Take Shape For Life featuring Medifast Meals

Originally published in the November 2010 issue of the Healthy Habits e-Newsletter.

Even if you love the holidays, if you’re trying to lose weight and get healthy, those festive gatherings can be a challenge. Winter holidays mean family, friends, and yes, a lot of food.

You may find yourself a little more stressed than usual (even if it’s happy stress), a little short on sleep, and maybe a little more vulnerable to making unhealthy choices.

Does this mean you have to stay home and hide from all the fun? No way! Just like you plan what you’re going to wear, you can anticipate holiday gatherings and think ahead. With a little insight, you can navigate parties and celebrations and enjoy yourself while you stick to the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan.

General holiday helpers
•List your long-range health goals, and re-commit to them.
•Get adequate sleep and relaxation, stress can be a trigger for going off-plan.
•Keep your favorite ready-to-eat Medifast Meals with you, in your car, your purse, or your briefcase so you can eat on schedule wherever you are.
•Choose to make or buy holiday treats that are easier for you to resist. (Hate coconut? Make macaroons.)
•Chew all your food carefully and mindfully.
•Kindly remind friends and family that you’d rather not get food gifts this year. If you receive them, thank the giver and later pass the food on to someone else. “Re-gifting” is okay when it keeps you on plan!
•If you eat something off-plan, just get back on schedule and continue-don’t lose precious time by waiting until tomorrow to start over.
•Pick fun holiday events that aren’t food-centered, such as volunteering, crafts, hayrides, parades, decorating parties, and sporting events.
•Get friends and family involved in healthful activities, such as regular walking, to burn calories and relieve stress.
Practical party tips
•Write down a specific plan of action for each event.
•Eat one of your five Medifast Meals right before you leave so you’re not hungry.
•If it’s potluck, bring a healthy dish that you can enjoy, like a beautiful tray of fresh veggies.
•You can eat your Lean & Green Meal at the event: Fill a small plate with fresh vegetables and add lean protein, such as steamed shrimp or roasted turkey breast.
•When hosting an event, delegate tasks so you’re not overwhelmed with handling food all day.
•After a holiday meal at your home, send leftovers packing with guests so you’re not tempted.
•Volunteer to be a designated driver-it’s a great excuse to avoid calorie-laden alcoholic beverages.
•Stay occupied by enjoying the company of those around you, preferably at a distance from the food.
•Show off your weight loss with a great-looking outfit and let the compliments motivate you to keep up the good work! (Who knows? You may inspire someone else to get healthy too!)
Adjusting your mindset

You may feel like being “on Plan” over the holiday season means you’ll be missing out on your favorite foods. That’s a normal feeling.

Yet once you start seeing results and feeling the effects of healthy weight loss, you’ll learn that supporting your long-range health goals isn’t about deprivation, but about creating health for yourself.

Think of it this way: Rather than giving up holiday sugar and fat, you are giving yourself a wonderful gift for the holidays: vibrant health!

Keeping the Weight Off – A new plan that can help you make your slim-down permanent.

Watch Dr. Andersen on “Good Morning America – HEALTH”

Ever wonder how Take Shape For Life got started? Here’s a quick overview of how our business came to be: Co-founded by Bradley T. MacDonald (currently Executive Chairman of the Board of Medifast, Inc.) and Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, a specialist in critical care and nutritional intervention, Take Shape For Life was founded in 2003.

The company’s approach to well-being combines effective portion-controlled meal replacements with coaching support and a robust corporate infrastructure to create healthier bodies, minds, and finances. Take Shape For Life is a wholly owned subsidiary of Medifast, Inc.,manufacturer of Medifast Meals.  Dr. Andersen currently serves as Medical Director of Medifast, Inc.

The right products and programs
Medifast Meals were first created in 1980 by William Vitale, M.D. The products were sold directly to doctors, who in turn prescribed them to their patients.

Since 1980, over 20,000 doctors have recommended Medifast, and over one million people have used Medifast. Medifast products and the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan® have been proven safe and effective in clinical studies.

The right business model
In addition to helping its Clients create Optimal Health, Take Shape For Life offers an extraordinary opportunity for you to own your own business and transform your life through helping others as a Take Shape For Life Health Coach.

Our Health Coaches and the personal service they offer is what differentiates Take Shape For Life® and makes us unique in the Marketplace. Health Coaches provide the total care and support that people need to move toward Optimal Health. They coach, educate, encourage, and mentor people who are using Medifast® products and following the specific protocols for safe and fast weight loss followed by transition and long-term weight management.

The right compensation
Unlike many home-based businesses based on selling products, Take Shape For Life pays its Health Coaches to support their Clients, and help them learn the Habits of Health that create true and lasting well-being. Take Shape For Life rewards you with the chance for more freedom, more income, AND an opportunity to add satisfaction and purpose to your life.

The right time
Two in three Americans are overweight or obese, and in need of a lasting solution for health. America’s medical establishment is focused on reacting to and medicating disease, not creating health. Take Shape For Life is a revolutionary approach to wellness that can transform people, families, and even our country.