Calorie Management Program the Purpose of This

Calorie Management Program The purpose of this report is to break down the goals and create a comprehensive overview of the requested program from the client. This breakdown lists the client's precise desired features and provides guidance on how the interface should be presented. This report will be submitted to the storyboard team for visual flowchart creation as the next actionable step by our company and projections of time and cost to the client. The Calorie Management project is intended to be a comprehensive solution for tracking calorie balances.

Users will be able to enter daily information regarding calorie consumption and exercise to establish a net gain or loss in weight. The goal is to help users achieve their goals by monitoring steady progress through a simple to use interface and interactive features. No actual calculations will be required of users, rather all calculators will be hidden behind the interface and information entered by the users into provided lines guided by preset questions.

The user interface will begin with a prompt for personal information to create a profile for first time users. This information will include figures such as age, height, gender, and sleep habits. Additionally, there will be section to check off any current conditions that could effect overall dietary needs such as pregnancy or breastfeeding. Behind the age selection and height will be the current theoretical metabolic formula for that particular age group. Behind the gender registration is the minimal caloric intake requirements for that particular gender.

Finally, sleep habits will be used to calculate wakeful hours. In addition, the initial weight and goal weight will be set as well as the initial BMI and the goal BMI. Once the profile has been established, the interface will display a menu with categories including calculators, data input, performance graphs, result data, and the meal planning center. Data input will have two distinct sections. The first section allows users to input the amount of calories consumed throughout the day.

For each selected food item, the user will input the amount of the food eaten, using the American system of measurement. Food products within the database include labels which can be used to determine their calorie value. A basic calculator will also be included to estimate calories for custom recipes and other foods. The second portion gathers data about any additional exercise performed beyond regular daily activities. Another calculator will determine the amount of calories burned depending on the type and duration of the exercise.

In order for the food look-up and exercise calculations to be feasible, a database of commonly used items must be established. The user will have the option of searching through these items when selecting their input. For example, many common foods found in grocery stores should be readily available so that the user does not have to look up every individual item. Also, calorie counts for produce such as fruits and vegetables must be included as their values are not as readily available.

This ensures that no time is wasted when inputting daily calories so that users will not be dissuaded from keeping up accurate and timely records. Along with the grocery store database, the program will include an interactive window for users to submit calorie counts of new products and/or restaurant items. Each entry completed by a user must be verified by the site manager before being added for live use on the website.

This will permit trending for future food entries on the website and keep the database fresh and up-to-date following current consumer food preferences. The database will also be populated with values of calorie burning for different types of exercise such as running, bicycling, and swimming. For example, running burns around 100 calories per mile depending on your current weight. Swimming can burn around 500 calories per hour depending on weight, speed of swimming, and the stroke used.

These inputs will be entered onto the daily summary page under the food and subtracted from the daily calorie total by the calculator. Graphs on the user interface will update daily. They will have several display options that can be toggled. One option will show the actual daily weight along with the goal weight. Another option will show the caloric intake along with the amount of daily exercise. Finally, there will be a forecasting feature that provides a trend-line based on the recent weight.

This is a simple calculation using the statistical forecasting formula. The result data provided will include a summary of total calories taken in and used. The difference is used to determine if the user will gain or loose weight. On average, 3500 calories are equal to a pound. The comes out to 218.75 calories per ounce. The calories will be converted to pounds and ounces to give the user an easy to interpret result. These figures will be based on reasonable expectations from the provided data.

The meal planning center will be where the bulk of time is invested by the user. This is where they will put together their daily meals to ensure that they are eating the correct amount of calories along with a balanced and healthy diet. Meals should include breakfast, snack, lunch, second snack, and dinner. Users will be directed to include a healthy balance of carbohydrates, fiber, proteins, and fats for each day. The total amount of calories will also be gauged based on gender and current goals.

The minimum recommended calorie intake is around 1300 per day. This allows for the most weight loss. Once a day's meals are completely entered, the user will receive a letter grade (A-F) for that particular day based on the national nutrition panel's calorie to nutrient information guide. This will provide users a means of gauging their current diet and improving their overall health.

This section is essential as multiple studies repetitively reveal that the true key to permanent weight loss is a lifestyle choice in the types of foods regularly consumed and the overall amount of each food. Planned meals will be stored along with any other food that is entered later on. All of the calories will be added together for a total calorie intake for each day. The daily exercise entered will also be added to calories.