Creating a weight management wellness program designed to fit your personal nutritional and lifestyle needs can be a tool you use to monitor your weight and keep track of how well you meet your nutritional and exercise objectives. Weight management can have a direct impact on your health, according to Beaumont Hospitals. Arthritis, fatty liver disease, some cancers, heart disease and stroke are all conditions you may be able to avoid with proper weight management. As you create a program for yourself, focus on developing lifelong habits that can help you stay healthy for years.
Step 1
Determine whether you need to lose weight by consulting your doctor or by using a height-weight chart or a BMI calculator to determine your body mass index. If you need to lose weight, begin your weight management program by making a commitment to losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week.
Step 2
Use an online calculator or notepad to record your food choices and calorie amounts for three days. Average the number of calories you eat per day. For weight maintenance, continue eating a similar number of calories. Reduce your current caloric intake by 500 calories each day to lose weight.
Step 3
Follow healthy eating recommendations, even when designing your own program. Familiarize yourself with the six food groups on the USDA's Food Pyramid. Write down each food group and list how many servings from each group you should eat per day to stay healthy, based on your caloric consumption, age and gender.
Step 4
Schedule a time to plan your meals. Helpguide.org suggests that you will be able to control your food intake more easily with regular meal planning. Divide a sheet of paper into seven sections, and write down your meals for each day of the week. Include snacks and healthy desserts.
Step 5
Keep track of your food intake using a smartphone application, a program on your computer or on paper. If losing weight, track your food every day. Monitor your food intake once a week if you are maintaining your weight. Managing your weight requires diligence to avoid overeating during times of stress or at social occasions, states Helpguide.org.
Step 6
Develop an exercise schedule that includes times for five sessions of cardiovascular exercise and two sessions of strength-training each week. Exercise is a vital component of any wellness program, both for weight loss and maintenance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Step 7
Select exercises you will enjoy doing to ensure you will stay committed to your program. Walking is a low-cost, joint-friendly exercise which burns about 300 calories per hour if you weigh 190 lbs. Purchase a selection of hand weights, or use inexpensive, elastic resistance bands. Plan on performing exercises for your upper body one session and your lower body the next. Perform abdominal exercises five days a week.
Tips and Warnings
- Fill your plate with vegetables and fruits, leaving a small amount of room for a protein and bread choice. Avoid smoking and excessive use of alcohol. Reassess your program and goals on a regular basis and make adjustments as needed.
- Consult your doctor before beginning a new diet or exercise program. Avoid focusing on one food group to the exclusion of another.
Things You'll Need
- Notepad
- Computer program (optional)
- Hand weights
- Elastic resistance bands
References
- Beaumont Hospitals: Importance of Weight Control in Health
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Body Mass Index
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Balancing Calories
- USDA: MyPyramid Tracker
- Helpguide.org: How to Lose Weight and Keep it Off
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How Much Physical Activity Do You Need?
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