While diet is not everything when it comes to preventing disease or even curing one, it has been shown more often than not to be an integral part of improving the health of anyone making smart dietary changes. Those changes include the elimination of foods that are processed, contain lots of fats - especially of the trans variety - and many other additives, while adding more raw foods including many varieties of fruits and vegetables. The patient testimonials from eating a healthier diet after being diagnosed with cancer are very promising. This should be more of a testimony to the power of a healthy diet in the prevention of sickness and disease. Well, some evidence as to the power of this diet has been found in an experiment where participants changed to a raw diet for 30 days. Here's more ---

So what might happen, then, after 30 days of eating all the right things? That question was the seed that evolved into "Raw for 30 Days," an independent documentary film that chronicles the experience of six diabetics who sign up for a radical diet change. The participants, most diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, move into an Arizona retreat center where they are medically supervised during a challenge to stay off dairy, meat, sugar, alcohol and processed foods. Keeping to a vegan, raw-foods diet of only uncooked, organic plant-based foods, the filmmakers claim participants were able to naturally reverse their diabetes, losing significant weight and coming off their insulin. Set to be distributed online before a summer release at smaller film festivals, the documentary is by no means poised to be a cinematic blockbuster. But buzz has been building for more than a year in raw- and health-food circles. Proponents are wondering if the information can resonate with a mainstream American public plagued with an obesity epidemic and chronic diseases. read more...

comment: This is hopefully the evidence you need to improve your diet, and include more fruits and vegetables at the very minimum. If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss and health, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

While we could list many the opposite of the 50 traits and characteristics of those who are healthy and fit in every area of their life and have 50 mistakes of those who are overweight and unhealthy, let's at least narrow it down to 25 as presented by The Daily Star ---

1. Having a negative defeatist attitude. If you think there is no way that you are going to succeed this time, lose the weight and keep it off, then you will be right!

2. Going on any diet that is NOT a manner of eating that you can adhere to for the rest of your life. Be careful when deciding what nutritional plan you want to follow, as it should be a manner of eating that matches your tastes, budget and lifestyle.

3. Believing that you will eat cabbage soup — or any other low-cal, monotonous fare everyday for the rest of your life. It is not realistic to think you will eat that way for the entire time it takes to lose all the weight. It certainly will not teach you much about how to live healthfully for the long-term.

4. Weighing in too frequently, letting the scale rule your mood and actions. Pack the scale up, put a big red bow around it, and unwrap it after six months of consistent healthful living. It might actually show you something you want to see!

5. Not drinking enough water. Water is all that you need to drink, and you MUST drink at least 64 ounces of it a day!

6. Drinking sugar-laden drinks — including "fruit" drinks. Fruitopia is neither a fruit nor a Utopia! Try putting your favorite non-water beverage in your pet's bowl, and see if they will drink it.

7. Consuming processed foods more often than fresh foods. Eating as close to natural is the best way to ensure that your body is as healthy as possible.

8. Not having a plan. "We never plan to fail, we fail to plan." Get a plan and stick with it, but make sure each step is realistic and change is gradual!

9. Not being aware of the nutritional benefits or detriments of what you consume. Lettuce is a great choice to eat, but spinach and other darker leaves have more nutritional benefit than the iceberg variety.

10. Finishing every last bite of a meal, even after you are full. Mother was wrong! Don't clean your plate, let the dishwasher do that! Read more...

Comments: The Health & Wellness Institute likes to help a dieter focus on what's good, instead of what's bad - the positive not the negative. Although we have to point out the unhealthy and fattening products that are responsible for the demise of the health of the world, we're better putting our focus on the good of being healthy instead of the bad of not. Focus on the ways you will improve your life by being healthier and fit and you'll find the motivation to do it much greater than the motivation to just avoid being unhealthy. If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss and health, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

This should be part of the focus of 'rehabilitating' a convicted criminal - learning to live with a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle. One meal plan suggested could be Medifast, but there are others that would work just as well. Apparently, there should be good results when proper nutrition is received by inmates. Here is a study that will be done in prisons because of some successful results seen in a previous study... (Economist.com)

SUPPLEMENTS are all the rage: evening primrose oil; St John's wort; fish oils; glucosamine; selenium; zinc; iron; molybdenum; probiotics. And don't forget those old standbys, multivitamin tablets. It is hard to walk through a pharmacy without seeing a promise of clearer skin, a stronger immune system or less squeaky joints. But what about a pill or potion to make you better behaved?

