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There are many ways to lose weight, but it is not always easy to keep the weight off. The key to successful weight loss is making changes in your eating and physical activity habits that you can keep up for the rest of your life. The information presented here may help put you on the road to healthy habits.
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Can I benefit from weight loss? Some —diabetes —heart disease or stroke —high blood pressure —high cholesterol —gallbladder disease —some types of cancer —osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints) —sleep apnea (interrupted
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Health experts agree that you may gain health benefits from even a small weight loss if:
A weight loss of 5 to 15 percent of body weight may improve your health and quality of life, and prevent these health problems. For a person who weighs 200 pounds, that means losing 10 to 30 pounds. Even if you do not need to lose weight, you still should follow healthy eating and physical activity habits to help prevent weight gain and stay healthy as you age. Find your weight on the bottom of the graph. Go straight up from that point until you come to the line that matches your height. Then look to find your weight group. * Without shoes ** Without clothes |
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Calories needed to maintain weight —about 1,600 calories a day for inactive women —about 2,200 calories a day for inactive men and active women —about 2,800 calories a day for active men.
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Your body weight is controlled by the number of calories you eat and the number of calories you use each day. To lose weight you need to take in fewer calories than you use. You can do this by creating and following a plan for healthy eating and a plan for regular physical activity. You may also choose to follow a formal weight-loss program that can help you make lifelong changes in your eating and physical activity habits. See below for more information on weight-loss programs. |
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The Nutrition Facts label from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is found on most packaged foods. It tells you how many calories and how much fat, protein, carbohydrate, and other nutrients are in one serving of the food. For more information on the Nutrition Facts label, see “Other Resources” at the end of this brochure. |
A weight-loss “diet” that limits your portions to a very small size or that excludes certain foods may be hard to stick to and not work over the long term. Instead, a healthy eating plan takes into account your likes and dislikes, and includes a variety of foods that give you enough calories and nutrients for good health. Make sure your eating plan contains:
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Regular physical activity may help you lose weight and keep weight off. It may also improve your energy level and mood, and lower your risk for developing diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Any amount of physical activity is better than none. Experts recommend doing 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most or all days of the week for good health. To lose weight or maintain a weight loss, you may need to do more than 30 minutes of physical activity a day, as well as follow your healthy eating plan. You can get your daily 30 minutes or more all at once, or break it up into shorter sessions of 20, 15, or even 10 minutes. Try some of these moderate-intensity physical activities:
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There are two different types of weight-loss programs—clinical and non-clinical. Knowing what a good program will offer and what to watch out for may help you choose a weight-loss program that will work for you. What it is: A non-clinical program may be commercially operated, such as a privately owned weight-loss chain. You can follow a non-clinical program on your own by using a counselor, book, website, or weight-loss product. You can also join others in a support group, worksite program, or community-based program. Non-clinical weight-loss programs may require you to use the program’s foods or supplements. What a safe and effective program will offer:
Program cautions:
What it is: A clinical program provides services in a health care setting, such as a hospital. One or more licensed health professionals, such as medical doctors, nurses, registered dietitians, and/or psychologists, provide care. A clinical program may or may not be commercially owned. Clinical programs may offer services such as nutrition education, physical activity, and behavior change therapy. Some programs offer prescription weight-loss drugs or gastrointestinal surgery. Prescription weight-loss drugs Gastrointestinal surgery What a safe and effective program will offer:
Program cautions:
For more detailed information about choosing a safe and successful weight-loss program, see “Additional Reading” at the end of this brochure. It is not always easy to change your eating and physical activity habits. You may have setbacks along the way. But keep trying—you can do it! |
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Fact sheets offering related information from the Weight-control Information Network (WIN) are listed below. Active at Any Size describes the benefits of being physically active no matter what a person’s size, and presents a variety of activities that large people can enjoy safely. Choosing a Safe and Successful Weight-loss Program provides a list of things to look for when choosing a safe and effective weight-loss program, as well as a list of questions to ask program providers. Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity describes the different types of surgery available to treat severe obesity. It explains how gastrointestinal surgery promotes weight loss and the benefits and risks of each procedure. Just Enough for You describes the difference between a portion—the amount of food a person chooses to eat—and a measured serving. It offers tips for judging portion sizes and for controlling portions at home and when eating out. Prescription Medications for the Treatment of Obesity presents information on medications that suppress appetite or reduce the body’s ability to absorb dietary fat. The types of medications and the risks and benefits of each are described. Walking…A Step in the Right Direction offers tips for getting started on a walking program and illustrates warm-up stretching exercises. It also includes a sample walking program. Weight and Waist Measurement explains two simple measures—body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference—to help people determine if their weight and/or body fat distribution are putting their health at risk. |
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Other Resources | U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. The Food Guide Pyramid. Home and Garden Bulletin No. 252. October 1996. Phone (202) 606-8000. www.usda.gov/cnpp/pyrabklt.pdf. U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Guidance on How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label. June 2000. www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html. Blair SN, Dunn AL, Marcus BH, Carpenter RA, Jaret P. Active Living Every Day: 20 Weeks to Lifelong Vitality. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2001. Available from www.humankinetics.com, or your local or on-line bookstore. |
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Weight-control Information Network
WIN answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about weight control and related issues. Publications produced by WIN are reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts. This publication was also reviewed by F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, M.D., M.P.H., Director, New York Obesity Research Center, St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, and English H. Gonzalez, M.D., M.P.H., Community Medicine and Curriculum Development Coordinator, Medical Center East Family Practice Residency Program. This publication is not copyrighted. WIN encourages users of this brochure to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired. |
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NIH Publication No. 04-3700 |
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