Understanding Your Needs

Every woman body is different and each woman may have a different definition of weight management. Some may want to lose, some may want to gain, and some still may want to just maintain their healthy weight. Consequently, we want to do our best in understanding what your weight management goals are. After we've established what your goals are, then there are other factors that affect your success in achieving these goals. We've listed a few of the most common factors that affect success:

• Lifestyle: How busy are you?
• Nutrition 101: Do you know the basics of nutrition?
• Food Preferences: What types of foods do you prefer?
• Motivation: What type are you?

Metabolism

Metabolism is the process in which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. Even when you are at rest, your body needs energy for all it's necessary functions such as breathing, growing and cellular repair. The number of calories your body needs to carry out these basic functions is called your basal metabolic rate (BMR) or what you might call metabolism.

Several factors affect your individual metabolic rate:

• Your body size and composition
• Your sex
• Your age

Your body's ability to process food (thermogenesis) and your physical activity also affect your metabolism as well. If you are finding it difficult to lose, maintain, or gain weight, then your body is not functioning at its optimal level of efficiency.

Consequently, it is very important for us to do a comprehensive evaluation of your metabolic status before we begin our program. By knowing where to start, we know exactly how to begin.