That is exactly the intention of a study led by John Stein, a professor of neuroscience at Oxford University, that is about to start in three British prisons. Not only is there a growing body of evidence that good nutrition can improve behaviour, there is also a theoretical basis for supposing that a lack of essential nutrients has an impact on the way the brain works.

Dr Stein believes that the proper functioning of nerve-cell membranes and signalling molecules depends on adequate supplies of minerals, vitamins and fatty acids. To test the idea, his team will recruit 1,000 prisoners. Half of them will receive these supplements, while the others receive a placebo. Neither prisoners nor experimenters will know who got what until the trial is over.

The trial will replicate, on a larger scale, a study carried out by Natural Justice, a British charity, and published in the British Journal of Psychiatry in 2002. Then, 231 volunteers were given either capsules containing their official daily requirements of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids (such as omega-3s) or placebos. The trial lasted for nine months and during that time the number of offences committed by each prisoner was recorded. Those who received the extra nutrients committed an average of 26.3% fewer offences than those who got the placebo. For violent offences, the reduction was 37%. read on...

Note: Good nutrition is at the heart of every bit of health - mind and body. Let's get back to focusing on the basics of good health: plenty of fruits and vegetables and nutrient-rich foods. If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss and health, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

HWI

Weight loss surgeries are only successful if the patient starts making proper diet changes and lives by healthy choices. Otherwise, some serious side effects can be the result depending on the type of gastric surgery performed. Well isn't this the way to a healthy weight anyway? A weight loss plan that focuses on healthy eating and a lifestyle that supports a healthy weight? Interestingly these surgeries do not guarantee anything, except problems.  That's right. Why would the body not have problems after being cut, stapled, re-routed, or banded on the inside? Patients not only face the dangerous side effects of the surgical procedure, but what is now showing up more and more is the extreme weight loss that can occur, and the weight gain that is also possible. This story comes from WKYC.com---

Thousands of Americans have achieved dramatic weight loss thanks to surgical techniques. We often hear about the success stories, but rarely do people speak of the failures. Eight years ago Jennifer Charlton ran out of options. Diets failed her and a leg injury prevented her from exercising. At 5'3 she weighed 300 pounds. She researched bariatric surgery for a year and decided it was the right choice for her. In 2001 a doctor surgically made her stomach smaller. The procedure was a success and in a few months Jennifer lost nearly 150 pounds.

But instead of embracing her new look, Jennifer felt disconnected. "It was just strange to look in the mirror and not recognize myself and not feel like I was in my own body." Two years after surgery a personal crisis spiraled her into a deep depression. Unable to cope, Jennifer sought comfort in unhealthy food and alcohol.

A chronic insomniac, she used the wine to help her sleep. Eventually the weight crept back on. She needed help but didn't know where to turn. She's not alone. When Jennifer had her surgery bariatric programs were relatively new. They've learned much since then including how to help patients cope with problems years after surgery. However, it only works with a willing patient.

Courtney Holbrook, Ph.D. is a psychologist for St. Vincent Charity Hospital's Center for Bariatric Surgery. She encourages patients not to feel ashamed or alone. On average a bariatric patient may regain about ten percent of their weight after two to five years. For those who gain much more, most programs offer intervention. Karen Schulz, R.N. is the Executive Director of St. Vincent's program, "the first thing we tell them is not to be embarrassed we just want to help them and many people have just forgotten the behaviors and the choices that they need to make to be successful for a lifetime." read more...

