Salt has been one of the most overused seasonings, especially table salt. One nice thing about using Medifast diet and meal plan, is the balance in sodium intake that you will see. Medifast is not a fast food hamburger and fries that are loaded with dangerous levels of sodium (and they are, with almost 1 days max of salt right there!). Sea salt, rock salt, and other types are healthier but still need to be used with limits. Many health problems arise from the overconsumption of salt, and most of it comes from what is present on french fries and in hamburgers, and the few main items served at typical fast food outlets. You don't have to worry too much if you're following the Medifast diet and meal plan, whether or not you're getting too much salt. On that issue, the health commish of NY, Dr. Thomas Frieden, is taking on the next 'killer' on the menu of good health. Here's more...

New York City's health tsar, who has already waged war against tobacco, trans fats, and calories, appears to have chosen his next public enemy: salt.

Voicing cautionary tales about high blood pressure that can be caused by eating too much salt, officials from the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in recent months have used editorials, public testimony, and educational campaigns to mount a push for regulation of sodium levels in food.

"In many ways, high blood pressure is a forgotten killer. It's the leading cause of early death in New York City and nationally," the city's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Frieden, told The New York Sun. He cited a study by the health department, published last week in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, which found that one in four New Yorkers, or 26% of adults, has high blood pressure, compared to 30% nationally. The rate among New Yorkers older than 65 is 71%.

"We've done some health education on salt, but the fact is that it's in food and it's almost impossible for someone to get it out," Dr. Frieden said. "Really, this is something that requires an industry-wide response and preferably a national response." As health commissioner, Dr. Frieden... more...

Final comment: With all of the attention on health care and getting everyone covered, the most important factors for "health care" are being ignored. Those factors are a healthy diet, regular exercise, and avoiding the bad stuff. We can't expect to live an unhealthy life and not eventually suffer the consequences, with everyone else picking up the tab. Just a few simple adjustments in your lifestyle is all it takes to possibly save you from sickness, doctors visits, medicines, and general sick care costs. Now the upside is all the positive that goes with eating right and exercising daily - feel good, more energy, think clearer, get more done - more productive, possible raise at work, more enthusiasm for work and life, and a general sense of overall well-being. Now, which would you rather choose?

The Health & Wellness Institute

One of the many reasons we recommend Medifast - because it's an easy meal plan to follow that will help you get a balance of good nutrition without having to fuss over what to buy at the supermarket, what to make, how to prepare it, whether or not you can use extra seasoning, and so on. You still need plenty of phytonutrients in your diet, and in my opinion you can't overdo it on consuming too many veggies (maybe fruits because of the sugars, but even that's debatable). Medifast is physician developed.

*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.

With Medifast, there should still be concern for those who seek better health, to get plenty of fruits and vegetables. Although most Medifast dieters first need to be concerned with just getting enough fruits and vegetables in their diet, there may soon be less expensive access to organic foods. Organic foods, known to be superior to non-organic because of the lack of chemicals and other nutrient-killing agents, may be coming down in costs and therefore be more affordable to the average dieter, or anyone using Medifast. Reports from Mercola.com and others are revealing the dynamics with the economy and how high oil prices may translate into cheaper organic foods.

According to Mercola: 'Industrial farming relies on fertilizers made from fossil fuels. These fertilizes are used to replace nutrients in the soil. Organic farming, however, improves soil fertility through crop rotations, and is therefore less affected by oil prices.

With oil predicted to reach $200 a barrel within five to 10 years, the profit margin on organic wheat, barley and oil seed rape could soon be significantly higher than for the same crops produced by non-organic methods.' (source)

This is true everywhere, but originally has been reported in the UK where studies have been done on the effects of organic farming on the soil, showing a more positive preservation of the soil's nutrients than the counterpart in non-organic farming which stresses the soil.

As reported on Telegraph.co.uk -- Peter Melchett, policy director of the Soil Association which promotes organic farming, said: "This study suggests that as oil inevitably becomes scarcer and costs more, economic forces will increasingly favour organic farming.

"Organic systems are not perfect, but they do use less energy, generally emit fewer greenhouse gases, can sequester carbon in the soil, provide more jobs and support more wildlife. This report suggests they could also offer a more secure long-term financial future for the UK's farmers."

Bottom line: Most American diets need improving, and this is true around the world. An increase of fruits and vegetables is a good start - organic or non-organic. If and when prices do come down for organic foods, certainly it will be the right choice, and this effect may also be what saves the Earth's soil from becoming completely depleted of the nutrients needed to grow healthy foods...which translates into healthier people.

HWI

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.

Not only does Medifast assist with weight loss, but some studies show that living at a healthy weight can reduce the risk of certain conditions - sickness and diseases. While a Medifast diet and meal plan can help you lose weight, it doesn't negate the need for daily exercise. Here's more on why you want to keep your weight, and specifically BMI, in a healthy range --

Excess weight is a known risk factor for many chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. Obesity has also been linked an increased risk for developing some cancers. To clarify the effects of weight gain on cancer risk, researchers in 2007 conducted an analysis of many studies reported in medical journals that describe 282,137 cases of cancer. The researchers wanted to see if weight gain had an effect on the risk for certain cancer types.

In particular, the researchers looked at the risk of cancer associated with a weight gain corresponding to an increase of 5 kg/m2 in body mass index (BMI). In terms of actual pounds gained, a man with a normal-range BMI of 23 would need to gain 15 kg (33 lbs.) of weight, while a woman with a BMI of 23 would need to gain 13 kg (28.6 lbs.) to correspond to an increase of 5 in the BMI. read more...

A story was on Discover Health the other night about a 750 pound man who had not left his house in 8 years. Sad. A doctor was trying to 'treat' all of his problems associated with his excess weight, with the primary goal of getting at least a 25% reduction. Impossible. He was too far gone - too heavy, too many health problems, too immobile. He continued to gain weight as a result of too many problems, and eventually died. (Story: here) How could someone get to that point? You wonder why the decision was never made to stop and make an about face.

If you have excess weight that you want to lose, make the effort to improve your health not just your weight. The benefits of being healthy should be what you focus on, not just ridding yourself of extra weight. Too many people are headed down an unhealthy road, with problems arising making it very difficult to regain their health. It's much easier to make the changes now if you've only got 30 or 50 pounds to lose, than it is when you've got a 100 or more; or, when you've got an extra 50, but now you're dealing with high blood pressure, diabetes, or other conditions that can really de-motivate you to take action. Don't wait. A few simple changes can make a big difference.

If you need help, check out these diet plans for the best way to make that transition. 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. Try the Medifast diet and meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

The Health & Wellness Institute

We often cover the benefits of such diet and meal plans as Medifast here. Let me reassure you that although we believe Medifast to be beneficial, we do have a predisposition against most 'diets', and even subscribing to a meal plan on the same level.  Yet, there is something to be said for helping someone move toward the middle from the extremely poor diet they are currently slave to. Medifast can offer just that opportunity.

With Medifast, and specifically the Take Shape for Life meal plan, you can jump on an easy meal plan that will allow you to eat healthier and lose weight, all without having to fuss over what foods to buy, when to buy them, and how to prepare them. Medifast does make it easy to get on track with healthier foods, proper calorie intake, and even a better source of macronutrients that you've been missing (most likely!).

