WIN Weight-control Information Network

Weight

Loss

Life

for



Weight Loss 

for Life

Weight Loss 

for Life

TThere	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.


Can I benefit 

from weight loss?

Health	experts	agree	that	you	

may gain health benefits from 

even	a	small	weight	loss	if:

◆	 You	are	considered	obese	

based	on	your	body	mass	

index	(BMI)	(see	BMI	

chart	on	page	3).	

◆	 You	are	considered		

overweight	based	on	your	

BMI	and	have	weight-	

related	health	problems	

or	a	family	history	of	such	

problems.

◆	 You	have	a	waist	that	

measures	more	than	40	

inches	if	you	are	a	man	

or	more	than	35	inches	if	

you	are	a	woman.	

A	weight	loss	of	5	to	7		

percent	of	body	weight	may	

improve	your	health	and	

quality	of	life,	and	it	may		

prevent	weight-related		

health	problems,	like	type	2	

diabetes.	For	a	person	who	

weighs	200	pounds,	this	

means	losing	10	to		

14	pounds.

Even	if	you	do	not	need	to	

lose	weight,	you	should	still	

follow	healthy	eating	and	

physical	activity	habits	to	help	

prevent	weight	gain	and	keep	

you	healthy	over	the	years.

Some Some 

WWeight-r eight-related Health elated Health 

PrProblems oblems

✔ 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 

breathing during 

sleep)


Body Mass Index

BMI is a tool that is often

used to determine whether

a person’s health is at risk

due to his or her weight. It is

a ratio of your weight to your

height. A BMI of 18.5

to 24.9 is considered

healthy, a BMI of 25 to 29.9

is considered overweight,

and a BMI of 30 or more is

considered obese. You can

find your BMI using the chart 

below, and you can also

see the weight range that is

healthy for your height.


How can I lose 

weight?

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	

page	6	for	more	information	on	

weight-loss	programs.

Your Plan for 

Healthy Eating

It	may	be	hard	to	stick	to	a	

weight-loss	“diet”	that	limits	

your	portions	to	very	small	

sizes	or	excludes	certain	

foods. You may have difficulty 

making	that	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 healthy 

eating plan is one that:

◆	 Emphasizes fruits,

vegetables, whole grains,

and fat-free or low-fat

milk and milk products.

◆	 Includes lean meats,

poultry, fish, beans, eggs, 

and nuts.

◆	 Is low in saturated fats,

trans fats, cholesterol,

salt (sodium), and added

sugars.

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, see “Other Resources” 

at the end of this brochure.

For more specific information 

about food groups and

nutrition values, visit http://

www.healthierus.gov/

dietaryguidelines.
Your Plan for 

Regular Physical 

Activity

Regular	physical	activity		

may	help	you	lose	weight	

and	keep	it	off.	It	may	also	

improve	your	energy	level	

and	mood,	and	lower	your	

risk	for	developing	heart		

disease,	diabetes,	and	some	

cancers.

According	to	the	2008 

Physical Activity Guidelines 

for Americans,	experts		

believe	all	adults	should	

be	physically	active.	Some	

activity	is	better	than	none,	

and	individuals	who	engage	

in	any	amount	of	physical	

activity	may	gain	some	health	

benefits. The majority of 

your	physical	activity	should	

be	moderate	to	vigorous	in	

intensity.	However,	adults	

should	aim	to	include		

muscle-strengthening		

activities	as	well.	For	more	

information	on	the	Physical 

Activity Guidelines,	see	the	

“Other	Resources”	section	at	

the	end	of	this	brochure.	

You can be physically active

every day for one extended

period of time, or you can

break it up into shorter sessions of 20, 15, or even 10

minutes. Try some of these

physical activities:

◆	 walking

(15 minutes per mile or

4 miles per hour)

◆	 biking

◆	 tennis

◆	 aerobic exercise

classes (step aerobics,

kick boxing, dancing)

◆	 energetic house or yard

work (gardening, raking,

mopping, vacuuming)




What types of 

weight-loss 

programs are 

available?

There	are	two	different	types	

of	weight-loss	programs—

clinical	and	nonclinical.	

Knowing	what	a	good		

program	will	offer	and	what	

to	look	for	may	help	you	

choose	a	weight-loss	program	

that	will	work	for	you.		

Nonclinical Program

What it is:	A	nonclinical		

program	may	be	commercially	

operated,	such	as	a	privately	

owned	weightloss	chain.	You	

can	follow	a		

nonclinical		

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	communitybased	program.		

Nonclinical	weight-loss		

programs	may	require	you		

to	use	the	program’s	foods	

or	supplements.

What a safe and effective 

program will offer:

◆	 Books,	pamphlets,	and	

websites	that	are	written	

or	reviewed	by	a	licensed	

health	professional	such	

as	a	medical	doctor	

(M.D.)	or	registered		

dietitian	(R.D.).

◆	 Balanced	information	

about	following	a	healthy	

eating	plan	and	getting	

regular	physical	activity.
◆	 Leaders	or	counselors	

who	show	you	their	training	credentials.	(Program	

leaders	or	counselors	

may	not	be	licensed	

health	professionals.)