Comments: If you are considering surgery for weight loss, you may want to try going right to the requirements that are put on you after the surgery - healthy eating. Only with the right weight loss and meal plan, will you gradually make changes to build a lifestyle of health and fitness. If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss and health, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

HWI

In Missouri, a lawmaker wants to give the largest beer distributor in the world the title of the State's Official Beer. Claiming there is an official state flower, state bird, and many others, the logic is 'why not an official State beer?'  That logic doesn't seem fitting at all for a country that is plagued by alcoholism, obesity, and poor health. What's next, an Official State Drug? Actually, that would come from a state that has a big pharmaceutical company in it (of course, that makes large political donations), which as far as we know, Missouri does not have. Maybe an Official State Chemical - does Monsanto come to mind?!

Let's get smart and have official State Diet - the healthy way to eat that is endorsed by doctors and individuals with a healthy lifestyle. Wouldn't that be something! Encouraging and promoting health to a public that is dying a slow death from an unhealthy diet and prescription drugs, might just help turn things around. Here is the story about a representative's bill introduction in Missouri from the Associated Press --

A state lawmaker wants to give the "King of Beers" its own kingdom by making Budweiser the official beer of Missouri. Budweiser is a Missouri-based international icon that — if officially recognized — might even persuade more people to visit the state, state Rep. Curt Dougherty said Friday. "We've got a state dinosaur, a state frog, a state reptile, a state flower, a state nut, but no one has given a thought to a company that's been in Missouri for many, many years and is bringing prosperity to our state and manufacturing a product in our state that many people enjoy," Dougherty said.

Dougherty's bill was introduced last week but has not been referred to a House committee. Budweiser has been made by St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Inc. since 1876. It's now produced in 12 regional breweries, though samples are flown daily to St. Louis for taste-testing. The brand is already the "Official International Beer" sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and will be the "Official Beer" of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Plus, it's an official sponsor for 26 professional baseball teams and 28 football teams. In a statement released Friday, an executive for Anheuser-Busch said the legislation was "flattering" but not requested. read the full report...

Comment: Let's focus on a healthy lifestyle and stop stooping to the dollars that fund these type of bills. Wake up America and start with a balanced diet, some exercise, and awareness about what is really killing America. Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

Why would a healthy diet not include water anymore? If you've been hearing the news or reading the reports, it's no surprise that our government has found a way to "contaminate" our water supply even more. Contaminate would not be the word used by the EPA, but certainly influence from BIG PHARMA may have an influence on these 'toxins' that are put into our water supply. This comes from Natural News, but do a news search with the term 'water' and see what you find. --

This news is breaking all over the nation: The U.S. water supply is contaminated with Big Pharma's dangerous drugs. Although the levels of contamination are quite small when considered one at a time, the scary part is that multiple drugs (including psychiatric drugs) are combining in the water supply and right now being swallowed by pregnant women, infants, children and everybody else. It's a grand medical experiment, and nobody knows the consequences. What should be done about all this? Nothing, if you believe the EPA -- yet another corrupt government "regulator" that has sold out to Big Business. more from NaturalNews.com...

Drinking water will never be the same as we once knew it to be. An Associate Press-led investigation showed that water used by about 41 million Americans contains a mixture of pharmaceuticals, ranging from antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones. The concentration of the pharmaceuticals is below the levels of a medical dose, but their presence increases worries among scientists, who said the exposure to random combinations of low levels of pharmaceuticals could have very bad long-term consequences on the heath of the people who drink it. more from International Business Times...

Comments: If you are going to drink water from the tap, be sure that you use some sort of filter. The Health & Wellness Institute has always recommended filtering tap water to be safe, and possibly healthier. If you buy bottled water, be sure that it has gone through triple-filtered reverse osmosis process. There may be some elements missing that will support your health, but with today's environment, it's not worth the risk. Proceed with caution when it comes to water, but definitely proceed. You need plenty of water to support a healthy diet.
Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

HWI

A doctor has done a study that will let you know the average lifespan you can expect based on where you live and how much money you make. This wouldn't seem unusual on the surface if you consider the extremes - poverty-sticken areas with higher crime rates versus wealthy areas with no crime. However, there may be more questionable results when you get to the center of the curve, those areas that make up a majority of the country - average income, average lifestyle, in average-priced neighborhoods - the middle to upper-middle class of people. Dr. Anthony Iton has still managed to come up with an estimated lifespan based on these few factors. Here's more --

If you tell Dr. Anthony Iton where you live and how much money you make, he'll tell you how long you're likely to live. The public health director for Alameda County said he was startled by the results of taking the county's deaths and mapping them according to U.S. Census tracts, a far smaller and precise geographical region than ZIP Code.