While we don't subscribe to the belief that you should just surrender your meal plan to Medifast for the rest of your life, it will help you get moving toward a healthier weight, a healthier body, and allow you to figure out the true lifestyle change that's required to be healthy...permanently. You can get diet plans that will provide you an easier transition to a healthy lifestyle, one that provides simple step by step plans - http://www.vicebustingdiet.com/. This is a plan that won't overwhelm you, but doesn't give you an exact meal plan either. You will be educated about some common sense diet facts so you can choose your own meals, and work up to an optimal meal plan.

In the meantime, you can start using Medifast so you don't have to wait for results. It's sort of like starting to walk everyday, and while you do that you'll learn to use the weights, aerobic equipment, exercise classes, and eventually become very knowledgable and familiar with many facets of exercise and fitness. But, while you're learning that and experiencing it, you're walking each day to get the benefits of losing weight and feeling better.  Most everyone can walk!  Think of Medifast as taking that daily walk for weight loss and better health!

The Health & Wellness Institute

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.

Points to Live By for Your Health and Success!*

  We often talk about Medifast on this Blog for the benefit of those seeking to lose weight and for weight management. However, what is not mentioned is the focus that should be put before any diet, including Medifast. That focus should be on living a fulfilling life - one that makes you feel empowered, happy, and a part of something bigger than just being at a healthy weight. As these points will show, eating healthy and having a meal plan is nothing more than the way to an easy plan to get the fuel you need to live out your dreams, often missing in many individuals' lives. Having big dreams means being prepared physically, mentally, and spiritually.

  These are traits that are common to people who experience a stable and healthy life on a mental, physical, spiritual, and financial level. Evaluate your life and put time and effort into the areas that are lacking. Keep in mind the same principles for losing weight— make one change at a time. If you look at an area of your life and know that you want to improve it, then make a long term goal, but do one action each day that you can build on. For instance, if you wanted to be more spiritual, decide what your long term spirituality goal is, then maybe your first action would be to pray for two minutes upon waking each day.

The success of reaching your fitness goal has the same structure as any other area of your life. These traits are what the majority of us would like to have in our lives. I don’t think you would disagree that they all point to a healthy mind, body, and spirit. Don’t confuse success with having financial wealth, as you know having money doesn’t mean you have a sound mind and body.

Successful people have been found to:

1. Have a strong sense of purpose with their life. Having a purpose means knowing what you are committed to improving or making a difference with each day. Writing your daily plan is more satisfying when you know some of your tasks for the day will be helping you achieve a long term goal. If you have something that gets you going in the morning with anticipation, life becomes more fulfilling and meaningful.

With all of the challenges that we face as a society— from overcoming obesity to securing world peace— there are a plethora of choices that can be very satisfying and rewarding as a life purpose. If you are happy with your life’s work today, be sure you can define your purpose so you know if you are taking action each day toward fulfilling your purpose.

The other day I was reading a story about a soldier whose talked about the difficulties of preparing for war and the mind set needed to withstand the pressures of battle. Although he contended with these feelings, his purpose in life was committed to upholding the freedoms that existed in his country for himself as well as others. It reminded me of how powerful a life’s purpose can be, especially when it comes to being motivated to do our best each day.

2. Have deep, personal beliefs. I think some of the most confident people I have ever met always seem to know where they stand on most issues. This must come from having strong personal beliefs. These start with the belief that we are all basically good to being capable of making the world a better place. If you believe you have the strength to change, you are correct. If you believe you don’t have the strength to change, you are correct. Your beliefs can empower you to achieve great things.

When you start with a strong belief in yourself and your ability to solve a problem, you break down any barrier in the way of the solution. You will continually ask yourself "how" when it comes to solving a problem if you know you can. You will only seek out answers, not keep finding more excuses to point to as reasons why you can’t. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t, or that something is very hard or difficult. If your perception is that any challenge you face is not difficult and can be overcome no matter what the effort required, you will win. Think about the challenges of building a space-ship to travel to mars. To me, that sounds difficult compared to the challenges in my life. Are your beliefs keeping you from succeeding?

3. Have a strong belief in God. We may not all pray to or worship the same God, but the principles of religion and the belief in a Supreme Being is very positive and is a consistent trait among successful people. By believing in a Supreme Being, we resign ourselves to making an effort to live as best we can based on our higher Being or God’s plan for us. It makes us humble and compassionate, teaches us to reflect on our actions, behavior, and personal development.

We all know how complicated life can be and a belief in God can calm anxieties and fears that we face. This common trait among successful people allows for mental and spiritual stability when chaos is around— from misbehaved children to terrorism. A belief in God can also help provide a more meaningful purpose in life. In times of stress, successful people seem to derive their mental and physical strength from their belief in God, which in turn strengthens their own personal belief in themselves.

There was a time in my life when I did not regularly practice my religion, and I can tell you those were times when I did not have much stability in my life. Today, I feel stronger knowing that there are answers to my questions, and a deeper meaning to my life because of my commitment to God and religion. After all, I believe that this life prepares us for the next one!

4. Have no fear of aging. Another trait of successful people is not fearing aging, and even more specifically dying. If you think about it, I think what most of us fear is pain. The pain of not trying, the pain of not having any more opportunity, the pain of losing. I don’t even think physical pain is as hard on us as the mental pain that comes from believing there are no more chances to do what we want in life. This happens as we age, when we may delegate more of the things we use to do ourselves. Needless to say, when you have a strong purpose in your life, and are carrying out actions each day toward your goal, wouldn’t you be happy knowing that you put forth the full effort toward something meaningful everyday, if tomorrow it was your turn to go?

It is a very difficult reality to face sometimes, but it has helped me realize the importance of doing now what I thought could wait until tomorrow. I once heard that life is not a dress rehearsal, it’s the real thing!This made me think about how valuable time is, and how we sometimes get caught being observers of life instead of participants. We must take control of our destiny, with the realization that our contribution is important, and eventually our time will expire. Can you look at your life today and be happy with the efforts you made? Did you try those things you feared? Can you look back today and know you’re happy with all of your efforts? Not that succeeding is required by experiencing the journey in a fulfilling way. 

Don’t regret what you did, but look at what you have not done and decide if you would be disappointed not having at least tried. If that is the case, get busy! This is not the dress rehearsal, it’s the real thing. One day I had a discussion with my husband about the subject, and we actually drew a time line of our lives from beginning to what would be the average ‘end.’ We looked at where we are today and talked about what we wanted to accomplish, where we would like to be one year, five years, ten and twenty years from now, with more details on the closer years. It was actually very fun. Having those thoughts on our mind made the day more fulfilling knowing that we both are on the same page for our long-term goals and our life’s picture. It made me focus on the good and joy today, knowing that each day gets better! Having a plan will make this happen!

5. Have written and well-defined goals. This goes right along with the previous trait. With a plan for your life, and what you aim to accomplish, you can wake up with a strong will to succeed. Your long-term goals are broad, yet should be clear just as the picture you created for yourself in "Road Map." Your short-term goals are the ones that you will be taking action toward completing. These are the ones you accomplish that slowly create your picture. You’ve heard it said if you don’t know where you’re going, how do you know when you’ll get there? Make your plan just that— your plan. One that you know pertains to you and what you will do. Most people spend more time planning a vacation than planning their lives.

