Tips to Achieve Weight Loss Goals: A Guide for Isaac

Calculate Isaac's BMI

Isaac, a 23 year old male, is 5 feet 9 inches tall (1.75 meters) and weighs 188 pounds.  He has been trying unsuccessfully to lose weight and needs some advice on how best to achieve this goal.  He has kept a record of what he eats daily for a week, and it turns out to be an average of 3,300 kcals daily.   He is at present quite sedentary, though not disabled in any way.  

1. First, calculate Isaac’s body mass index, or BMI (formula is on page 245).  Please show your work below: 

BMI=_______________________

2. Based on this, and the information given in your textbook, indicate whether he is considered:

a) underweight,  b) normal weight,  c) overweight  d) obese  or  e) morbidly obese?

_________________________________ 

3. To obtain an estimate of Isaac’s kcal needs, use the formula below (also shown on page 261) that the DRIs are based on, which takes age, height, weight, and level of physical activity into account: 

Estimated Energy Needs (EER) [formula for males]:

662 – 9.53 x  (age in years) + (PA) x  [ 15.91 x  (weight in kg)  + 539.6 x ( height in meters) ]

For an example of how to work this equation, look at look at Table 7.4, pg. 261

Total energy needs for Isaac estimated through above method: ___________________________ kcals

4.Given the information on kcal intake at the top of the page, is Isaac in energy balance (yes or no)? 

If not, indicate whether the data shows he is in positive energy balance or negative energy balance, and explain your choice. 

5. Given his weight loss goal, his calculated energy needs and his current energy intake, what recommendations will you give Isaac in order to help him meet his goal?  Be specific in terms of:

a) how many kcals he needs to modify (both input and output) to achieve his goal

b)  the rate of weight loss (i.e. pounds per week) you would recommend he lose, based on your readings about successful weight loss and maintenance in chapter 7 and my notes.

6.Assuming he loses weight and is able to reach his goal, name at least two strategies you would recommend to help him maintain that weight loss for the long term.

7.Finally, provide Isaac with a concrete example of how long it takes to burn a given number of calories. For instance, for breakfast this morning he had a McDonald’s sausage, egg and cheese McGriddle (550 kcals) and a hot chocolate (360 kcals).  Look at the Energy Expenditure Table link included with this assignment, which shows how many calories certain activities burn per hour, at different body weights.   

Calculate how long Isaac would have to spend GARDENING (at his current weight of 188 pounds, not at 180 lbs.) to burn those breakfast calories. Show your work to receive credit. 

Kcals burned per hour of Gardening at Isaac’s body weight (188 lbs): ______________ 

Total time (in minutes or hours) needed to burn 910 kcals of breakfast: ________________