but not flavor) by substituting a fruity sherbet for high fat ice cream. Don't forget you can also match textures. If you love the crunch of a handful of peanuts, try snacking on air popped or light microwave popcorn. 2. Eat More Believe it or not, eating more may actually help you lose weight. Start by eating breakfast within 45 minutes of getting up. The first meal of the day can help boost your metabolism and keep your blood sugar steady. Next, instead of 3 big meals, eat several mini-meals throughout the day. Be sure to include lean protein, complex carbs and good fats in each. These meals will give you the calories you need to efficiently burn fat all day long. 3. Try a Little Light Reading You don't have to spend a lot of money on books to learn about the calories and nutrients in the foods you buy. Just flip the package over and check out the label. You'll be able to compare calories, fat and carbs, as well as a variety of vitamins and minerals. Pay special attention to serving size. Some foods like candy bars may seem like they come in single serving packages, but may actually contain several servings worth of calories. Be sure you don't accidentally eat more calories than you counted. 4. 24 Hours in a Day -- and in a Diet Snacks happen, but don't ditch the diet just because it's not mealtime. Some experts think snacking may be a good thing, helping to quiet hunger and preventing overeating at meals. But that doesn't mean you should run out and grab that bag of potato chips every time your tummy rumbles. Every calorie counts, so try to make the same smart decisions at snack time that you would at dinner. Keeping a portable, low calorie, tasty treat in your bag isn't a bad idea either. 5. Fat Can Be Your Friend That's right, but it takes a little bit of detective work to make sure your friend doesn't turn out to be a frenemy. Avoiding saturated fat is still the party line. But, reasonable ammounts of poly- and monounsaturated fats are a good thing. They are a great source of energy, and as a bonus they help the absorption of some fat soluble nutrients (like vitamin A & D). Keep an eye out for foods rich in omega-3 fats like salmon and tuna, which have a variety of health benefits. Š 2009 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
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4. Giovannini M, Verduci E, Scaglioni S, Salvatici E, Bonza M, Riva E, Agostoni C. Breakfast: a good habit, not a repetitive custom. J Int Med Res 2008; 36 (4):613-24. 5. Kruger J, Blanck HM, Gillespie C. Dietary and physical activity behaviors among adults successful at weight loss maintenance. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2006; 3:17. 6. Butryn ML, Phelan S, Hill JO, Wing RR. Consistent self-monitoring of weight: a key component of successful weight loss maintenance. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2007; 15(12):3091-6. 7. Wing RR, Phelan S.Long-term weight loss maintenance. Am J Clin Nutr 2005; 82(1 Suppl):222S-225S. 8. Elfhag K, Rรถssner S. Who succeeds in maintaining weight loss? A conceptual review of factors associated with weight loss maintenance and weight regain. Obes Rev 2005; 6(1):67-85. 9. Aldana, SG, Greenlaw, RL, Diehl, HA, Salberg, A, Merrill, RM, Ohmine, S, Thomas, C. Effects of an intensive diet and physical activity modification program on the health risks of adults, J Am Diet Assoc 2005; 105(3): 371-381. 10. Weiss EC, Galuska DA, Kettel Khan L, Gillespie C, Serdula MK. Weight regain in U.S. adults who experienced substantial weight loss, 1999-2002. Am J Prev Med 2007; 33(1):34-40.
THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on the WebMD Site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.
My Notes:
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