Weight control system having varying meal plans and meal planning schemes

• US 20040210456A1
• Filed: 03/10/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WW.com LLC (WW International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Weightwatchers.com Incorporated (WW International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller-Kovach, Karen, Sheppard, Amy, Kirchhoff, David, Kelly, Sheila, Crook, Anna, Connelly, Lisa, Semmelbauer, Thilo, Perl, Amie, Posillico, Palma
• Granted Patent: US 7,361,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4146 for controlling caloric intake, e.g. diet control
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3742 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/921 Diet management

Abstract

A weight control software system and method may provide an interactive software environment to a user via a network to enhance the ability of users to follow a weight control program. The weight control software system may generate meal plans that are automatically updated based on an updated weight of the user following the weight control program. A variety of tools may be integrated into the weight control software system and be interoperable to utilize information entered by the user or generated by the system in controlling body weight of the user. Such tools may include varying meal plan types and varying schemes for generating meal plans.

Claims

1. A method for forming a meal plan based on a weight control program for a participant, said method comprising:

receiving an initial personal profile indicative of characteristics of the participant;

establishing a daily food consumption goal for the participant based on the initial personal profile;

forming an alterable meal plan schedule based on at least one component of the initial personal profile, the alterable meal plan schedule being consistent with the daily food consumption goal and utilizing pre-established food combinations having predetermined values associated therewith;

providing the alterable meal plan schedule to the participant; and

generating a journal operable to maintain data in response to the participant acknowledging consumption of at least a portion of the pre-established food combinations.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing access to the journal to the participant; and

receiving alterations to the data being maintained by the journal.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a modification to the alterable meal plan schedule; and

applying the modification to the alterable meal plan schedule.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an activity performed by the participant having an activity value associated therewith; and

associating the activity to the alterable meal plan schedule.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising automatically altering the meal plan schedule based on the activity value.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

totaling the predetermined values associated with the pre-established food combinations;

applying the activity value to the total of the predetermined food values to form a net total value; and

providing the net total value to the participant.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an updated characteristic associated with the participant; and

automatically altering the meal plan schedule based on the updated characteristic.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the updated characteristic includes the current weight of the participant.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

computing a total food value based on the predetermined values associated with the pre-established food combinations;

receiving an activity performed by the participant;

determining an activity value based on the received activity;

computing a net total value based on the total food value and activity value; and

computing a difference value between the net total value and the daily food consumption goal.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

crediting the participant with the difference value for utilization of adjusting the daily food consumption goal of a future day.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said receiving and providing are performed over a network.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the network is the Internet.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a shopping list based on the alterable meal plan schedule.

14. A method for facilitating control of body weight, said method comprising:

receiving a profile from a user, the profile including initial body weight;

determining an initial time-based plan as a function of the profile received from the user to facilitate control of body weight;

selectably providing to the user the time-based plan for facilitating control of body weight; and

modifying the initial time-based plan, in response to user input, to accommodate a user type of the user.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the user type is at least one of a structured and a non-structured user type.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising receiving cultural background of the user.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising receiving at least one characteristic associated with the user.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the characteristics include at least one of the following:

health status, gender, height, age, health restrictions, religion, ethnicity, and blood type.

19. The method according to claim 18, where the health status includes at least one of diabetes and depression.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the characteristics include demographics.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein the modified initial time-based plan is a function of heterogeneous data associated with the user.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the heterogeneous data includes user input and predetermined parameters associated with the time-based plan.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the user input includes at least one user-defined meal.

24. The method according to claim 14, wherein said selectably providing includes displaying the time-based plan for the user to view.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the time-based plan is displayed in a calendar related format.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the method is performed on a computing device.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the computing device is a hand-held computing device.

28. The method according to claim 14, wherein the profile is received over a network.

29. A method for forming a meal plan based on a weight control program for a participant, said method comprising:

receiving an initial personal profile indicative of characteristics of the participant;

establishing a daily food consumption goal for the participant based on the initial personal profile;

forming an alterable meal plan schedule based on at least one component of the initial personal profile, the alterable meal plan schedule being consistent with the daily food consumption goal and utilizing foods having values associated therewith;

providing the alterable meal plan schedule to the participant;

receiving a modification to the alterable meal plan schedule; and

applying the modification to the alterable meal plan schedule.

30. The method according to claim 29 wherein the alterable meal plan schedule is formed utilizing pre-established food combinations having predetermined values associated therewith.

31. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

receiving an activity performed by the participant having an activity value associated therewith; and

associating the activity to the alterable meal plan schedule.

32. The method according to claim 31, further comprising:

totaling the values associated with the foods;

applying the activity value to the total of the food values to form a net total value; and

providing the net total value to the participant.

33. The method according to claim 31, further comprising:

automatically altering the meal plan schedule based on the activity value.

34. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

receiving an updated characteristic associated with the participant; and

automatically altering the meal plan schedule based on the updated characteristic.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the updated characteristic includes the current weight of the participant.

36. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

computing a total food value based on the values associated with the foods;

receiving an activity performed by the participant;

determining an activity value based on the received activity;

computing a net total value based on the total food value and activity value; and

computing a difference value between the net total value and the daily food consumption goal.

37. The method according to claim 36, further comprising:

crediting the participant with the difference value for utilization of adjusting the daily food consumption goal of a future day.

38. The method according to claim 29, wherein said receiving and providing are performed over a network.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the network is the Internet.

40. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

generating a shopping list based on the alterable meal plan schedule.

