Weight Management
Polar Balance provides you with a personalized prescription on how to lose or maintain weight. It is based on your personal and physical information, activity background, the amount of weight you wish to lose and the time you wish to lose it in. There is no need for separate food diaries or calorie intake estimations. When starting you choose the amount of weight you want to lose, and the time in which you wish to lose it. The maximum amount of weight you can choose to lose is 10 percent of your body weight. In addition, your weight target cannot be below normal weight (BMI<18.5).
The difference between the calories you have eaten and burned is estimated from your daily energy expenditure and weight change. Based on this information you get a daily energy deficit you should follow to reach your target. 60 percent of your daily energy deficit is achieved by eating less, and 40 percent by increasing daily activity. In order to reach your weight target you need to meet both requirements.
Polar Balance gives you a daily activity based calorie target, and also it also tells you how many calories less you should eat per day. In addition, you get suggestions on how to reach your daily activity target through minutes of light (UP), moderate (WALK), or vigorous (JOG) activity as well as examples of foods that make up the amount of calories you need to get rid of.
It is important that you weigh yourself and sync your weight to the weight management service every day. Based on your body weight trend, the activity and nutrition recommendations can be automatically updated for the first time after four days, and after this they will be updated whenever necessary for you to reach your target. If your weight has not decreased as planned and reaching your target would become unhealthy, you will receive a new longer time period to achieve your target.
Lose Weight
If your goal is to lose weight, start by setting a weight target. In order to lose weight you must fulfill the daily activity goal as well as the calorie deficit.
Set Weight Target
When setting a weight target, the wizard will tell you what the recommended period to lose the amount is. It will not let you set a time period that is too short.
- Click Set new weight target.
- Choose the amount of weight you wish to lose.
- Choose the time in which you want to lose it.
- Click Set new weight target.
Adjust Weight Target
If at some point you wish to change your weight target you can do it by choosing Adjust weight target.
- Click Adjust weight target.
- Adjust the amount of weight you wish to lose.
- Adjust the time in which you want to lose it.
- Click Set new weight target.
Maintain Weight
You can also use the service without a weight loss target. If your goal is to maintain your current weight, the recommended calorie deficiency can be fulfilled either through activity or through eating less. You do not need to fulfill both as you do when trying to lose weight.
Adjust Daily Activity Goal
When your goal is to maintain your current weight, you can adjust your daily activity goal so that by reaching it you will get rid of enough calories to stay at your current weight.
- Click Adjust daily activity goal.
- Click Set new activity goal.