Interested in Losing Weight?
What You Need to Know Before Getting Started
Weight loss can be achieved either by eating fewer calories or by burning more calories with physical activity, preferably both.
A healthy weight loss program consists of:
A reasonable, realistic weight loss goal
A reduced calorie, nutritionally-balanced eating plan
Regular physical activity
A behavior change plan to help you stay on track with your goals
We want to help you with each of these components.
Keep in Mind:
Calories count
Portions count
Nutrition counts
Even a small amount of weight loss can lead to big health benefits
Strive to develop good habits to last a lifetime
Discuss weight loss with your doctor before getting started
Getting Started
Check your Body Mass Index (BMI) – an indicator of body fat – and see where it fits within the BMI categories.
Discuss weight loss with your doctor and decide on a goal. If you have a lot of weight to lose, set a realistic intermediate goal, maybe to lose 10 pounds. Remember that even a small amount of weight loss can lead to big health benefits.
Estimate your calorie needs. Using USDA’s online Adult Energy Needs and BMI Calculator, you can determine the number of calories needed each day to maintain your current weight. To lose about 1 pound per week, subtract 500 calories each day from the daily amount. To lose about 2 pounds per week, subtract 1000 calories daily.
