Conference with Dr. Anderson

I had the privilege of attending a Take Shape for Life conference in Boise, Idaho, this month that featured Dr. Wayne Scott Anderson (Medical Director of Medifast and the author of the new book, Habits of Health). Dr. Anderson is very knowledgeable about how real people with real lives can greatly improve their health and quality of life. It was a very exciting and informative weekend. Some of the highlights:

>>Over 500 people attended. Many people had lost weight on the Take Shape for Life program, and signed a declaration of independence from obesity. The total weight lost by those who signed the declaration: Over 1700 pounds!!

>>Many health professionals (doctors, nurses, chiropractors) attended the conference and expressed their professional opinions that the program is a medically viable and healthy way to lose excess weight. I spoke with several physicians who regularly recommend the program to their patients-- with great results.

>>I was able to meet and talk to many people who had lost weight on the Take Shape for Life program. Several individuals stressed that the Take Shape for Life program is a great tool they used that helped them change their own lives -- including their health, their energy, their emotional state and their appearance. They also are proof that the program is very effective in helping people keep the excess weight off, since many had been able to maintain their ideal weight for 7 years and longer. The stories were amazing and inspiring.

>>I met a woman who has a masters degree in nutrition. She taught weight management courses for the county health department for several years, but could not seem to lose an extra 15 pounds she needed to lose. When her excess weight grew to 20 pounds, she tried the Take Shape for Life program on the recommendation of a friend who had been successful on the program. She lost the weight quickly and felt great. She became a Take Shape for Life health coach. She also found that the traditional weight loss/management concepts she had been teaching for years really did not work for real people in real life. She found they needed to get the weight off quickly and change their relationship with food in that process. They could then add healthy foods back into their diet that helped them maintain their ideal weight, as well as adopt a lifestyle with more movement...something they could not do if they were carrying around excess weight.

I'll discuss some more highlights from the conference in an upcoming post...