"There are hot spots of death where life expectancy is literally on the order of a decade shorter than other parts of the county," said Iton, who has been on the job five years. "That's pretty astounding. That's 10 years of life lost due to social conditions."

According to Iton, the vast majority of deaths in the so-called hot spots in Alameda County were not due to crime or AIDS, but to heart disease, cancer and other chronic conditions - the same diseases that kill the general population. These diseases just kill people in poorer neighborhoods faster.

But he believes, contrary to health reform proposals nationwide, that health insurance does little to solve the problem. "Health care doesn't work to reduce health disparities. We spend way more than anyone else, and health costs are going up. The more we spend, the worse the problem seems to be getting," he said, adding that genetics account for a relatively small percentage of chronic illnesses.

To Iton, the greatest determinant of an individual's health and life expectancy is education. read more...

Comment: According to other studies, he is correct - a higher education is associated with a longer life, something that we blogged days ago. So not only would you benefit from continue to learn each day, and live with a healthy diet at a healthy weight, but you might want to consider a move to an area where your chances are greater for a longer life!?

HWI Recommendation: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

The aisles are not safe, people! There are some crazy-high-calorie and freakishly fatty foods lurking in your local grocery store -- prepare to be shocked! Bear Naked All Natural Granola, Apple Cinnamon PER SERVING (1/4 cup): 140 calories, 7g fat, 5mg sodium, 17g carbs, 3g fiber, 5g sugars, 3g protein.

If you were scanning the granola section, you might think this Apple Cinnamon stuff is a diet-friendly choice. After all, it's fruity and natural, and 140 calories per serving doesn't seem unreasonable for a breakfast cereal/snack food. But get this -- the serving size is just 1/4 cup! That's only four measly tablespoons! A full cup of this stuff packs in 560 calories and 28g fat. At the very least, you'd think this would be a better option than Bear Naked's chocolate or peanut butter granolas... right?!? Wrong-O! The Heavenly Chocolate actually has HALF the fat and 10 fewer calories a serving, and even the Peanut Butter has less fat than the Apple Cinnamon. Watch out for this stuff, unless you have amazing self-control.

A much better breakfast alternative is the Medifast meal plan. Trader Joe's Veggie Chips (Potato Snacks) PER SERVING (about 26 chips, 1 oz.): 160 calories, 10g fat, 240mg sodium, 16g carbs, 1g fiber, 0g sugars, 1g protein

Time and time again people at T.J.'s grab these so-called Veggie Chips and say to their shopping pals, "Look! Chips made from vegetables! Perfect for my diet and my potato chip addiction!" Sadly, these are nothing but veggie-flavored potato chips with as much fat as the real things. In fact, they're not even MADE with actual vegetables. After potato, oil, and salt, you'll find "tomato powder" and "spinach powder" on the ingredients list. Powder?!? Puh-leeze!

Brothers-all-Natural fruit crisps are a much better alternative to fattening potato chips...You can find them at most health food stores or on line at www.brothersallnatural.com (I LOVE the Fuji Apple flavor!) Oscar Mayer Lunchables Maxed Out Ham and Cheddar Cracker Combo PER SERVING (1 container): 660 calories, 22g fat, 1,600mg sodium, 101g carbs, 2g fiber, 57g sugars, 18g protein Attention moms and dads!!! Just because something is labeled "Lunchables," that does not make it a healthy pick for your kids. This simple cracker pack contains 34% the daily value of fat, 45% the DV of saturated fat, 67% the DV of sodium (1,600 salty milligrams!), and too many calories altogether. Once you recover from reading those INSANE stats, consider this: Those percentages are based on a 2,000-calorie diet, the estimate for the average adult's daily needs. Craziness! We don't recommend that anyone, of any age, snack on this wacky cracker pack.