Part of your written goals for weight loss and fitness should be done back in the section on Motivation. Write down what your goals are (long-term) for your job, mind, and spirit, too. Make your short-term goals those smaller steps along the way to fulfilling those goals. Then take action to make these short-term goals a reality. This all supports your life’s purpose in some way. These goals may apply to different areas of your life, but ultimately, will help fulfill your overall purpose and therefore your picture!

After losing a substantial amount of weight, I wrote down some other goals which not only increased my motivation to increase my fitness level, but also helped me learn the power of writing down goals. One goal was to participate in a beauty pageant, which I did at the Mrs. United States Pageant, held in Las Vegas, NV in 1999. Writing it down made it real in my mind and my actions. Keep your goals well-defined and close to you so you know where you’re going!

6. Have a loving relationship. Those who created a successful and well-balanced life that we all seek to some degree, are usually married or involved in a loving relationship. It is a known fact that having a loving relationship can increase your immune system and your life expectancy. I heard Zig Ziglar say that a husband who gets a big kiss goodbye from his wife before he leaves for work earns substantially more than a man who is not married and/or not receiving the same affectionate farewell. I don’t know if these are the exact facts, but I do know that my own day always goes better when my husband and I start our day with a strong hug and kiss.

If you are married or are in love, be sure to strengthen and reinforce your relationship each day. I’ve seen many people complain about their marriage and the difficulty or lack of support from their spouse. This happens if you don’t take time to communicate with your spouse. The strength you will gain and give by keeping a strong bond with each other can elevate your confidence. This will help you and your spouse succeed in all you do. If you don’t feel your relationship is strong, don’t let time pass you by. Do something about it. Make the effort to improve it, because what you give, you will get back twofold. I don’t think I would be as confident as I am today without the support of my husband. We support each other’s efforts without doubts or reservations.

Evaluate the relationships in your life. If you have been focusing on the amount of weight you feel you need to lose, try taking the focus off of yourself for a moment and think of how you can improve your close relationships. Doing so will increase your mental and physical health!

7. Eat healthy and exercise regularly. This is an obvious trait of those who are successful. I don’t need to reiterate the reasons that successful people have this trait, other than to say if you want to do everything on your ‘To Do’ list for your life, you will need the energy and health to do them.

Not only is this a part of the daily plan of those that are considered "successful", but their routine does not allow them to give a second thought to their diet or exercise. The plan consists of healthy fruits and vegetables, meats and fish, with every meal having a moderate quantity, and an abundance of antioxidant nutrients. The focus is always on accomplishing something greater and more fulfilling than just keeping fit. Their focus is not on food except as a source of fuel to get their daily tasks done. This is a trait that doesn’t happen overnight but is learned. Your focus will shift away from food and toward living life to its fullest! The same way it takes time to work up to 45 minutes on the treadmill, it takes time to handle more activities in our life. This will soon become a habit, and a trait for you!

8. Sleep 6-8 hours per day. The last point about what is consistent among successful people is their sleep habits. Getting adequate amount of sleep— quality sleep— is important to refresh the body and the mind. It’s an interesting phenomena how sleep can provide us with such a renewed sense of energy, mentally and physically.

How many times can you remember not getting adequate sleep one night, and feeling sluggish the next day. You may not be as sharp mentally, and not as productive as you could be. If you think about it, won’t this make your day one that is less than your full potential. Is that ok with you if this is not the dress rehearsal but the real thing?

Don’t overlook the importance of an adequate amount of quality sleep each night. If you are not getting quality sleep, be sure it’s not a result of caffeine or alcohol. If you are still struggling to be sure you are getting sufficient sleep, the HGH supplement I talked about may help you there, or a more specific natural supplement like Melatonin may help. If you need it, try a 10 minute nap during the day to help your needs.

Continued...

Always keep the ‘big picture’ in mind.

It is very easy to get consumed with all the little things going on in our lives that we forget about the ‘big picture.’ I’m sure you’ve heard the two rules in life: "1. Don’t sweat the small stuff and 2. It’s all small stuff." We all have things to take care of frequently enough like getting groceries, picking up gifts, shopping for school clothes, and so on, that can keep our focus from thinking about the ‘big picture’ of our life. In the hustle and bustle each day, let’s don’t forget things like the Golden Rule. In times of trouble and despair, how we treat others will certain go further than any one accomplishment we could be working so hard for.

Set meaningful standards and values for success!

Setting standards that are meaningful to you will let you know at what level you wish to live your life, and where you can grow from there. For instance, set standards for how much time you want to devote each day to such things as exercise, reading, prayer, goal reviewing. You can order these standards on which of these you value most in your life. That way you have set priorities on which is most important to you, and which needs more attention to improve. In this way you will establish a strong foundation for success, and will stay focused on a healthy path.

Having balance comes from having set standards that you act on each day to keep each area of your life strong. We may spend more time doing something that supports our basic needs — like working at a job to make money to eat— even though it may not come first on our list of what is most important in our life. In other words, don’t leave out what is important just because it may not take much time to do. Just like taking NOT the time to eat something healthy— although it may not hurt today, repeatedly over the course of weeks, lacking a healthy meal will eventually cause extra weight and poorer health. Don’t leave anything behind when it comes to growing. Grow stronger and healthier in every way — mental, spiritual, physical, financial, social, etc.

Stay focused on where you’re going, not where you’ve been!

Many times readers tell me they can’t get over having done this that the other (ok, it’s time to do some editing I’m sounding like my last book; Julia, are you listening? Hello!!!) They tell me their life story and how difficult things were for several reasons, and it has all added up being 100 pounds overweight. It’s not always easy to look ahead, and forget about what has happened in the past, but it’s a step well worth taking. Sometimes I think we must do an ‘about face.’ Everything that has happened ‘to’ us keeps us mesmerized on past events, forgetting to take action now to make our future better. In the movie IQ, one of Einstein’s friends makes the argument that there is no present or future because each future moment becomes a present one which immediately becomes a past moment. Therefore there is no present of future but only a past. (Either way it’s confusing!) It makes me think that we must act now because those future moments keep coming and going with no regard to how slow or how fast we’re going. So plan for the future, so you can look forward to what’s to come!

Surround yourself with the positive!

Turn on any television, open any newspaper, listen to any radio, and there are plenty of stories about negative things going on in our world. It’s very easy to be influenced by seeing and hearing all kinds of stories which may cause anger, resentment, sadness, and sympathy, after some time. Limit the amount of time you spend watching the news on tv or listening to the news on the radio. The newspaper can be a more digestible medium as you can pick and choose what information you wish you consume. But sticking with stories and information that will improve your mood and/or your motivation will be healthier in the long run.

Television can be a great source of entertainment— provide us with laughter— yet the reverse can be true of all the bad news delivered— bringing out unhappy emotions. There are plenty of positive stories out there, they just aren’t as easy to get to as with a remote control. You can find stories about people doing great things, overcoming the odds, succeeding where success was totally unexpected. These are the types of positive influences we want to fill our minds, hearts, and spirits with. This is what will lift our motivational juices and not oppose them. I would recommend limiting the amount of time spent watching tv. Not only does it take away from your time to "do," it may dampen your mood. Television may be considered for many another item that is "making a substantial contribution to the extra weight." I’d be willing to bet that the majority of those seeking to lose weight could reach their goal in less than 6 months if they exercised instead of watching tv.  Make a game of it to see if you can go a week without watching tv. If you try it, be sure to have something ready to replace tv — reading, walking, listening to music (and walking!).

