I. Can't Wait to Lose Weight?
Upon reaching 50 years of age Ralph realized he had been overweight for over half his life. He told himself he was getting too old to change his ways and he should just give up on the seemingly elusive dream of getting rid of his potbelly. A series of unforeseen events the following week changed his mind. He experienced a bout of angina (chest pain associated with poor blood flow tot he heart), an invitation to his high school reunion arrived in the mail, and the promotion he felt he'd earned went to a younger, healthier-looking man. Ralph decided he needed to get serious about weight loss. After borrowing his college-age daughter's NutriQuest program, he determined he was eating 2800 calories a day; 45% of them from fat. Checking the height-weight chart he found he should aim to trim his 203-pound, 5'10" frame down to 163 pounds. He decided he wanted to loose all 40 pounds in 18 weeks (about four months) so he'd look good at his reunion events.

A. After entering this data into the Weight Management screen of the NutriQuest program determine if Ralph can meet his weight loss goal in 18 weeks. (You will first need to create a Personal Profile for Ralph.)

B. How long should Ralph plan on it taking for him to reach his goal weight?

C. NutriQuest focuses on weight loss by calorie restriction alone. What other lifestyle changes should Ralph consider if he wants to lose weight and keep it off? Explain your answer.

D. Given his age and weight history is it realistic for Ralph to try to lose 40 pounds or could he be improve his health by losing less? (Hint: losing as little as 10% of your total body weight can significantly reduce weight -related health risk factors in obese individuals.)

E. Should Ralph consult a physician before embarking on a weight loss plan? Why or Why not?

II. Rapid weight loss, is it ever safe?

A. List three potential disadvantages of very rapid weight loss.

B. Under what circumstances is rapid weight loss safe? (Consult your text for these answers.)