Take out a piece of paper to record your answers to these eleven questions. With each one, choose the answer that best describes you and your weight-loss goals.

1. How much weight do you want to lose?

A. 25 pounds or less.

B. 26 to 50 pounds.

C. Over 50 pounds.

2. How easily can you lose weight?

A. Fairly easily if I work on it.

B. It’s somewhat difficult for me to lose weight.

C. My body is stubborn. It’s very hard for me to lose weight.

3. How do you feel about exercise?

A. It’s not a problem. I enjoy exercise.

B. It’s a slight challenge. I don’t mind it, but it’s hard to get going or to stay with it.

C. Exercise is difficult for me due to my weight, time or health restrictions.
I don’t like exercising.

4. What is your age category?

A. Younger than age 25.

B. 25 to 45 years.

C. Over age 45.

5. Why do you want to lose weight?

A. Look better, improve my self-esteem.

B. Answer from A, plus feel better, have more energy, improve minor health issues.

C. Both answer A and answer B, plus improve major health issues such as
diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis.

6. How much does your weight bother you?

A. Some, but it’s not a major issue.

B. A lot-I don’t like how I look and feel.

C. I’m desperate! It’s a major issue in my life. I don’t have much choice.

7. How much do you struggle with sweets, bread or pasta?

A. I enjoy them, but I can also resist them. They aren’t a big deal for me.

B. I love them, I have a hard time resisting them, especially once I start eating them.

C. I get hooked on them quickly. Once I start eating them, I can’t seem to stop.

8. How much flexibility do you want in your eating plan?

A. A lot. Some structure is helpful, but I can lose weight on my own if I have
a good diet plan or other resources.

B. Moderate. I prefer having menus and specific plans but I also want a
variety of food choices. I don’t want a program that’s too restrictive.

C. Very little. I don’t want to make a lot of decisions.
I may even want everything planned for me.

9. How willing are you to do cooking and meal planning?

A. I love to cook. I enjoy planning and preparing meals and don’t mind
investing time in this.

B. I’m very busy and have limited time for cooking and planning
Cooking is not important to me.

C. I don’t have time or energy for cooking. I don’t really like to cook.

10. How long have you struggled with your weight?

A. 2 years or less.

B. 2 to 5 years.

C. Over 5 years. (Or-my whole life.)

11. How many times have you tried to lose weight in the past?

A. Once or twice, not a lot of dieting history.

B. A number of times. I’m moderately successful, but I tend to gain weight back.

C. I’ve tried everything, lost and gained weight many times.

What do your answers mean?

Mostly A’s = Traditional Plan Variety of foods, includes fruits, vegetables and whole grains

Mostly B’s = Protein focused Higher protein, low carbohydrate plans

Mostly C’s =Meal Replacement Plan Use protein shakes or nutritional products to replace meals

A couple of exceptions:

If you had mostly “A’s” in your quiz, you might still fall into the B or C categories if: You have a stubborn body, meaning it’s very difficult for you to lose weight You are diabetic or have a family history of diabetes You struggle a lot with resisting sweets or starches, once you start eating them, you tend to eat a lot. Even if you had mostly “B’s” you might want to consider a meal-replacement program if: You have major health issues that need would significantly improve if you lost weight You have a short deadline and want to lose weight very quickly You have very little time or desire to do meal planning, calorie counting or other methods of tracking your nutritional intake. In reality, you can successfully lose weight regardless of the type of diet plan you choose. So if your answers indicate a different category than you’re comfortable with, go with the type of plan you know works for you.