While it may be easy to turn off the tv or radio, or skip a story in the newspaper, the same may not be true for the not-so-positive people in your environment. Try avoiding negative conversation, or what may not be positive or constructive communication. Doing something or saying something nice for/to someone will go a lot further in improving your own attitude, productivity, and the respect of others than saying or doing the opposite. I sometimes find that having a little music in the background while I’m working can put a little pep in my fingers on the keyboard. If you can, use music to keep the "rhythm" of your positive attitude during parts of your day. And be sure to find ways to exert your positive influence on those around you!

Develop a daily routine to keep you on your path! 

One thing that will be most helpful in your weight loss efforts, and achieving any goal, is developing a routine. A routine that consists of always planning the night before what you want to get done tomorrow and when. Getting up each day at approximately the same time with the same healthy actions to start the day— maybe some light stretching and reading for 15 minutes. Getting to sleep at approximately the same time each night. I don’t think any of us are that different from the standpoint that if we aren’t sleeping regularly— at the same time each night, we’re not getting the most out of our potential the next day. I know I won’t feel as sharp if my sleep hours are altered from my regular routine.

This is not to say get in a "rut", but get into the habit of taking actions that are consistent with your goal. If you stick to doing a few simple things everyday— drink plenty of water, get some exercise, take steps to be productive— then you can build on your routine to accomplish more! I never really thought about getting things done each day that would help build a dream. I was only doing the minimum I need to provide for my kids, pay the bills, and pass the day— that was a "rut." Now getting up in the morning and looking forward to my daily routine— exercising with a friend, writing motivational material, corresponding with those on the path of self-improvement, sharing comments about weight loss on a live chat, reading at night— keeps me enthusiastic about moving forward. On any given day, you will find me doing most or all of these actions, and there is still plenty of variety with these actions. Different exercises and topics keeps things interesting and in an exciting "groove" rather than a "rut." A solid routine comes from knowing where you’re going. So define your goals, plan your actions, and develop your daily habits for success.

Build faith and confidence-- one action at a time! 

When I hear someone tell me about the obstacles they face, and the overwhelm they feel, I tell them not to focus on swallowing the elephant whole (sort of an ironic analogy, huh?). But the analogy is to take one bite at a time to succeed eating the whole elephant. To succeed in any weight loss effort or any goal, if you can just decide to take one action that would move you closer to where you want to go, then you’re on your way. Don’t try to take a big leap, because the pain will be great if you fall. You can almost guarantee yourself success when you move one stable and strong step at a time. Taking one action like substituting junk food or unhealthy snacks with fruits, and doing it for a week at a time, can and should boost your confidence and faith in yourself. Do it for a day and feel good, for a week and feel great. Imagine what just one short year will bring!

Be rich with knowledge, happiness, and spirit! 

Never once in my years of being 130 plus pounds overweight did I realize the greatest thing about life is life. I didn’t know the blessing of having the opportunity to have and enjoy so many different things in life. Knowing this has allowed me to find happiness within. Don’t let any amount of weight keep you from being happy. There are plenty of reasons to be happy, and setting out to get healthy and fit will just be icing on the cake (as long as it’s not icing from the cake!).

By finding riches in the knowledge that you have (to be and achieve whatever you want), in the happiness that exist within you (that keeps you positive and healthy), and in your spirit (that will keep you forever strong), you will never again doubt that each day, good or bad, is a success, because you were given the chance to experience life! Don’t let anyone try to take away your riches, even though you can offer some them to those who aren’t experiencing life!

The 10 Dos and Don’ts of Healthy Living

Let’s get the bad out of the way first— the DON’Ts

1. Don’t diet — the first three letters should tell you it’s not good.
2. Don’t go too fast — change takes time, be patient.
3. Don’t get overwhelmed— forget about the weight, think about the actions.
4. Don’t be hard on yourself— we learn from mistakes and our life experiences.
5. Don’t be negative— use negative emotions to get going toward being positive.
6. Don’t cheat— There are no shortcuts to health, but many fast roads to death.
7. Don’t count— counting calories will make you crazy and takes too much time.
8. Don’t waste time— you have a finite amount of time on earth, get busy now!
9. Don’t put junk in— remember garbage in equals garbage out, avoid junk food!
10. Don’t forget!— remember who you are and what you desire to be— everyday!

Now for the good stuff! — the DOs

1. Do the right thing — the right thing is whatever makes you healthier in any way!
2. Do drink lots of water— our bodies our 2/3 rds water, you figure it out!
3. Do eat healthy — a balance of fruits, veggies, meats/fish, and some breads/carbos
4. Do exercise— our bodies were made to move, so move it!
5. Do think positive— increasing your energy starts with increase your + thoughts!
6. Do a picture— know what your life is as a more fit and healthy person
7. Do keep it simple—just take one step at a time, and build on each step
8. Do the basics— keep the ‘big’ picture in mind, everything you do should support it!
9. Do weekly goals— accomplishing things one week at a time will make it easier

and...

10. Do it now! — This is not a dress rehearsal, this is the real thing, so make it right!

*some content taken from The Vice Busting Diet book; more on The Vice Busting Diet Plans...

Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your diet plans and 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.

Students, in addition to most Americans, struggle with getting good nutrition each day. Medifast is one meal plan option that we recommend for this reason. Medifast is easy, fairly nutritious, and you don't have to hassle with shopping and trying to decide what to eat. Then there is also the benefit of helping you avoid fast foods, which adds to the growing problem of college students gaining weight. Here's a couple of stories about the struggle with diet and meal plans --

I want A … no, C …, maybe B would be better? Which Meal Plan do I choose? Do I want more Jay Bucks or more meals at the Marketplace? For those of you who have been at Elizabethtown College for more than one semester, you know this feeling. The decision is tedious and time consuming. I can relate to the people who whip out that calculator at the beginning of each semester trying to figure out how many meals a day they can get with each plan. Why is it so difficult to choose a plan? I feel some changes should be made to make it easier for students. Read more...

At a Student Association meeting Sept. 8, Martel College senator Selim Sheikh proposed to the SA that Muslim students be refunded Tetra points for the meals they miss during Ramadan, when they must fast from dawn to sundown (see story, page 1). Muslim students are currently reimbursed 50 Tetra points, but Sheikh said the cost of the meals missed is closer to the value of 100 Tetra points.

We are not going to debate here the relative merits of missing a series of meals for religious reasons against missing them because one sleeps late. That discussion is too large for an editorial column, and seems better suited for another time and place. What we would like to see, however, is a re-examination of the way meal plans at Rice are currently handled. Read more...

Bottom line: It is not easy to be fit and healthy when you leave your meal plan and diet up to someone else. Just look at most fast food restaurants - are they interested in your bottom or their bottom line? The answer is obvious. Food that tastes unbelievable - addictive - and is cheap as can be. It really doesn't taste that good if you avoid it and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. You'd be amazed at how your taste buds will change to appreciate and crave the healthy stuff. This is the way to eat. Fruits and veggies are great snacks and should be consumed in abundance.

