Nada más la puntita: Plan de acciÃ³n

Ya estoy muy viejo. Este es el plan de acciÃ³n de realage.com para ser 16 aÃ±os mÃ¡s joven dentro de 3 aÃ±os.

Diet and Nutrition

BEGIN TAKING VITAMINS DAILY.

Getting the right amount of supplements like calcium, folic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin E helps you reduce your risk for conditions such as osteoporosis, arterial aging, heart attack, and cancer.

Take the RealAge Nutrition Assessment for an in-depth nutrition analysis.

ACTION PLAN:
Taking multivitamins or single vitamin and mineral supplements helps ensure that you get the RealAge Optimal dose of these important antioxidants each and every day.

Make sure that your daily dietary intake of potassium is at least 3,000 milligrams.
- Potassium-rich foods include orange juice, potatoes, avocados, figs, bananas, lentils, soybeans, and whole-grain breads and cereals.
- Limit your intake of processed foods to reasonable amounts and keep your sodium intake low by limiting the use of table salt.
Make sure that your daily intake of calcium is at least 1,000 to 1,200 mg.
- Drink calcium-fortified orange juice.
- Drink calcium-fortified skim milk.
- Eat yogurt, Swiss cheese and ricotta cheese. Remember to always eat low-fat dairy products.
- Eat broccoli.
- Eat white or whole wheat bread.
- Take calcium supplements and vitamin D supplements.
Increase your intake of folate to 600 micrograms a day. Studies show that the U.S. recommended daily allowance (RDA) for men (200 mcg) and women (180 mcg) is too low.
- Many people find it difficult to consume enough folate through diet alone, so take a supplement every day. Supplements contain the synthetic form of folate -- folic acid.
- Some major dietary sources of folate are beans, lentils, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), orange juice, and leafy green vegetables such as spinach, asparagus, and broccoli. Itâ€™s also found in fortified breads, cereals, and pastas.
Please pay careful attention to the following recommendations if any of these conditions applies to you:
- If you have kidney problems, you may also need to reduce your protein intake to control your homocysteine levels.
- If you are over 60, or you think you may have a vitamin B12 deficiency, talk to you doctor about folic acid before taking supplements. Folic acid supplementation could lead to nerve damage. Although vitamin B12 and folic acid may be a safe combination, you should talk with your doctor first.
- If you are a vegetarian or eat a lot of leafy green vegetables or other folate-rich foods, you may already be consuming large amounts of folate and may not benefit as much from folic acid supplementation as others. Check your detailed nutrition report to see how much folic acid comes from your diet before taking a large amount as a supplement.
Consume at least 1,200 mg of vitamin C daily, spreading your intake throughout the day. For example, take a 400-mg supplement in the morning, afternoon, and evening, or eat a vitamin C-rich food item at each meal.
- Consume at least 4 servings of fruit a day. Some major sources of vitamin C include fruit (especially oranges, tangerines, cantaloupe, and strawberries) and juices (orange juice, cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, and tomato juice).
- Consume at least 5 servings of vegetables a day. Major sources of vitamin C include green peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, and cabbage.
Take up to 400 IU of vitamin E daily in combination with vitamin C. People who take statin drugs should limit their vitamin E intake according to their healthcare providerâ€™s advice.
- Many people find it difficult to consume enough vitamin E through diet alone, so take a supplement every day.
- Food sources of vitamin E include almonds, hazelnuts, sweet potatoes, safflower oil, peanut butter, avocados, mangos, wheat germ, and corn oil.
Important Note
- If you take warfarin (Coumadin) or dicumarol (Dicoumarol) or are considering taking any blood-thinning medication, please talk to your doctor before increasing your vitamin C intake through supplementation or diet.
- If you have hemochromatosis, please talk to your doctor before increasing your vitamin C intake.
- Remember, if you would rather use supplements, it is a good idea to check with your doctor first.

INCREASE YOUR DAILY VITAMIN C INTAKE TO AT LEAST 1,200 MILLIGRAMS.

