#1 What is your body-fat % Determine your body composition before you start a weight loss program. This is an important first step. As you workout you will add muscle weight to your body, at the same time losing fat weight. If you rely on a scale then you will not know that you have made positive changes and may actually be discouraged. But if you know the ratio of adipose tissue (fat) to lean tissue (muscle) when you start a program, and re-measure the ratio to find positive changes, you will be encouraged to continue. The scale alone does not tell the whole story. Find a qualified trainer or Dr. to measure your body composition first! Your trainer can help you to determine a healthy fat loss/muscle gain that is perfect for your body. More on this subject. See chart below for General Body-fat Percentage Categories (Chart from The American Council On Exerise)

Classifications	Women(% fat)	Men(% fat)
Essential fat	10-13%	2-5%
Athletes	14-20%	6-13%
Fitness	21-24%	14-17%
Average	25-31%	18-24%
Obese	32% and higher	25% and higher

#3 How many calories? Generally speaking a woman should not reduce her calories below 1200, and a man should not go below 2000. If you reduce your calories too much than you will start to lose muscle. Here is what the American Council on Exercise says: Protein-approximately 50-70 grams depending on body size, or 12-20% of caloric intake. Carbohydrate-a minimum of 125 grams, optimal 350-400 grams, or 55-65% of caloric intake as carbohydrate. Fat-approximately 30-65 grams, depending on caloric consumption, or 25-30% of caloric intake from fat. Water 2-3 quarts per day.