Program cautions:

◆	 If	a	program	requires	

you	to	buy	prepackaged	

meals, find out how much

the	meals	will	cost—they	

may	be	expensive.	Also,	

eating	prepackaged	

meals	does	not	let	you	

learn	the	food	selection	

and	cooking	skills	you	will	

need	to	maintain	weight	

loss	over	the	long	term.

◆	 Avoid	any	diet	that		

suggests	you	eat	a		

certain	formula,	food,	or	

combination	of	foods	for	

easy	weight	loss.	Some	

of	these	diets	may	work	

in	the	short	term	because	

they	are	low	in	calories.	

But	they	may	not	give	

you	all	the	nutrients	your	

body	needs	and	they	do	

not	teach	healthy	eating	

habits.

◆	 Avoid programs that do

not include a physical

activity plan.

◆	 Talk to your health care

provider before using any

weight-loss product, such

as a supplement, herb,

or over-the-counter

medication.

Clinical Program

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 psychologists, provide


8

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

If your BMI is 30 or more, 

or your BMI is 27 or more 

and you have weight-related 

health problems, you may 

consider using prescription 

weight-loss drugs. Drugs 

should be used as part of an 

overall program that includes 

long-term changes in eating 

and physical activity habits. 

Only a licensed health care 

provider can prescribe these 

drugs. See “Additional 

Reading” for more 

information about 

prescription medications for 

the treatment of obesity.

Bariatric Surgery 

If your BMI is 40 or more, 

or your BMI is 35 or more 

and you have weight-related 

health problems such as 

diabetes or heart disease, 

you may consider bariatric 

surgery (also called 

gastrointestinal surgery). 

Most patients lose weight 

quickly. To keep the weight 

off, most will need to eat 

healthy and get regular 

physical activity over the 

long term. Surgery may also 

reduce the amount of 

vitamins and minerals that are 

absorbed by your body. The 

rapid weight loss as a result 

of bariatric surgery may also 


cause gallstones. See the

“Additional Reading” section

for more information about

bariatric surgery.

What a safe and effective 

program will offer:

◆	 A team of licensed health

professionals.

◆	 A plan to help you keep

weight off after you have

lost it.

Program cautions:

There may be side effects

or health risks involved in

the program that can be

serious. Discuss these with

your health care provider.

Regardless of the type of

weight-loss program you

choose, be sure you have

follow-up visits with your

health care provider. He or

she may suggest ways to

deal with setbacks or

obstacles you may face along

the way, as well as answer

any questions you may have

as you move forward.

For more detailed

information about choosing

a safe and successful

weight-loss program, see the

“Additional Reading” section

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!
0

Additional 

Reading

From the Weight-control 

Information Network

Active at Any Size 

describes the benefits of 

being physically active no

matter what a person’s size.

The brochure presents a

variety of activities that large

people can enjoy safely.

Bariatric 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.

Changing Your Habits: 

Steps to Better Health 

guides readers through steps

that can help them determine

what “stage” they are in—

how ready they are—to make

healthy lifestyle changes.

Once that stage is determined,

strategies on how to make

healthy eating and physical

activity changes are offered.

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—BMI and

waist circumference—to help

people determine if their weight

and/or body fat distribution are

putting their health at risk. 


Other Resources

U.S.	Department	of		

Agriculture.	My	Pyramid	Plan.	

April	2005.	Available	at		

http://www.mypyramid.gov.

U.S.	Food	and	Drug		

Administration	Center	for	

Food	Safety	and	Applied	

Nutrition.	How to Understand 

and Use the Nutrition Facts 

Label.	June	2000.	Available	

at http://www.cfsan.fda.

gov/~dms/foodlab.html. 

U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services (DHHS).

Physical Activity Guidelines 

for Americans. October 2008.

Available at http://www.

health.gov/PAGuidelines.

National Diabetes Information

Clearinghouse, National

Institute of Diabetes and

Digestive and Kidney

Diseases, National Institutes

of Health (NIH). Diabetes 

Prevention Program. DHHS.

NIH Publication

No. 09–5099. 2008.


Weight-control Information Network

1 WIN Way

Bethesda, MD 20892–3665

Phone: (202) 828–1025

Toll-free number: 1–877–946–4627

Fax: (202) 828–1028

Email: win@info.niddk.nih.gov

Internet: http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov

The Weight-control Information Network (WIN) is a service of the National

Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the

National Institutes of Health, which is the Federal Government’s lead

agency responsible for biomedical research on nutrition and obesity.

Authorized by Congress (Public Law 103–43), WIN provides the general

public, health professionals, the media, and Congress with up-to-date,

science-based health information on weight control, obesity, physical

activity, and related nutritional 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’sRoosevelt Hospital Center, and English H. Gonzalez, M.D., M.P.H.,

Community Medicine and Curriculum Development Coordinator,

St. Vincent’s East Family Medicine Residency Program in Birmingham, AL.

This publication is not copyrighted. WIN encourages users of this brochure

to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.

NIH Publication No. 04–3700

January 2009

NIH Publication No. 04–3700

January 2009