The RealAge optimal level for vitamin C is 1,200 milligrams a day from food and supplements. This is considerably higher than the current RDA. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant. We estimate your current vitamin C intake probably falls short of the RealAge Optimum and, therefore, is making your RealAge slightly older. Because vitamin C is water soluble, it washes out of your body when you urinate. For this reason, it is important to portion out your vitamin C intake over the course of the day, in 400 mg increments.

ACTION PLAN:

Consume at least 1,200 milligrams of vitamin C daily, spreading your intake throughout the day. For example, take a 400-mg supplement in the morning, afternoon, and evening, or eat a vitamin C-rich food item at each meal. Because vitamin C dissolves easily in water, if you take a single daily dose, most of it will be rapidly excreted in your urine.

Take up to 400 IU of vitamin E daily. Vitamin C may have a better effect if you take both vitamin C and vitamin E. People who take statin drugs should limit their vitamin E intake according to their healthcare providerâ€™s advice.

Consume at least 4 servings of fruit a day. Some major sources of vitamin C include fruit (especially oranges, tangerines, cantaloupe, and strawberries) and juices (orange juice, cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, and tomato juice).

Consume at least 5 servings of vegetables a day. Major sources of vitamin C include green peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, and cabbage.

If you have any side effects that you think are related to vitamin C, talk to your doctor.

Important Note

If you take warfarin (Coumadin) or dicumarol (Dicoumarol) or are considering taking any blood-thinning medication, please talk to your doctor before increasing your vitamin C intake through supplementation or diet.

If you have hemochromatosis, please talk to your doctor before increasing your vitamin C intake.

EAT A WELL-BALANCED, NUTRIENT-RICH BREAKFAST EVERY DAY.

Your occasional breakfast is a good start, but you need breakfast every day to start the day with the fuel supply that you need. Daily breakfast eaters also have an easier time managing their weight. Start eating a healthy breakfast that includes foods such as fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy every day to gain the maximum RealAge benefit. For delicious breakfast ideas, check out the RealAge Recipe Box.

ACTION PLAN:
Make every effort to eat a healthy breakfast every morning.

Here are some healthy breakfast suggestions.

superfortified cereals
skim or 2% milk
breakfast bars or drinks
fruit such as apples, oranges, cantaloupe, or strawberries
orange, cranberry, grapefruit, and tomato juice
egg whites substituted for whole eggs
no butter or margarine; use mostly fat-free spreads
no meat products such as bacon, ham, or sausage

INCREASE YOUR INTAKE OF VITAMIN E.

Your answers suggest that your intake of vitamin E is low, making your RealAge older. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that acts as an anti-aging agent. Most people need a supplement to get the RealAge Optimum dose of up to 400 IU per day.

ACTION PLAN:

You should take up to a 400 IU of vitamin E every day. Itâ€™s difficult to get enough vitamin E from food alone, so consider a supplement. People who take statin drugs should limit their vitamin E intake according to their healthcare providerâ€™s advice.

Food sources of vitamin E include almonds, hazelnuts, sweet potatoes, safflower oil, peanut butter, avocados, mangos, wheat germ, and corn oil.

If you eat products containing Olestra, you may need more vitamin E. The reason for this is that Olestra could prevent the absorption of vitamin E. Talk to your doctor about how to compensate for this.

Important Note

If you take warfarin (Coumadin) or dicumarol (Dicoumarol) or are considering taking any blood-thinning medication, please talk to your doctor before increasing your vitamin E intake through supplementation or diet.

People who take statin drugs should limit their vitamin E intake according to their healthcare providerâ€™s advice.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE GETTING 600 MICROGRAMS OF FOLATE/FOLIC ACID FROM FOOD AND SUPPLEMENTS.

