Losing weight

If you have unintentional weight loss, it can be a symptom of various medical or psychiatric disorders, or it can bedue to increasing your exercise or decreasing your food intake.

HEALTHY CALORIE INTAKE

The U.S. Committee on Dietary Allowance has published recommended energy intakes (number of calories)for various age and sex groups. For example, a 20 year-old women who weighs 128 lbs needs 2,200 calories every day to maintain her weight.

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This value wouldincrease if she were pregnant or nursing a child, and it would decrease if she were trying to lose weight. The tables containing these values are available through nutritionists and online.

WEIGHT LOSS TIPS

One pound of fat contains approximately 3,500 calories, so to lose one pound a week, a person should consume approximately 3,500 fewer calories per week. This can be done by reducing the daily intake by 500 calories per day (500 x 7 days will provide a deficit of 3,500 calories per week). To lose 2 pounds per week, a deficit of 1,000 calories per day is required.

If this seems impossible, remember that physical activity also contributes significantly to weight loss. The deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories can come from a combination of increased physical activity and reduced intake on a daily basis.

Therefore, you don't need to experience significant food deprivation. The lowest intake per day recommended forwomen is 1,200 calories, unless they are in a medically-supervised, very low-calorie regimen which may have a daily level of 500 to 800 calories per day.

The lowest level recommended formen is 1,500 calories per day. A very low-calorie diet can also be used by males if they are in a medically-supervised program.

Here are some steps for weight maintenance and weight loss:

Increase your daily activity -- take the stairs rather than the elevator, or walk rather than drive when possible.
Reduce your food intake gradually. This will help make these new eating habits lifetime changes. Reduce fat intake on a daily basis, and reduce intake of other high-calorie foods.
Change any habits that make you eat more, or eat poorly.
Learn about the calorie content of foods and the calorie expenditure of various physical activities.

SUMMARY

For weight loss to be successful, here is a summary of basic guidelines:

Aerobic physical activity will assist in increasing muscle tissue which will burn more calories. You should plan on 20-minute sessions at least 3 times per week.
Gradual changes in eating habits will help encourage a permanent lifestyle change.
A slow weight loss of 1 or 2 pounds a week, until the desirable body weight is reached, is best.