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.

There are a few ways that you can boost your metabolism which will enable you to burn more calories at any time. Momentum by Medifast are used to make a beverage that can help provide this result. Each Momentum by Medifast product contains 100mg of caffeine and 90 mg of EBCG, a potent antioxidant found in green tea. The combination of caffeine and EBCG found in 3 Momentum products has been clinically shown to to have the maximum effect on inducing thermogenesis.

What is Thermogenesis you ask? This is the process by which your body generates heat, or energy, by increasing your metabolic rate above normal. Think of thermogenesis as your metabolism turning up the heat to burn extra calories.

Here are some benefits of using Momentum by Medifast:

1. Contains 100mg of calorie burning caffeine
2. Contains 90mg of Epigallocatechin gallate (EBCG)
3. Enhances fat bruning by boosting your metabolism and decreasing your appetite
4. Specially designed to help you break through a weight loss plateau and assist with weight maintenance
   

The one thing about this Medifast product is the confidence you can have knowing that it is clinically proven. A study found that for 2 hours after consuming 1 Momentum product, energy expenditure was increased by 24 percent, and participants in the study burned an extra 60-100 calories per day (on average) after consuming 3 momentum products. Note: It is not a replacement for exercise and it's not just a weight loss product. It is also good for maintaining weight and even raising energy levels.

Bottom line: The Medifast line of products are useful for making your diet and meal plan much easier than it would be if you were trying to calculate your own calorie intake and expenditure each day. You also want to be sure that you are consuming healthy nutrients from fruits and vegetables. One thing about the Momentum products is the antioxidant content - helpful in preventing sickness. Start your weight loss with a few simple actions and work up to an entire meal plan. You may not need to 'stay on' a specific weight loss plan permanently, but you do need to make sure that you incorporate healthy eating into your lifestyle in order to support good health.

HWI

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.

What does water have to do with your Medifast meal plan? Everything. Water makes up roughly 2/3rds of your body, so what should you be consuming a lot of? That's right, water. You can also get much of your water from water-rich foods. Which ones are those? That's right, fruits and vegetables. While Medifast is going to help you manage your weight, your diet needs to consist of plenty of good, clean water. Why is this point being brought up? Because we have to continue to fight for better quality water, and a cleaner environment.

Since water sources have always been somewhat questionable, we have been recommending bottled water, although this can get quite expensive if you consume the minimum recommended. Another option is using your own filtration system on the tap water that is readily accessible. And if you carry a bottle of water like we do, then just fill it up with your filtered water before you leave the house. Well, it turns out that pharmaceuticals are showing up in our water supply. (Not that a million gallons of crude oil spilled into it is insignificant!) Here's more on the chemicals that are being found in water (Newsmax.com)--

Testing prompted by an Associated Press story that revealed trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in drinking water supplies has shown that more Americans are affected by the problem than previously thought — at least 46 million.

That's up from 41 million people reported by the AP in March as part of an investigation into the presence of pharmaceuticals in the nation's waterways.

The AP stories prompted federal and local legislative hearings, brought about calls for mandatory testing and disclosure, and led officials in at least 27 additional metropolitan areas to analyze their drinking water. Positive tests were reported in 17 cases, including Reno, Nev., Savannah, Ga., Colorado Springs, Colo., and Huntsville, Ala. Results are pending in three others. read more...

Bottom line: Water is vital to our existence, and the existence of all forms of life. We need to protect our water sources from chemicals, pollutants, and other contaminants. Still, make the effort to consume plenty of water each day in order to support your health. A healthy body needs water, but it doesn't need soft drinks or sugary drinks.

HWI

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 a using Medifast is a helpful diet when it comes to weight loss, there is still a need to focus on the consumption of more fruits and vegetables. Insufficiencies in the form of too few fruits and vegetables is being seen around the world. Whether you use Medifast or any other diet and meal plan, fruit and vegetable consumption is short of what it needs to be to support good health. Not only in the US, where the obesity epidemic has led all forms of preventable conditions, but now in Britain. The newest study shows that Brits are falling short of fruit and vegetable consumption, and the consequences of such are what have led the US down the road to the obesity epidemic. Here's more on the recent results of Brits' consumption --

Most Britons are not eating the daily recommended amount of fruit or vegetables, and most adults are not eating enough fibre, research has found.

The Department of Health advises that people should eat at least five portions of fruit or vegetables a day to help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and other chronic conditions. But a study by the marketing group TNS found that only 12% of the population are adhering to the target, and another 12% eat no fruit and veg at all.

TNS analysed the spending habits of 25,000 households and the nutrition labels of 100,000 food and drink products bought from supermarkets.

On average, TNS found, Britons are consuming just 2.5 daily portions of fruit and vegetables. Children and the less well-off are most likely to fail the target, with the more affluent and those aged over 45 more likely to meet the guidelines.

Giles Quick, managing director of TNS Worldpanel UK usage panels, said: "While the need for five a day seems to be common knowledge, the number of us who actually achieve this is shockingly low." Read more...

Bottom line: Even with Medifast, a diet without enough fruits and vegetables can causse an increase in overweight and obese individuals, and a whole plethora of health problems. That means health care costs will continue to rise, thereby putting more strain on the health care system, here or abroad. The best action you can take to improve your health and reduce the likelihood of being overweight is to start consuming more fruits and vegetables.

HWI

If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your diet plans and 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.

You may be asking yourself, how can Medifast improve my productivity? The short answer is freeing up your time. How much time do we spend on getting groceries, planning meals, and preparing what we'll eat in any given day? With most optimal diet plans, a lot! With Medifast for example, you can get a meal plan that will help you reduce the amount of time that you spend thinking, worrying, getting, and preparing the foods you want to eat. In fact, this is exactly how the fast food restaurants exploit your desire for a quick meal in less time. And therefore, it makes it easy to fall off your diet if you don't have a plan in place. This is where Medifast can make your life easier.

The first thing you should be concerned about if you're trying to lose weight is the foods that you may be consuming that are contributing to your extra weight. Most people have 1 or 2 things that stand out as being the source of their unhealthy and excessive calorie source. It could be as simple as a soft drink - even diet - or a pastry each day. If you can identify just one thing that is not healthy and is adding too many calories to your diet, and eliminate it from your life, you can make a substantial reduction in your weight and energy levels in a relatively short amount of time.

The second point that you want to address is replacing that item that you're going to be eliminating. Now this may sound like a net gain (or loss) of no calories, but not if you choose a healthy item in it's place. For instance, if you are consuming a soft drink each day and replace it with water for example, you've just eliminated what is probably a minimum of 200 calories from your daily diet. If you find yourself snacking on things such as donuts or cookies in the afternoon, and you were to replace that item with a piece of fruit - say, a banana or an apple - then your reduction in calories would again be substantial, especially added up over a period of a week or two.

