# Medical Disclaimer The guides on WeightPlot.com are general education about calories, weight and everyday habits. They are not medical advice, and they are not a substitute for a doctor, a registered dietitian or another qualified professional who knows your health. **Get help now if you need it.** In an emergency in the United States, call 911. If you are struggling with food, eating or body image, the National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline is [1-866-662-1235](tel:18666621235) (weekdays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern). If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text [988](tel:988). ## What the guides are, and are not Each guide explains how something works in general: how calorie needs are estimated, why the scale moves day to day, what a typical day of eating looks like at a given calorie level. Those explanations are drawn from public health guidance and published research. General explanations cannot account for your medical history, medications, conditions, age, pregnancy, or the dozens of other things a professional would ask about before giving you a number. Nothing on this site creates a doctor-patient or dietitian-client relationship, and the author is not a licensed healthcare professional. ## Talk to a doctor before changing how you eat or exercise if you ### Take medication Especially for diabetes, blood pressure, blood thinners, thyroid, mood or seizures. Eating less or exercising more can change how these medicines work. ### Have a medical condition Including heart, kidney or liver disease, diabetes, thyroid conditions, gout, gallbladder problems or any condition that affects eating. ### Are pregnant or breastfeeding Calorie needs change during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Weight loss in this period should be guided by your care team. ### Are under 18 Growing bodies have different needs. Any change to how a young person eats should involve a parent and a doctor. ### Have had an eating disorder Counting calories and weighing daily can be harmful for some people. A clinician can help decide what is safe for you. ### Are older or new to exercise Or have chest pain, dizziness, joint problems or have been inactive for a long time. Start easier than you think you need to. ## Warning signs to stop and get advice Stop what you are doing and speak with a doctor if, while changing your diet or exercise, you notice any of the following: - Dizziness, fainting, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or chest pain. - Hair loss, missed periods, constant cold, or unusual tiredness. - Losing weight much faster than you planned, or without trying. - Sudden weight gain with swelling in your legs, ankles or belly. - Thoughts about food, weight or exercise that feel out of control or cause distress. ## Figures, calculators and estimates Calorie targets, burn estimates and nutrition figures are estimates. Equations such as Mifflin-St Jeor predict average needs well across groups of people but can be off for any one person. Food labels are allowed a margin of error. Fitness trackers estimate rather than measure. The guides explain these limits where they matter, and figures that could not be confirmed against a primary source are described as estimates rather than facts. ## Links and the WeightPlot app Guides link to outside sources so you can check them, and to the free WeightPlot app. The same limits apply to the app: it gives general guidance, not medical advice, and it includes safety floors that will not set a calorie target below commonly recommended minimums. Outside websites are run by others, who are responsible for their own content. ## No guarantees Information is checked when it is written and reviewed when guidance changes, but health guidance evolves and mistakes happen. The site is provided as it is, without any promise of particular results. Weight loss varies from person to person. To report something that looks wrong, see the [corrections policy](/corrections-policy/).