Overweight people have an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other illnesses. Losing weight reduces the risk. This brochure tells you how to lose weight safely.

Ask Your Doctor About Sensible Goals

Your doctor or other health worker can help you set sensible goals based on a proper weight for your height, build and age.

Men and very active women may need up to 2,500 calories daily. Other women and inactive men need only about 2,000 calories daily. A safe plan is to eat 300 to 500 fewer calories a day to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.

Exercise 30 Minutes

Do at least 30 minutes of exercise, like brisk walking, most days of the week.

The idea is to use up more calories than you eat. You need to use up the day’s calories and some of the calories stored in your body fat.

Eat Less Fat and Sugar

This will help you cut calories. Fried foods and fatty desserts can quickly use up a day’s calories. And these foods may not provide the other nutrients you need.

Make sure your other foods that day are low in fat and calories.

Eat a Wide Variety Of Foods

Variety in the diet helps you get all the vitamins and other nutrients you need.

Watch Out for Promises of Quick And Easy Weight Loss

Fad diets aren’t good because they often call for too much or too little of one type of food. As a result, you may not get important nutrients you need daily.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true.

What About Diet Pills?

Diet pills you buy without a prescription won’t make a big difference in how much you lose each week or how long you keep the weight off. If you do use them, read the label carefully. Because of possible side effects, like high blood pressure, never take more than the listed dose.

Also, be careful about taking cough or cold medicines with diet pills you buy without a prescription. These medicines may contain the same drug used in diet pills, or a similar drug with the same effects. If you take both products together, you may get too much of the same type of drug. This can hurt you.

Before taking a cough or cold medicine while using diet pills, ask your pharmacist if it’s OK.

Prescription diet pills may help some people. If you use them, follow the doctor’s directions carefully.

Before Signing Up for a Weight-Loss Program, ask Questions

Does the Company:

• Explain possible health risks from weight loss?
• Explain all costs?
• Include weight control over a long time?
• Have proof of success, not just praise by other people?
• Give a clear, truthful statement of how you’re going to lose weight, including how much and how fast?
• Teach how to eat healthfully and exercise more?

For More Information

If you have questions, you can call your nearest FDA office. Look for the number in the blue pages of the telephone book.

Or, call the FDA’s toll-free number: 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332)

Or look online at www.fda.gov

Weight control is a prevalent concern for many women after pregnancy. Although common during pregnancy, weight gain is difficult for many women to handle emotionally. Many women are unclear about how to separate fact from fiction concerning this “post-pregnancy” weight control. First of all, women need to understand how much weight gain is actually “normal” during pregnancy. Do try to keep in mind that your pregnancy weight wasn’t gained overnight so it won’t disappear that quickly, either. As a matter of detail, you gained that weight so that you would have plenty of reserves for feeding your baby.

Eat healthy foods. This really is unnoticed, though. Emphasize nutrient rich foods, which are not having too much fat. Avoid oily snack foods and so-called healthy foods like cheese and complete milk. Eat more fruits, vegetables, grains, pastas and beans and avoid red meat and salads laden with dressing. Try to build some outdoor activity into your day. In some way walk with your baby every day and try to get a jogging stroller added to your wish list. Sling makes carrying your baby more resourceful and burn more calories. Drink plenty of water. Avoid soda, cool drink and juice. Some foods are they were truly empty calories. Combining 200 fewer calories per day of higher fat foods that’s just a couple portion of dressing or a piece of cheese with 20 minutes of a good walk with your baby will lead to exactly the weight loss and conditioning you want. Add in a little formal or informal yoga and stretching and you’ll get there even sooner.