The stigma behind most diets is that they are a unique way of eating that isn't typical of an average diet. The real reason a "diet" should exist is to allow an individual an easier plan to follow that is healthier than the way they eat now. In other words, a choice of healthy meals and items that are not so unique that the dieter can't wait to complete their goal and finish the diet. Unfortunately for most of those who seek weight loss, this mindset does not bring about lasting change. This is why a true diet plan should be appealing now and in the future. It may not be the exact way of eating that will be followed for years to come, but it should provide a foundation for healthy eating, and establish not only healthy habits but a knowledge and desire to continue choosing healthy items. When you start to believe in the lifestyle, you no longer will have to seek out a diet.  These same thoughts are shared by Review.com --

Shifting the focus towards being healthy is the key to an education campaign encouraging women to forgo fad diets and focus on simple, lifelong changes. The "Campaign for Healthy Weight," created by a partnership between America On The Move, Curves and the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), has a simple rallying cry - small, specific changes in physical activity and calorie intake can make a significant difference. It all starts with taking a pledge for a new, healthy approach.

"We need to get past the era of extreme dieting," agreed renowned obesity expert James O. Hill, Ph.D., co-founder of America On The Move. "Health management needs to be a bigger part of weight management."

A new report called "Weighing in on the American Diet," found that although dieting is at an all-time low, "feeling healthier" is the primary motivator for those beginning a diet. The new study, conducted by The NPD Group in collaboration with Milk Processor Education Program, looked at the who, what, how and why of dieting in this country - providing one of the most comprehensive snapshots of weight management practices in America. read on...

Final Word: 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 Medifast can help you get on track, it is the mindset of a healthy lifestyle and the empowerment that it brings that you should seek to achieve.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

A Medifast Diet Plan and the abolishment of soft drinks and fast food may solve the overweight and obesity crisis.

Breaking news from The Center For The Lack of Common Sense:

Five Philadelphia elementary schools replaced sodas with fruit juice. They scaled back snacks and banished candy. They handed out raffle tickets for wise food choices. They spent hours teaching kids, their parents and teachers about good nutrition. What have they got to show for it? The number of kids who got fat during the two-year experiment was half the number of kids who got fat in schools that didn’t make those efforts. read on...  

Ya think?

So what they learned is that if you teach kids about healthy eating habits and exercise and you make those foods available for them and GET RID of the junk; i.e. Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Snicker's bars (w/ or without caffiene aka Snicker's Charged and it's 60 MG of Caffiene!) that kids lose weight? well knock me over with a feather!

Our world is really messed up. I got this email from a friend the other day:

Corporate America owns chain restaurants. Moms and Pops own smaller restaurants. The restaurants enter into contracts with soda manufacturers who pay out (sometimes large incentive amounts) to the restaurants to procure exclusive soda sales rights. The restaurants sell soda at prices cheaper than milk or even tea in some cases. The restaurants sell soda in larger servings than those accorded other drinks. The restaurants will provide free re-fills for the sodas, but not for the healthier alternatives, i.e. milk. This is especially problematic for parents on a budget.

Thus, their children end of being served larger quantities of the soda for a cheaper price, effectively "habitizing" the children to drink soda in rediculous quantities at an earlier age. My kids were charged $2.50 per glass of milk at a recent lunch. They each had two glasses. That is $20 for milk at lunch. Unlimited soda would have cost $5. The lunch for the four kids cost $24.00, excluding the drinks.

Lunch with soda: $29
Lunch with milk:$44
Tip with soda $6
Tip with milk $9
$35 gross cost of lunch with soda
$53 gross cost of lunch with milk
$18 increase in the cost of a lunch for four kids at a mid range restaurant just to avoid having the kids consume soda. That is an increase of over 50% to avoid having your kids poisoned by soda.
Something is not right in Oz.

No, something is indeed wrong in Oz!

Note: 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.