Your answers suggest that your daily folic acid intake is probably low, making your RealAge older. Folic acid is a vitamin that helps reduce the level of homocysteine in the blood. Homocysteine is an amino acid that is thought to cause premature aging from heart disease and blood clots. Some major dietary sources for folic acid include: beans and lentils, chickpeas (that is, garbanzo beans), orange juice, ready-to-eat breakfast foods, and green leafy vegetables such as spinach, asparagus and broccoli.

ACTION PLAN:

Increase your intake of folate to 600 micrograms a day. Studies show that the U.S. recommended daily allowance (RDA) for men (200 mcg) and women (180 mcg) is too low.

Many people find it difficult to consume enough folate through diet alone, so take a supplement every day. Supplements contain the synthetic form of folate -- folic acid.

Please pay careful attention to the following recommendations if any of these conditions applies to you:

If you have kidney problems, you may also need to reduce your protein intake to control your homocysteine levels.

If you are over 60 or you think you may have a vitamin B12 deficiency and are interested in taking B vitamins such as folic acid or vitamin B12, talk to you doctor. Excessive amounts of folic acid could lead to nerve damage. Although vitamin B12 and folic acid may be a safe combination for you, you should talk with your doctor first.

If you are a vegetarian or eat a lot of leafy green vegetables or other folate-rich foods, you may already be consuming large amounts of folate and may not benefit as much from folic acid supplementation as others. Check your detailed nutrition report to see how much folic acid comes from your diet before taking a large amount as a supplement.

YOUR INTAKE OF LYCOPENE IS LOW.

Lycopene is a natural chemical that is most commonly found in tomato products. Lycopene has an antioxidant effect and can help prevent and slow the growth of prostate cancer in men. Try to eat at least 10 servings of cooked tomato products per week for optimal health benefits. For better lycopene absorption, include a small amount of healthy fat when you eat tomato products.

Take the RealAge Nutrition Assessment for an in-depth nutrition analysis.

ACTION PLAN:

Eat 7 servings of tomato-based dishes or 10 tablespoons of tomato paste a week to make your RealAge the youngest it can be for this Age Reduction factor.

Tomato juice is another good choice. However, tomato juice may be high in sodium. Also, it must be consumed along with food that has some fat in it. Fat is needed to best absorb lycopene, so you should eat a little bit of healthy fat with any of your tomato products.

INCREASE YOUR DAILY INTAKE OF CALCIUM.

Your RealAge test answers suggest that you may not be getting enough calcium. To build stronger bones and to prevent fractures from falls, be sure the amount of calcium you get from diet and supplements amounts to at least 1,000 milligrams a day. This amount makes your RealAge the youngest it can be for this Age Reduction factor.

ACTION PLAN:

Drink calcium-fortified orange juice. Eight ounces has 300 to 330 milligrams of calcium, 100 IU of vitamin D, and 60 mg of vitamin C. Be sure to shake the carton well before serving, as calcium tends to settle in the bottom of the carton.

Drink calcium-fortified skim milk. Eight ounces has 300 to 500 mg of calcium per serving. Be sure to shake the carton well before serving.

Eat yogurt, Swiss cheese and ricotta cheese. They have 200 to 250 mg of calcium per serving. Always choose low-fat dairy products.

Eat broccoli. One-quarter cup has 45 to 90 mg of calcium.

Eat white or whole-wheat bread. Two slices of white or whole-wheat bread have 45 to 90 mg of calcium.

Take calcium supplements. Itâ€™s best if you take 500 to 600 mg amounts twice per day. Chewable tablets tend to be more easily absorbed.

CONSUME MORE UNSATURATED FAT WITHOUT INCREASING YOUR CONSUMPTION OF SATURATED FAT.

Your answers suggest that you consume less than the average amount of unsaturated fats (mono- and poly-unsaturated), making your RealAge slightly older. Many foods contain both unsaturated and saturated fats. Polyunsaturated fat helps prevent high blood pressure and possibly some cancers. Monounsaturated fat helps reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood while increasing the amount of good cholesterol.