Looking at the bigger picture, if you were to implement a diet plan such as Medifast, and it was used to replace the quick foods that you normally consume - just to name a few: breakfast cereals (most high in sugar), cookies, cakes, pastries, chips, most foods that are easy to eat that have little nutritional value - and started using nutritious foods like Medifast, in addition to adding fruits and vegetables to your diet, then your ideal weight would be achieved in a matter of weeks, or months if you have more to lose. Not only that, but your level of health would be improved just from the increased amount of nutrition that you'd be consuming.

So if you want to increase your productivity and have more time in your life for doing the things you'd really like to do, consider trying a diet and meal plan like Medifast. Having more time is just one way you'll be able to achieve more in your life. Being more fit, energetic, and healthy is certainly an added benefit that will also allow you to be more productive.

Don't wait, start today! 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.

The Health & Wellness Institute

Using Medifast along with regular exercise may help if you have any predisposition to being fat. Not only will Medifast help save time and money, but along with some regular workouts may provide that extra push you need to get over the hump to a great body. So apparently, we're almost completely out of excuses for our extra weight. And, until we get rid of the fatty fast foods and soft drinks that are widespread, not to mention the addictive ingredients that are in each (and that is MSG too!), we'll always at least 1 good (bad) excuse. Here's what's you can learn about how exercise may be able to control your weight, regardless of being born with a predisposition to weight gain --

Losing weight isn't easy, and it's harder still when your genes are working against you. But a new study by University of Maryland researchers shows that even people with a genetic predisposition to gain weight can exert some control over how big they get.

Led by Dr. Soren Snitker at the University of Maryland and his postdoctoral fellow, Evadnie Rampersaud, who is now at the University of Miami, the team studied 704 Amish men and women. Although the Amish are a genetically homogeneous group, the study of volunteers' genotypes still showed a genetic diversity that reflected the makeup of the general Caucasian population: Specifically, they exhibited a range of variations on the FTO gene, which previous studies have associated with obesity and high body mass index, or BMI. Experts say about half of all people of European descent possess at least one "heavy" variant of the FTO gene. Within the Amish study group, some volunteers had two copies of a fattening variant; these people were 67% more likely to be obese and were on average 7 lbs. heavier than people without any copies of this form of the gene. Read on...

Bottom line: Each individual must be responsible for their own health, and that includes weight. If you want to lose weight, focus on getting healthy. That will include an improved diet and regular exercise and plenty of antioxidants... each day. Then the weight will take care of itself.

HWI

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.

Not only can Medifast help with your weight, but it just may indirectly help reduce your risk of cancer. Not before you read that as 'Medifast will reduce cancer risk', let me clarify. If you're overweight, and particularly if you're obese, then weight reduction has been shown to reduce your risk of cancer, according to the study below. Medifast is a meal and diet plan that will help you get the nutrition you need in a way that keeps your calorie count at a level that helps promote a healthy weight. And that may just be what you need if you're overweight to help reduce your risk of cancer. The following is from Boston.com --

Previous studies have suggested a link between obesity and increased cancer risk, and a new one bolsters that link by showing that weight loss seems to reduce cancer risk.

The researchers at McGill University in Montreal studied nearly 6,800 very obese people and found that weight loss surgery, including gastric bypass and gastric banding, can cut the risk of some cancer by as much as 80 percent. The strongest evidence was for breast and colon cancer risk reduction, but there was also a trend toward reduction in other cancers.

The research team, led by Dr. Nicholas Christou, director of bariatric surgery and professor of surgery at McGill, looked at the medical records of 1,035 patients who had the surgery and 5,746 who did not but were otherwise similar. None of the patients, who were in their mid- to late- 40s, had been diagnosed with cancer before the study. read more...

Here's the deal: Being overweight puts extra stress on your body. If you're 100 pounds overweight, the added stress on the heart, joints, feet, lungs, and so on - all add up to an increased probability of health problems. A healthy diet is not just for a healthy weight, but a healthy body. What happens on the inside is even more important than what you see on the outside. So take the time to eat a healthy diet and you may find that your risk of cancer is going down.

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.

*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.

The following is just one example of where Medifast would help with weight loss, and the effects that losing weight on Medifast may have to the daily life of just one individual. This article was copied from whatfatpeopledontlike.wordpress.com --

I don’t care if you’re fat, skinny, short or tall everyone wants to look good when going to a wedding. Some may think a Lynard Skynard shirt, cut up jeans and a mullet is looking good, but most will probably lean more towards traditional shirt and tie for men and a dress for women. This entry probably affects men more than women, but there is nothing more frustrating than dressing fancy as a big guy.

You’ve seen big guys like myself all dressed up with the tie hitting the top of their belly while dripping from their pits and foreheads with sweat. Maybe wiping their brow with a tiny napkin and getting paper stuck to their forehead. You also may or may not notice the one or two button extenders to get the shirt to fit around their fat neck, or most likely a no neck, which is just a head and a couple chins sitting on shoulders. For a fatty to even get into the dress-wear it is a production unlike any other you have ever seen. Someone should make a documentary on how fat people get dressed up. It would be several hours of gritty action.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are those who dress nice for their career who have probably adapted well and have mastered the entire production of getting ready, whereas people like myself who do not have to dress in a shirt and tie daily seem to have difficulty with dress attire.

It all starts within a week, to a day before the event. The bigger the event the sooner it starts. You first think about the last time you dressed nice in a shirt and tie, you try and pinpoint what your weight was at that time. Most of the time you remember yourself being much fatter than you really where so when you actually get to the point where you try on your clothes they are TIGHT! At this point you may need to make a mad dash to the tent store to have them put something together for you. Once you have successfully attained the attire you hang the clothes up so that you can see them. It is a constant reminder of your ever growing carcass before the big event.

As addressed in previous entries… fat people sweat! They sweat a lot. Most fat people will sweat about 2lbs of salty sour milk sweat while getting dressed. Having to tuck in shirts and maneuver dress shoes takes a lot out of a person. By the time most fat people are dressed and ready to go they are dripping from their pits and forehead like a raging river. The following should help fat people create the least amount of sweat while getting ready.

Step One: A Cold shower. By having a cold shower you are cleaning yourself and cooling yourself down to optimize your body temperature before exertion.

Step Two: A big gigantic fan. A huge fan must be used to maintain a cooler temperature. Before dressing in layers of clothing, you must stand in front of the fan for ten minutes or more. You want to be cold. Polar bears jump in artic waters to keep cool, fat people also need to keep cool.

Step Three: Pace yourself. While standing in front of the fan you may put on your boxers and socks followed by an undershirt. Do this SLOWLY. This task should last at least one to two minutes for each piece of clothing needed. If you put your socks on too quickly you will over exert yourself and become a mess.

Step Four: The shirt and tie. You will want to remember to do this slowly and stay in front of the fan. Button up the shirt and SLOWLY work on the tie. Now if you’re like me and your pants are way under your beer gut you will need to ensure your tie is long and not like Baby Huey’s bib. To do this you may need to use double stick tape to hide the tiny part of the back of the tie behind the front of the tie. After the shirt and tie are secure you now must go back to the fan and expose each armpit to the fan for five minutes each.

Step Five: The pants. This is the part I hate the most. Getting the pants on and tucking the shirt in properly. You may need a tag team partner to help blouse out your shirt.

Step Six: Shoes. Again you may need a tag team partner to tie your shoes. See the following article regarding shoe laces.

