A Mentor-Based Approach to Long-Term Weight Loss

Inclusion criteria

• Female
• 21-55 years of age
• BMI = 25-35 kg/m2
• Ability to provide informed consent.
• Ability to provide consent from their personal physician to participate in this study.

Exclusion criteria

• Reporting regular exercise participation of at least 20 minutes per day on at least 3 days per week during the previous six months. (This study is designed to recruit relatively sedentary adults.)
• Diabetes, hypothyroidism, or other medical conditions which would affect energy metabolism.
• Currently pregnant, pregnant within the previous six months, or planning on becoming pregnant within the next 12 months. (Pregnancy will be based on self-report and will be included on the detailed medical history that is completed by subjects.)
• Non-medicated resting systolic blood pressure >160 mmHg or non-medicated resting diastolic blood pressure >100 mmHg, or taking medication that would affect blood pressure.
• Taking medication that would affect resting heart rate or the heart rate response during exercise (e.g., beta blockade).
• Arrhythmia on resting or exercise electrocardiogram that would indicate that vigorous exercise was contraindicated.
• History of myocardial infarction or valvular disease.
• History of orthopedic complications that would prevent optimal participation in the exercise component (e.g., heel spurs, severe arthritis).