Therefore, you want a higher amount of unsaturated fat in your diet than saturated fat. You want only a low amount of saturated fat and trans fat in your diet, as high levels cause arterial aging. Adjust the proportion of unsaturated, saturated, and trans fats in your diet so that most of your fats are unsaturated.

ACTION PLAN:

Do not increase your total fat intake.

Review your

RealAge nutrition report to see what percentage of your total calories comes from polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fat.

Less than 30% of your total calories should come from fat.
More than 7.5% of your total calories should come from polyunsaturated fat.
More than 7.5% of your total calories should come from monounsaturated fat.
Less than 10% of your total calories should come from saturated fat.

Use cooking oils such as soybean and corn oils. These are rich in polyunsaturated fat, low in saturated fat, and low in transfats.

Make sure that most of your fat intake is from monounsaturated fat sources. Olive and canola oils are rich in monounsaturated fats and are low in saturated fat. Neither oil has trans fat.

Do not use butter, lard, coconut oil, or palm oil. These contain high levels of saturated fats.

FOR MAXIMUM HEALTH BENEFITS, INCREASE YOUR WHOLE GRAIN INTAKE.

By increasing your grain intake, you can effectively lower your RealAge. Whole grains (bread, cereal, rice, pasta) provide the foundation of a healthful diet. You should consume 6 to 11 servings a day from this food group. Not only are whole grains nutrient-packed but they are also high in fiber that aids in the prevention of colon cancer and other digestive disorders.

Test your knowledge of whole grains by taking this quick pop quiz!

Take the RealAge Nutrition Assessment for an in-depth nutrition analysis.

REDUCE YOUR TOTAL CHOLESTEROL LEVEL. HAVE YOUR HDL AND TOTAL CHOLESTEROL LEVELS MEASURED. INCREASE YOUR HDL CHOLESTEROL LEVEL. TAKE THE CHOLESTEROL QUIZ FOR PERSONALIZED LIFESTYLE TIPS.

The total amount of cholesterol in your blood is made up of two main components. The first is LDL (low-density lipoprotein), the bad cholesterol: it deposits cholesterol on your artery walls and causes blockages. The second component is HDL (high-density lipoprotein), the healthy cholesterol, it protects against arterial aging throughout the body by actually removing cholesterol from the artery walls. To calculate your RealAge, we must know not only your total cholesterol level but also the amount of beneficial cholesterol, HDL.

You estimated that both your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels are average, which has no benefit on your RealAge. Take steps now to lower your total cholesterol level and raise your HDL.

For more information on cholesterol and heart disease, take the RealAge Cholesterol Health Assessment.

ACTION PLAN:

Have your HDL and total cholesterol levels measured and update your RealAge test for a more accurate RealAge calculation.

COMPLETE THE IN-DEPTH NUTRITION ANALYSIS.

To get a more accurate picture of your total daily vitamin intake and a complete in-depth nutrition analysis, take the Nutrition Assessment.

When you finish the detailed Nutrition questionnaire we will be able to give you specific recommendations and action steps for the following parts of your diet:

dietary cholesterol,
dietary diversity,
saturated fats,
polyunsaturated fats,
calcium,
potassium,
vitamin E,
vitamin C,
flavonoids,
dietary fiber,
and folic acid.

EAT MORE FOODS THAT ARE RICH IN POTASSIUM.

Your test answers indicate that you probably need more potassium-rich foods in your diet. The maximum Age Reduction benefit can be obtained if your intake is at least 3,000 milligrams a day. Potassium lowers blood pressure, slows aging of the circulatory system, and prevents strokes. Although an intake of less than 3,000 mg a day still provides some benefit, to gain the maximum Age Reduction benefit, increase your intake of potassium to at least this amount.

ACTION PLAN:

Increase your daily intake of potassium to at least 3,000 milligrams.

Potassium-rich foods include orange juice, potatoes, avocados, figs, bananas, lentils, soybeans, and whole-grain breads and cereals.

Avoid potassium supplements unless directed by your physician to take them. Excessive potassium intake can be toxic. Your diet is a safe source.

