Weight Loss Simulator

SaraTN

While searching for some weight loss simulation models I came across this site and thought it was really cool. For those of you that like graphs, charts, spreadsheets etc. This one is for you!

You input your current weight, height, gender, etc. Then your activity level. You input your desired time frame to reach your goal (it it isn't possible it will revert to a goal that is attainable. It then calculates your caloric needs to reach your goal based on if you want to increase your activity level etc and then provides the maintenance info once you reach your goal. There are tabs to look at body fat percentages, and a spreadsheet for your daily weigh in.

http://bwsimulator.niddk.nih.gov/

_kimberly

great calculator... I can realistically hit goal (body fat from 25% to 19.6%; or 26 pound weight loss - approx) in 6 months pretty much doing what I'm doing... IF I stick to my target calorie range and get those workouts in... I'm ON IT!!

thanks for posting this!

zyxst

It doesn't say I can't get down to 200 by the end of this year, which is nice to read.

gwenmf

bump

LizKurz

Ok. So I go to the page, and its a wall of text, I see no where to insert data.....what am I missing?

reach53

Me too, nothing to insert data!

SaraTN

Ok. So I go to the page, and its a wall of text, I see no where to insert data.....what am I missing?

It requires you to run Java. To the left side of a screen a box will pop up (you may also get a request from your computer to allow you to run Java) Once it is loaded there is a button "Start Simulator"

SaraTN

Also to note: There is a screen for a lifestyle change that will allow you to insert your daily calorie intake goal and then it will calculate your expenditure in the tabulated data. If you highlight and use control C you can then cut and paste into a spreadsheet if you are geeky, like me.

cherylzzz

bump

KelseyDawn84

Bump

zyxst

Oh, I meant to add that this not only takes into account what you do for work, but what you do in leisure time. So while I'm sedentary as a 'job', I can get my walking and weight lifting figured into things.

SaraTN

Oh, I meant to add that this not only takes into account what you do for work, but what you do in leisure time. So while I'm sedentary as a 'job', I can get my walking and weight lifting figured into things.

Yes that is a really cool factor and if you do the lifestyle changes and hit the detail option for activity level you can customize it by including what your work out schedule is -- for example, I walk for 20 minutes 4x/week and I do a light run for 60 minutes 2 x per week, a hard run at 40 minutes 1x week and a medium run 1 x per week for 90 minutes.

You can then increase your calories or change your activity on a specific day in your program (i.e. I want to increase my calories at day 60 and increase my activity.

I am in Nerd Heaven right now! I am going to test it to see how I actually fall. I like the range of weight it gives you for each day as well....

juicemoogan

That website told me in order to lose 30 lbs in 6 months i should eat 473 calories a day.

Something is really wrong here.

I would recommend using this thread for information instead.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/573838--read-this-figuring-out-your-calorie-goals

SaraTN

That website told me in order to lose 30 lbs in 6 months i should eat 473 calories a day.

Something is really wrong here.

I would recommend using this thread for information instead.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/573838--read-this-figuring-out-your-calorie-goals

That would be if you changed nothing with respect to your current calorie intake and your expenditure. Which no one is saying you should do. You can play with this on the goal weight tab or you can put in the information on the lifestyle option. For me, I put in a 1250 calorie consumption and in the tabulated data it tells me that by consuming that calorie amount consistently, I would need to expend 2,400 calories through normal activity and exercise. As the weight goes down the expendture reduces as well but the intake remains the same.

The lifestyle works similarly and you can add detail regarding your work and liesure activity that you engage in daily. If you want to start off with a lower calorie consumption but then increase say at day 21 it will take that into account and provide the weight loss goal.

I think its a really cool tool... but you have to play around with it to see how it actually works.

LizKurz

Ok. So I go to the page, and its a wall of text, I see no where to insert data.....what am I missing?

It requires you to run Java. To the left side of a screen a box will pop up (you may also get a request from your computer to allow you to run Java) Once it is loaded there is a button "Start Simulator"

Ah. Once again us Mac users are effed.

SaraTN

Well that is a real bummer!

Lance_K

Bump

yarwell

http://www.java.com/en/download/faq/java_mac.xml

Java is cross-platform

_kimberly

I'm on a Mac that is two years old... no problems, site works great!

AprilRenewed

Wow...I think this will take some time to figure out, but it seems awesome. BUMP!

nigel061

Very interesting website - thanks for posting

steadk

It said I should eat 1034 cals a day. Even after increasing my walking per day. I think I'll stick with my higher cals that are allowing me to lose.

teelynn35

bump for later, my computer is being a tool:)

Swissmiss

Can't do that on my work computer. I copied the link to do at home.

katmont

Bump read later

bluemorpho1247

That is a really good site
Just so people can see how it looks :

yaddayaddayadda

Cool... Thanks for posting!!

janenightingale

bump for later

SaraTN

It said I should eat 1034 cals a day. Even after increasing my walking per day. I think I'll stick with my higher cals that are allowing me to lose.

It may be based on the length of time that you selected to reach your goal. Of course, it is just a simulator and a tool -- but if what you are doing is working for you -- I think that is great and congrats!

LizKurz

Hrm, maybe it's just iPad users? Anyone else on an iPad? I click on the "download java" thing, but it tells me I have the latest version and nothing else happens.

zyxst

I showed my husband this after we got back from our walk. He had a nerdgasm. I will be using this program to check myself every month or so to see how I compare with my other tracking sites.