Every morning we pack a healthy lunch for our children, making fresh sandwiches, fruit, a mini bottle of water. Keep in mind, your kids health depends on what YOU choose to feed them! Hershey's Shell Topping (original chocolate) PER SERVING (2 tbsp.): 220 calories, 18g fat, 15mg sodium, 16g carbs, 1g fiber, 14g sugars, <1g protein A few squirts of candy-flavored dessert topping on your low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt certainly seems like it would be a guilt-free alternative to an actual candy bar. But a serving of this stuff actually has MORE fat (and just 50 fewer calories) than a full-sized Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar -- and that's BEFORE you factor in your ice cream or fro yo! Not only that, but the plain chocolate topping's even got more fat and calories than the Reese's and Heath flavors in the Shell Topping lineup (don't get excited -- those have horrendous nutritionals as well).

Hey, here's a thought, just forgo ice-cream altogether and you won't need this junk to pour on top of it? Kill two birds w/ one stone!

Recommended: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

The subject of genetics and the connection to disease is often discussed, as technologies have advanced to the point of being able to detect gene mutations which may give individuals an idea of what diseases they may be predisposed to. But are we putting the cart before the horse? Does our daily choices and lifestyle habits contribute to possible genetic defects? Afterall, aren't our genes influenced by what we put into our bodies?

There are studies that show a healthy diet may in fact provide for less DNA disruption than an unhealthy diet. With the amount of free radicals drastically increasing over the years from unhealthy foods and environment, it is no wonder genetic defects could be the result. This is just a theory and has not been proven (to this author's knowledge). There are countless companies that now offer at-home tests to determine if you have any genetic defects and therefore higher likelihood of certain conditions or diseases.

Here's more from the Associated Press about the newest at-home test:

Dr. John Kelsoe has spent his career trying to identify the biological roots of bipolar disorder. In December, he announced he had discovered several gene mutations closely tied to the disease, also known as manic depression. Then Kelsoe, a prominent psychiatric geneticist at the University of California, San Diego, did something provocative for the buttoned-down world of academic medical research: He began selling bipolar genetic tests straight to the public over the Internet last month for $399.

His company, La Jolla-based Psynomics, joins a legion of startups racing to exploit the boom in research connecting genetic variations to a host of health conditions. More than 1,000 at-home gene tests have burst onto the market in the past few years. The proliferation of these tests troubles many public health officials, medical ethicists and doctors. The tests receive almost no government oversight, even though many of them are being sold as tools for making serious medical decisions. read more...

Comment: Do yourself a favor and decrease the risk of sickness and disease by improving your diet. Feeding your body the best nutrition you can and working with the "cards" you were dealt, will at least keep an additional factors from contributing to the likelihood of sickness and disease. A healthy diet should consist of more fruits and vegetables, as studies show most people are not getting any where near the minimum recommended daily amount.

HWI Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

Sherryl Carter

I now have enough energy to keep up with my 6-year-old son!

I had given up hope of ever returning to a normal weight.

At the age of 35, after years of yo-yo dieting, I thought, “Face it, this is how it is going to be. Some people are thin and you are just you, so deal with it!”

I read about Medifast and wondered if it could actually work for me.

I visited the website daily to read the success stories and eventually a light bulb turned on in my head. I realized that if others could do it, I could too!

I was amazed how great the food tasted and how simple it was to follow the plan.

To date I have lost 73 pounds!
I am living proof that Medifast works, if you work it.
My life changed in so many ways.

I look different, people tell me I look younger and that I am glowing, my skin is clear, my outlook is optimistic, and I have enough energy to keep up with my 6-year-old son! More than the physical changes that have developed, I am different inside. I no longer use food as a problem-solver, or a coping mechanism. I am no longer under food’s control. I read labels, only drink water, eat vegetables, think before I eat, and exercise. In short, I am alive again!

I am now the person that I always knew that I could be. The way that I always thought of myself on the inside is what the world now sees when they look at me. It’s as if the clock of life has turned back 10 years, giving me a chance to do things differently and to make better choices when it comes to my health and well being.  Although thank you seems inadequate, I hope that it can begin to express my gratitude and appreciation for the Medifast program.

Thank you Medifast for helping me to achieve a life of quality rather than just a life.

Jennifer Peterson

I am Jennifer--a confident wife and mother, no longer being controlled by my weight but instead empowered by my loss and all that I have gained in return!