Step Seven: Open up the freezer and stick as much of your body in as you can to cool off more. By now the fan is doing no good. You need artic winds to keep your temp down. While in the kitchen grab a kitchen towel for your forehead. A hanky is like a single square of toilet paper after a Taco Bell feeding, don’t even bother with a hanky. Take a kitchen towel with you.

Now that you have successfully dressed yourself (Power clap and a sticker for you!) you have anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes depending on how fat you are until you look disheveled and thirsty. Use this time well to make those good impressions while you can, because once the sweat starts you can’t stop it without starting the entire process over again.

This is probably why you see fat people with outdoor weddings so they can wear shorts, Hawaiian shirts, and keep cool with a Coors Light in their hand. It’s not because of the beautiful setting…but not having sweaty fat people in suits certainly helps to have a beautiful setting. Maybe it would be best to stay home in sweat pants and eat some pie. Pie is always a good option.

Bottom line: If you need to lose weight, try the Medifast diet plan. It's not as difficult as a diet might seem to be. This article is just an example of the pain the too many people experience from being overweight. You don't have to and shouldn't. Life's too precious. Take action today and start living free!

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.

Being that almost half of the food we consume comes from our selections away from the home, it would be advisable to alter our choices so that we're not getting so many calories, and unhealthy ones, from sources that don't contain the nutritional value we need. Medifast, for instance, offers foods that you can take with you - i.e. Medifast snack bars - to make it easier to have some nutrition without breaking the calorie bank. With the statistics showing that we are cooking and preparing our own meals less and less, it is understandable that a meal and snack plan like Medifast would benefit. Here's more from the FDA on the subject --

Since the late 1980s, adult obesity has steadily increased to the point at which more than 65 percent of all Americans are now overweight and over 30 percent are obese. Also, 15 percent of children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 are overweight -- nearly double the rate of two decades ago. Overweight and obesity increase the risk of coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. According to some estimates, obesity results in thousands of deaths a year and accounts for $117 billion in U.S. health care expenses annually.

The Department of Health and Human Services, in an effort to help Americans live long, better, healthier lives, is committed to reducing overweight/obesity, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity. FDA is working in concert with the Department to achieve this goal. In 2004 FDA's Obesity Working Group (OWG) developed an action plan to address the overweight/obesity problem within the scope of FDA's regulatory authorities. The OWG recommendations centered on the scientific fact that weight control is primarily a function of caloric balance and therefore "calories count" when combating overweight/obesity. One recommendation was that FDA work through a facilitator to provide a forum for stakeholders to seek consensus-based solutions to specific aspects of the obesity epidemic in the United States, with a particular focus on food consumed away from home. read more...

Bottom line: When you take your nutrition into your own hands instead of risking the foods you may get at a fast food place or quick shop, you're more likely to stay within the calories that is healthy. Your ideal weight is certain to be obtained this way.

HWI

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.

I've seen many diet 'experts' recommend using a diet journal so you can write down everything you consume. A diet journal is one thing that we do not recommend. If you're diet is that bad that you don't know what you're eating; or you find yourself struggling with your weight - let's say 50 pounds or more, then you may just need an easier diet and meal plan like Medifast. While this isn't a one-size fits all solution, Medifast does offer the ability for you to have some guidelines when it comes to your calorie count and balance of macronutrients (carbs, proteins, fats) - all of which most people find a bit too difficult keeping track of. Medifast is also an easier plan than trying to journal everything you consume and then look it over to determine what needs to be changed. Although the intent is a good one - trying to get you more aware of your own diet and exactly what you're eating; as well as trying to make the nutritionist or dietician more aware of what you're eating so they can properly advise you of what not to eat - The Health & Wellness Institute has a couple of good reasons you may want to reconsider using a diet journal.

First, if historians, archeologists, or aliens for that matter, were to find a journal that contained all the things you've consumed in your diet, they'd think you must have been part of some scientific experiment. Not that you're going to journal for the rest of your life, but let's just consider what you're being reduced to if you have to journal to know what you're eating.  It's understandable that you may be surprised by just how much you're consuming if you journal. Let's just assume that's the case, otherwise you wouldn't be overweight! Second, it's not that hard to assess your diet and know what you need to cut out - at least 99% of the time. In our experience, most people have one or two things that they consume on a regular basis that is/are responsible for most of their excess weight.

You don't need to be advised to cut down on certain foods. Most likely they are going to be foods and/or beverages that need to be eliminated from your diet. This can't be, pardun the pun, sugar-coated! You only need to find one thing for starters that you consume regularly and begin by replacing it with something healthy - like a piece of fruit, a salad, or similar. If you need to be questioned about certain foods, that's different. Here's some to eliminate for starters if these are a part of your diet: soft drinks (any), fast foods (most), pastries.  Start there, it's that simple. Here's one take on how using a diet journal may be helpful, if you'd like to go that route --

Health News; Cleveland.com. The first step to improving your diet is learning what to change. A food journal will help you do this. You probably don't even realize when you take a handful of peanuts from the snack jar. Most people don't realize how many calories they add by eating chips or a cookie throughout the day. Many parents don't realize how much extra food they consume when they finish the food their children didn't eat.

A food journal is all about awareness. The more information you track, the better equipped you will be to make changes. The most simple form of a food journal is to record everything you eat or drink for a few days to get an idea of what you are eating. Write down everything, even chewing gum, hard candies, soft drinks or juice.

This information is very surprising to most people. When you realize what you are eating, you will know where to cut back or change your diet. Are you eating enough fruits and vegetables, protein, or calcium? The food journal will help you decide if you are eating a nutritionally balanced diet. read more...

Bottom line: Start with a simple step when it comes to your diet - one reason we recommend Medifast. Because too many people struggle to manage their food choices. You don't need to write a history book about what you're eating. A better idea: write a journal about your life; about what you are doing and why it's fun or why it may not be; about your emotions and joys. People who like to journal their lives tend to be more goal oriented and forward thinking. You may really find out who you are, what you stand for, and where you'd like to go...rather than just what you're eating (boring!). Find some bigger goal in your life that requires you to be fit and you will...be fit, that is!

HWI

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.

*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.

While a Medifast diet plan may not be ideal for a child, we have used some of the Medifast products as a source of nutrition. When kids are on the go, or need something to eat after school but before football practice, we have a Medifast bar in their lunch so it's there for some decent nutrition. If there was one thing that I can look back on and be thankful for as a child, pertaining to a healthy diet that is, it would be the fact that my mother almost always packed a lunch for me (99% of time). In retrospect, it was not only about a budget - afterall, buying lunch gets expensive if you're doing it each day - but about a balanced meal: a sandwich, a piece of fruit, a cookie (or 2!), milk. Today, we have to resort to other products to help get enough antioxidants and healthy nutrition into the kids's systems. Medifast is just one example, although fruits and vegetables are a constant emphasis.

The lesson bestowed on a child when you pack their lunch goes a long a way. First, you're taking your time and effort to care enough to make them a meal.  You can say it's about saving money, but in reality it's more about their health.  Your child is going to be happier if they don't have to spend an extra 15 minutes of their lunch time in line waiting for a pizza role or a pretzel. And obviously, they're going to be satiated, feeling good, and likely to do better with their school work.