41. A method for tracking consumption of foods associated with a meal plan based on a weight control program for a participant, said method comprising:

receiving an initial personal profile indicative of characteristics of the participant;

establishing a daily food consumption goal for the participant based on the initial personal profile;

forming a meal plan schedule based on at least one component of the initial personal profile, the meal plan schedule being consistent with the daily food consumption goal and utilizing foods having values associated therewith;

providing the meal plan schedule to the participant; and

generating a journal operable to maintain data in response to the participant acknowledging consumption of at least a portion of foods associated with the meal plan schedule.

42. The method according to claim 41, further comprising:

providing access to the journal to the participant; and

receiving alterations to the data being maintained by the journal.

43. The method according to claim 41, further comprising:

receiving an activity performed by the participant having an activity value associated therewith; and

associating the activity to the meal plan schedule maintained in the journal.

44. The method according to claim 43, further comprising:

totaling the values associated with the foods;

applying the activity value to the total of the food values to form a net total value; and

providing the net total value to the participant.

45. The method according to claim 41, further comprising:

computing a total food value based on the values associated with the foods;

receiving an activity performed by the participant;

determining an activity value based on the received activity;

computing a net total value based on the total food value and activity value; and

computing a difference value between the net total value and the daily food consumption goal.

46. The method according to claim 45, further comprising:

crediting the participant with the difference value for utilization of adjusting the daily food consumption goal of a future day.

47. The method according to claim 41, wherein said receiving and providing are performed over a network.

48. The method according to claim 47, wherein the network is the Internet.

49. A method for forming a meal plan based on a weight control program for a participant, said method comprising:

receiving an initial personal profile indicative of characteristics of the participant;

establishing a daily food consumption goal for the participant based on the initial personal profile;

receiving an indication from the participant indicative of whether the participant prefers a structured meal plan schedule or a non-structured meal plan schedule;

forming, if the indication received from the participant indicates that the participant prefers a structured meal plan, a meal plan schedule automatically based on at least one component of the initial personal profile, the meal plan schedule being consistent with the daily food consumption goal and utilizing foods having values associated therewith;

forming, if the indication received from the participant indicates that the participant prefers a non-structured meal plan, a meal plan schedule based upon food selections received from the participant, the meal plan schedule being consistent with the daily food consumption goal and utilizing foods having values associated therewith; and

providing the meal plan schedule to the participant.

50. The method according to claim 49 wherein the meal plan schedule is alterable, and further comprising:

receiving a modification to the alterable meal plan schedule; and

applying the modification to the alterable meal plan schedule.

51. The method according to claim 49 wherein the meal plan schedule is formed utilizing pre-established food combinations having predetermined values associated therewith.

52. The method according to claim 49, further comprising:

receiving an updated characteristic associated with the participant; and

automatically altering the meal plan schedule based on the updated characteristic.

53. The method according to claim 52, wherein the updated characteristic includes the current weight of the participant.

54. The method according to claim 49, wherein the foods utilized to form the meal plan schedule are selected from a predetermined set of foods.

55. The method according to claim 54, wherein the predetermined set of foods is composed of a pre-established set of foods and a user supplied set of foods.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein the pre-established set of foods include foods prepared by consumer restaurants.

57. The method according to claim 55, wherein the pre-established set of foods include branded foods.

58. The method according to claim 54, wherein at least some of the predetermined set of foods are meals.

59. The method according to claim 49, wherein said receiving and providing are performed over a network.

60. The method according to claim 59, wherein the network is the Internet.

61. The method according to claim 49, further comprising:

generating a shopping list based on the meal plan schedule.

62. A method for forming a meal plan based on a weight control program for a participant, said method comprising:

receiving an initial personal profile indicative of characteristics of the participant;

establishing a daily food consumption goal for the participant based on the initial personal profile;

receiving an indication from the participant indicative of a meal plan type desired by the participant;

forming a meal plan schedule based on at least one component of the initial personal profile and upon the indication received from the participant, the meal plan schedule being consistent with the daily food consumption goal and utilizing foods having values associated therewith; and

providing the meal plan schedule to the participant.

63. The method according to claim 62 wherein the meal plan type is selected from one of the following meal plan types:

a regular meal plan, a higher-carbohydrate meal plan, a higher-protein meal plan and a vegetarian meal plan.

64. The method according to claim 62 wherein the meal plan schedule is alterable, and further comprising:

receiving a modification to the alterable meal plan schedule; and

applying the modification to the alterable meal plan schedule.

65. The method according to claim 62 wherein the meal plan schedule is formed utilizing pre-established food combinations having predetermined values associated therewith.

66. The method according to claim 62, further comprising:

receiving an updated characteristic associated with the participant; and

automatically altering the meal plan schedule based on the updated characteristic.

67. The method according to claim 66, wherein the updated characteristic includes the current weight of the participant.

68. The method according to claim 62, wherein the foods utilized to form the meal plan schedule are selected from a predetermined set of foods.

69. The method according to claim 68, wherein the predetermined set of foods is composed of a pre-established set of foods and a user supplied set of foods.

70. The method according to claim 69, wherein the pre-established set of foods include foods prepared by consumer restaurants.

71. The method according to claim 69, wherein the pre-established set of foods include branded foods.

72. The method according to claim 68, wherein at least some of the predetermined set of foods are meals.

73. The method according to claim 62, wherein said receiving and providing are performed over a network.

74. The method according to claim 73, wherein the network is the Internet.

75. The method according to claim 62, further comprising:

generating a shopping list based on the meal plan schedule.