I am so excited to share my Medifast success story. Medifast has changed my life and every day I wake up no longer dreading to get dressed!

As I think all weight-loss stories begin, I tried every "miracle" diet out there. I took the energy pills, tried the no carb, the more carb, the no food fad diets and nothing worked. It took me going on Medifast to realize that weight-loss doesn't come in a bottle and doesn't come without hard work but it can be done! And it can be so easy! One just needs to believe in his or herself.

I am a 32-year-old wife and mother of a beautiful 5-year-old girl, Kaitlyn. I have always had a weight problem, ever since I can remember and struggled daily with my self-image. I would blame my weight on stress, hormones you name it, but never on my poor eating habits. Although I would exercise daily, I would still wonder why I wouldn't lose the weight. But I was eating fast food, snacking on high carb/fat snacks, soft drinks, candy etc.

Last summer I hit my all-time low. Standing 5'3'', I had ballooned up to a size 14/16 and weighed nearly 185 pounds. I couldn't stand to get dressed in the morning. I didn't like how tired and sluggish I felt every day -- and I was only 31!! As the summer went on, I found myself taking my daughter to our neighborhood pool at 8 am, while it was empty, just so no one would see me. Like all 4-year-olds, Kaitlyn wanted to play with other kids in the water, but I couldn't stand myself being seen by others in a bathing suit. My husband would take her later in the afternoon. As a family, we would never go together. Not by their choice, but my own. I knew I wanted more for my family and myself. My weight was controlling our life.

Then, I saw an ad for Medifast in a magazine and thought I could do this.

On October 10th, 2005 I started the Medifast 5 and 1 plan. From day one, something clicked. My cravings, my need for "snacks" and fast/fatty food all went away. Medifast chose my foods for me. I was committed to this diet and to making a change. My mind set was simple; whatever I was craving would still be there when I reach my goal weight. Would that piece of pizza really make me feel better? The concept was simple and for some reason, it clicked in my mind with Medifast.

I enjoyed the shakes and oatmeal, would try new recipes with the chili. I loved the chicken noodle soup and of course the bars were a great treat! I would save my daily lean and green meal for dinner with my family. My husband kept the list of approved veggies and meats and would surprise me by making the meals for me, creating new sauces and adding variety. It was fun for us. And I really needed that support. Although I never felt hungry, it wasn't easy saying "no" to co-workers for lunch outings but I hung in there.

I also made it through my first Thanksgiving without bread or stuffing. By Christmas, I was down 30 pounds and feeling great! People started noticing--and I liked that. But even with the weight loss, I still felt self-conscious being in this new skin and was always second-guessing my willpower to get down to my goal weight of 140.

But on January 22nd, 2006, I achieved my goal weight and I thought I would pass out! None of my clothes fit anymore. I had some skirts and pants just falling off of me, which 4 months prior, fit snug and others barely buttoned. I would just stand there in the mirror wondering who this person was staring back. My daughter called me skinny. My husband, although always supportive, called me sexy and beautiful. But this time it was different because for the first time, I felt sexy and beautiful.

I decided to transition off of Medifast and started the transition/maintenance plan on February 10th. I was scared of piling back the pounds. But again, I just incorporated the ratio set forth in the Medifast Meals and went with it. And since I wasn't use to eating breads and fast foods any longer, my biggest vices, I knew I could do it. I also started back exercising every morning with a 45-minute walk. During Medifast, I was only walking 2-3 times a week.

Today, I am down another 5 pounds and am successfully holding my own at 135 and a size 6! For this first time, I am looking forward to bathing-suit season and going to the pool at high noon with my husband and daughter on weekends. I thank Medifast every day for giving me the courage and willpower to succeed with my weight loss. The message boards and website gave me the confidence in myself that it could be done. I still go on the boards from time to time and read other successes and have posted there as well in support to the "newbies".

Now, I stand in the full-length mirror and no longer wonder who the person is staring back at me. I am Jennifer--a confident wife and mother, no longer being controlled by my weight but instead empowered by my loss and all that I have gained in return!

Thanks Medifast!

If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.