Limit your intake of processed foods to reasonable amounts and keep your sodium intake low by limiting the use of table salt.

FOR MAXIMUM HEALTH BENEFITS INCREASE YOUR VEGETABLE INTAKE.

Ideally, you should be eating at least 5 servings of vegetables every day. A diet high in vegetables is not only a diet high in vitamins and nutrients but also fiber. Maximize the anti-aging properties of antioxidants by increasing your vegetable intake.

Take the RealAge Nutrition Assessment for an in-depth nutrition analysis.

ACTION PLAN:

Eat at least 5 servings of vegetables every day. By doing this, you are boosting your intake of antioxidants, which help keep you young. Not only are vegetables nutritious, but also most of them are high in fiber and low in calories. Good choices include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, carrots, celery and cucumbers. For maximum benefits, eat vegetables that are yellow, orange, green, or red in color as these are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants.

General Health

TAKE THE INCONTINENCE AND OVERACTIVE BLADDER HEALTH ASSESSMENT FOR PERSONALIZED CARE STRATEGIES.

Your incontinence may be due to an overactive bladder or another condition. Take control of your symptoms with personal recommendations from this assessment.

TAKE THE DEPRESSION HEALTH ASSESSMENT FOR PERSONALIZED RECOMMENDATIONS.

Depression has many causes and solutions. Take this quiz to get a more in-depth analysis about your depression and find some possible solutions.

TAKE THE ALLERGIES HEALTH ASSESSMENT FOR PERSONALIZED CARE STRATEGIES.

Your allergies may be due to seasonal changes, or they may be a symptom of a more serious condition. Take this quiz to learn what's causing your allergies.

Fitness

DO MORE STRENGTH-BUILDING AND CARDIOVASCULAR ACTIVITIES. ALSO INCREASE THE INTENSITY OF YOUR OVERALL WORKOUT.

Depending on your health, you may need to spend more time every week performing strength-building and cardiovascular exercises and activities. Strength-building activities include weight lifting, working with exercise bands, push-ups, sit-ups, and Pilates. Cardiovascular activities include dancing, jogging, jumping rope, swimming, playing soccer, and riding a bike.

You may also not be performing enough of your exercises and activities at a moderate to high level of intensity. We measure the weekly intensity level of your workouts by calculating the total number of calories per week that you burn doing these exercises and activities. Based on your answers, we estimate that you probably expend fewer calories than needed for maximum Age Reduction benefits, which kick in when at least 1,000 to 3,500 calories are expended each week. Therefore, depending on your health, you may need to do more cardiovascular exercises and activities. You may also need to do both your strength-building and cardiovascular activities at a more intense level. Talk to your doctor about a workout that's right for you.

Create your own personalized fitness plan here.

ACTION PLAN:

Use a certified personal trainer or a qualified fitness consultant to create an appropriate fitness program.
Set realistic goals.An initial goal for the intensity of a workout is 1,000 calories per week.
Include exercises and activities that are enjoyable and that fit your current physical capacities: aerobics, cross-country machine, stair stepper, stationary bike, stationary rowing machine, step classes, swimming, water fitness classes, treadmill, and walking indoors or outdoors on a track.
Include sports in your fitness program. Sports are not only physically rewarding, but they are also a great way to socialize with others. Some good options include basketball, golf, tennis, and volleyball.

All adults should set a long-term goal to do at least 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, or preferably all, days of the week. Intermittent or shorter periods of activity (at least 10 minutes), including occupational or nonoccupational tasks and everyday activities of daily life, confer similar cardiovascular and other health benefits if performed at a level of moderate intensity (such as brisk walking) for a total of 30 minutes per day.

Additional health and fitness benefits may be conferred by burning up to 3,500 calories per week with additional physically activities or more vigorous workouts. Increasing calories expenditure from 1,000 to 3,500 calories per week can be accomplishedby doing one or more of the following:

Spending more time doing current exercises and activities.
Doing the exercises and activities at a higher intensity level.
Adding more exercises and activities to a fitness program.