One other thing that we added to the lunches we made for our kids - a supplement. We figure that we're not with them for each of their 3 meals and/or snacks, enough of the time that we better add some nutrients to their diet. Not only that, but get them in the habit of taking a supplement each day, considering the depleted quality of our food supply. The supplement we give them is Juice Plus+.  Just put a couple of vegetable capsules in the brown bag (they get the fruit capsules in the morning), and they take 'em.  Now if you have a child that is too young to swallow capsules, you might want to get the Chewables.

Here's more on the importance of packing a lunch, and why getting your child involved in the process will teach them respect; respect for the time it takes, respect for the health of their body; respect for taking the time to do things right.

It's Day 2 of the new school year and for many parents the thought coming up with nutritious lunch box ideas that kids will actually eat can be a daily challenge.

And we all know the scenario: you barely have time to get your children out the door in the morning, let alone think about packing a superb lunch.

Lunch is an important meal; it fuels kids' bodies properly and keeps their energy levels up for the rest of the afternoon so they can learn. Improving the quality of food children eat is essential to their growing brains and bodies.

Kids can miss out on an assortment of nutrients by not finishing their lunch or not eating it at all. Start the Process -In order to get your kids eating their boxed lunches you need to involve in the process of putting together a "power lunch."

Start by taking your children to the grocery store or farmers' market at least once a month to see what foods they might like to have in their lunch, but also to see what fresh vegetables and fruits are in season. Kids as young as five can make lunches. If you put together lunches the night before they can be involved in the preparation and there will be less stress in the morning. read more...

Bottom line: When you get your kids in the habit of spending that extra few minutes to prepare something healthy, be it packing their lunch, a snack, or any other meal, you're lending a lifetime lesson not to take their health for granted. It will become second nature to them to always grab a piece of fruit on the way out the door if they're in a hurry; or, to throw together a salad for a quick cold meal that doesn't require baking or cooking. The lesson of health is not one that you should skimp on. Make it important to them and it will be.

HWI

If you are interested in a source of nutrition that is better than letting kids grab a soda or eat candy, chips, or cookies, you may want to choose some Medifast foods. Click here - Medifast - to learn more and browse the selection of foods.

Help your kids get more nutrients from fruits and vegetables. If they aren't eating enough, add Juice Plus+ to their diet. Diet and exercise can help reduce the risk of degenerative diseases like heart disease and stroke, diabetes and cancer. Click here to learn why eating fruits and vegetables is especially important, and how you can benefit from adding Juice Plus+® to your diet. Juice Plus+® is the most thoroughly researched nutritional product in history.

*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.

With any diet, no matter if it's Medifast or otherwise, exercise is a key ingredient in a lifestyle that will bring fitness and health. Exercise will not only burn calories while you're doing it, it will burn calories when you're not doing it. Huh? That's right, if you build muscle TONE, that muscle will need more calories to repair and stay toned - when you're not exercising.

It isn't just Medifast that will help you achieve your weight loss, but a number of factors. As this weight loss success story shows, when your frustrated and tired of dieting, you learn that it's an entire lifestyle that you need to be seeking. Her story is one of frustration with failed attempts at losing weight so many ways. This is one benefit of using Medifast - it doesn't have to be difficult or complicated. But one thing that really helps is exercise.

Other benefits of exercise: helps keep arteries unclogged; helps lower blood pressure; may raise your sex drive; increase your energy level. There are many more benefits, but don't worry about those in the beginning. The important thing is to start by doing some exercise, and doing it each day. Be consistent.

Then you'll find yourself making much better progress toward your weight loss goals, as did this person --

Christine Ales nearly became a shut-in. She wouldn't leave her house. At 230 pounds, this 56-year-old grandma who goes by Chris was depressed. How did it come to this, she would ask herself. She'd sit on the couch feeling sorry for herself. Then the wake-up call no one wants came. Ales was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes.

The woman who was disgusted with her image did a 180 and pulled a remarkable self-improvement story from behind her back.

"There were plenty of times when I was in a dressing room at a store and I cried my eyes out," Ales said. "It was because of the way I looked. … There were plenty of times where I wanted to say, 'The hell with this. I want to eat.' "

But she didn't give up. Along the way she hit plateaus that required even more changes in her diet and exercise, but that's where her trainer, Jeremy Beck, helped.

"I'll give Jeremy credit for all this because I never kept to anything," Ales said. "He made it fun for me, but I still needed someone pushing me, so a lot of this is thanks to him." Read the full story...

Bottom line: A healthy diet and meal plan only provides as much health to the person who chooses to do all the other things right too - exercise, avoiding unhealthy foods and beverages, and so on. Try Medifast is you want to get on the road to a healthy weight.

With health care costs continuing to go through the roof, steps must be taken to avoid trips to the doctor and maintain good health. Having a diet plan like Medifast that has guidelines and makes it easier to stay within a specific calorie limit, may actually help you reduce your own health care costs. Indirectly, being at a healthy weight may reduce trips to the doctor. Using a plan like Medifast may also help with your food budget, not too mention the time and frustration of always thinking about eating healthier but being indecisive about where to start. Now, with the impending election and the hot issues being the economy and health care, it is only fitting that we take action as individuals instead of leaving the future 'health' in the hands of some bloated beauracracy, which is sure to put more strain on the economy. More on the rising costs of health care...

Instead of focusing on the problem with health care costs, what are we to do? How about putting your attention on your own health instead of throwing caution to the wind, rolling the dice, and hoping that you don't come down with anything that requires expensive medical intervention... and, hoping that the government will be sure that you're going to get the treatment you need.

Statistics show that a large percentage of the total health care expenditures in the US go to treatments given druing the last six months of life. This means that the biggest expenses - equipment, treatments, drugs, procedures, specialists, hospital beds, computers, etc - are not being used for improving the quality of life, but sustaining life. While most of us would surely like to die with some degree of comfort, the suffering that takes place to during those six months is nothing short of torture for a large percentage of people.

If we had a crystal ball and could see into our future years and the degree of health or lack thereof, and how it would effect our quality of life, I'm guessing that some different choices would be made today, with better diet, more exercise, less 'poisions' put into our system. Nonetheless, we have to address our health care costs indivdually by making decisions that support a healthy lifestyle.

Just a few changes can make a world of difference now and in the future. Unless we discover that nutrients from fruits and vegetables, regular exercise, plentiful amounts of water, and a positive mental attitude are not necessary to maintaining good health and preventing sickness and disease, we have to stick to what we know works. We have seen Medifast work for weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight, while exercise and adding an antioxidant supplement helps as well.

The government doesn't need to step in and be sure that all the high technologies are available to every American citizen. There is only one type of treatment that should always be available to everyone: emergency care. This accounts for a very low percentage of all medical care. And even such emergencies as heart attacks could be reduced substantially if more people followed a healthy diet and got some regular exercise.

Bottom line: we don't need more access to better health care, but instead better choices for a healthy lifestyle.  Healthier people are more likely to earn more money and require less medical intervention. But if they do, they can choose to pay for any recommended treatments with their own money. You have to face the facts that your health is your responsibility first, and not someone else's. Choose wisely.

The Health & Wellness Institute

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.

Get the diet plans that will help you develop a healthy lifestyle: The Vice Busting Diet Plans