Consult your doctor. If any of the following conditions apply to you, talk to your doctor before starting a fitness program:

you have existing health problems
you are over 40 years old
you have not been exercising routinely

GRADUALLY WORK UP TO AT LEAST 90 MINUTES OF STRENGTH-BUILDING EXERCISES EACH WEEK.

Your RealAge is older because you spend less than 90 minutes a week doing strength-building exercises. Doing strength exercises, independent of your level of cardiovascular fitness, can make your RealAge younger. For motivation and ideas, build a personalized Fitness Plan here.

ACTION PLAN:

If you are not performing strength-building exercises, consult a certified personal trainer or qualified fitness consultant to help you start a safe and effective program.

Work out three days per week on spaced days (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).

Before any exercise session stretch and warm up with activities such as running on a treadmill or riding a stationary bicycle.

Stretch the muscles that you will be working on, holding the stretch under mild tension for 10 seconds.

During each session, do at least 8 to 12 repetitions for each of the major muscle groups of the leg, trunk, arm, and shoulder.

GRADUALLY WORK UP TO 210 MINUTES OF CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISES A WEEK.

You spend 10 minutes a week doing cardiovascular exercises and activities. This amount is well below the 210-minute goal for cardiovascular exercise. Walking most days of the week for 30 minutes can help you meet this goal. For motivation and ideas, build a personalized Fitness Plan here.

ACTION PLAN:

Select stamina-building exercises and activities that you enjoy. You are more likely to continue a stamina-building program if you enjoy what you are doing. Some recommended exercises and activities include:

aerobics
cross-country machine
stair stepper
stationary bike
stationary rowing machine
step or water fitness classes
swimming
treadmill
upper body ergometer
walking indoors or outdoors on a track

Gradually work up to spending 210 minutes every week doing stamina-building exercises and activities. Make a commitment to yourself and a close family member or friend to do these activities every week. If you can, get that person to participate in your program also.

Spread out your stamina-building exercises and activities to three or more times a week. For example, many people spend 20 minutes, three times a week doing endurance exercises and activities for maximal Age Reduction benefit.

When you start your stamina-building program, do not go at it too aggressively. You may hurt yourself and end up quitting.

HAVE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE MEASURED. MAKE LIFESTYLE CHANGES TO HELP REDUCE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE TO LESS THAN 120/80 mm Hg.

You estimated that your blood pressure is average. Your estimated blood pressure made your RealAge somewhat younger.

It is very important to check your blood pressure regularly. Even though you estimated that your blood pressure is within the normal range, your RealAge is not as young as it could be. If you undertook some lifestyle changes, such as incorporating more physical activity into your daily routine, you might be able prevent the development of significantly high blood pressure and make your RealAge younger. Check with your doctor.

ACTION PLAN:

Get three accurate blood pressure readings and take the average, then update your RealAge test for a more accurate RealAge calculation.

Although you do not need to take medications that reduce blood pressure, your RealAge is somewhat older because of ongoing minor damage to the arteries from mildly high blood pressure.

Here are some changes in lifestyle that can help lower blood pressure.

Stop smoking. All tobacco-based products (even smokeless tobacco) reliably increase blood pressure.

Reduce the amounts of saturated fats and cholesterol in your diet. For most people, keeping their diet low in fat and cholesterol also reduces blood pressure.

Increase physical activity. Exercise alone can lower blood pressure significantly and will independently make your RealAge younger.

Lose weight. If you are overweight, losing 5% to 10% of your current body weight could be enough to lower your blood pressure.

Lower your salt intake. Most people with high blood pressure are sensitive to salt. Do not eat salty foods and do not add table salt to your food. Most people can use potassium salt substitutes, which can lower blood pressure. Check with your physician.

Limit alcohol to one drink per day for men and one-half a drink per day for women. Drinking more than this amount can raise your blood pressure, cause liver disease and cancer, and make your RealAge significantly older.

BEGIN A WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM YOU CAN SUSTAIN. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK IF YOU ARE ALREADY LOSING WEIGHT.

Using your weight of 189 pounds and your height of 70 inches, we calculated your body mass index (BMI) to be 27.2. BMI is a measure that represents the relationship between your weight and your height. Using your BMI alone, we cannot say how much of your weight is fat tissue and how much is lean tissue (muscle, bone, and organs).

However, we do know that unless you have considerably more muscle and less fat than most persons, your RealAge is older because your weight is too high for your height. You can reach optimal Age Reduction by slowly losing weight and keeping it off permanently.

ACTION PLAN:

Set realistic weight-loss goals. It is difficult and unhealthy to lose more than 1 or 2 pounds per week.

Choose a diet plan carefully.

Avoid quick-fix diet programs; they rarely work and may be more harmful than beneficial.
Avoid diet plans that entail rapid weight loss in the first few days. This is nothing more than rapid water loss, and although it may appear as if you lose weight quickly on such a plan, you will probably regain the weight as quickly as you lost it because these plans do not reduce body fat.
Avoid high-protein diets. These can be dangerous and lead to metabolic disturbances (ketosis). More important, they cannot be sustained. Only about 15% of your total calories should come from protein.

Select a diet plan that restricts your caloric intake. To lose weight effectively, you must reduce the number of calories you consume or increase the number of calories you expend through physical activity. Keep in mind that one pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories.

To lose weight appropriately, limit your caloric intake to 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day.
Buy a small, inexpensive calorie counter and carry it with you. You can learn to estimate your caloric intake by memorizing the number of calories in foods that you typically eat.

Talk to your doctor before starting a diet plan.

In general, your doctor may be able to help you by providing information, guidance, and ongoing medical supervision.
If you have lost and regained weight in the past, have medical problems because of your weight, or have a disability or condition that prevents you from eating certain foods or performing certain activities, you should consult your doctor before you attempt to lose weight.
The use of medications for weight loss is highly controversial. Some of these medications may cause severe and potentially fatal heart and lung side effects. Always check with your doctor first before attempting to lose weight using over-the-counter or prescription medications.

While you are dieting, expect periods when you do not lose weight. Your body will undergo readjustment periods during your weight-loss program and you may not see changes.

In conjunction with your new dieting program, integrate the following into your lifelong habits.

Drink adequate amounts of water at mealtime. Aim for 6 to 8 glasses of water per day with meals. A couple of glasses of water with a meal can help prevent you from overeating.
Avoid gorging and late-night eating. Eating large meals, especially late at night, can lead to weight gain. Eat a moderately sized dinner 2 to 3 hours before you go to bed. In general, you should eat until you have had just enough to feel satisfied. Eating at a slower pace can help you avoid overeating. Start each meal with a bit of dessert or a small slice of bread with olive oil. A little fat slows the emptying of your stomach, making you feel fuller faster.
Modify your eating cues. Overweight adults who gained their excess pounds later in life tend to respond to external eating cues (e.g., taste, mood, appearance of food, situation, stress, or sadness) more than to hunger. Recognize your cues and how your body controls your appetite.
Learn to eat your meals at the same time every day and in a calm environment. Follow hunger cues, not aesthetic or emotional cues, for eating.
Increase your physical activity. Following a regular exercise program will help you lose weight, improve your outlook on life, and maintain your weight loss.
- Pick activities that you enjoy and do them regularly.
- Begin slowly and work up to 2,000 to 3,500 kilocalories per week.
- If you increase your physical activity level, you may be able to increase or maintain your current daily intake of calories and still lose weight.
Try to maintain your lean body mass. Lean body mass refers primarily to muscle and bone. You should avoid excessive loss of lean body mass. To maintain your lean body mass, keep the following in mind:
- Maintain an adequate intake of dietary protein.
- Regularly perform strength-building exercises. Anaerobic activity such as lifting weights can help build muscle and help you avoid some loss of lean body mass.