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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 —

MedifastGet medifast for weight loss, health, a healthy diet, and a diet plan. Medifast is a product that helps you lose weight. There are benefits to using Medifast in your diet, and can be used for weight loss. Phase 1 – 5 & 1 Program for Weight Loss 5 Medifast Meals per Day Over 50 meals to choose from – shakes, bars, drinks, oatmeals, chili, soups, pudding and more. 1 "Lean and Green" Meal per Day Lean Meat: 7 ounces of chicken, turkey of fish, or 5 ounces of lean beef, pork or lamb. Grill, bake or poach meats using non-stick spray. Salt, pepper, herbs and spices may be added if desired. You may also use 1 – 2 teaspoons of condiments such as ketchup, mustard or barbecue sauce. Salad or Vegetables: Either 2 cups of salad greens (any kind) and up to ½ cups raw vegetables, or up to 1 ½ cups cooked vegetables.
Medifast Coupon CodesYou may also use 1 – 2 tablespoons of Media low-fat or non-fat dressing.Phase 2 – BeSlim™ Philosophy of Lifelong Weight Control Once you have reached your healthy weight, your Health Advisor will help transition you to the BeSlim™ philosophy of lifelong weight control. The BeSlim™ philosophy is a part of the Take Shape for Life program that incorporates key behaviors mastered by those who lost significant amounts of weight and kept their weight off for years. These key behaviors include: Breakfast (eating Breakfast every day) – High quality fuel, such as our delicious Medifast oatmeal, cappuccino, or chai latte, is essential to start your day the right way. Exercise – Continued exercise increases metabolism, provides strength, flexibility, and mental clarity.
Medifast NutritionSupport – Your Health Advisor is here to help you reach and maintain your goals, providing the coaching, tools, education, and caring support you will need along the way. Low-fat meals 5-6 times a day – Eating frequently, controlling portion and total calories, especially those from fat, are critical for success. Individual Plan – Create an individual plan to help you achieve an optimal healthy lifestyle and build the skills and strategies you need to cope with modern life. Monitor your weight – Weigh yourself on a regular basis to maintain optimal weight. Catch it before it becomes a challenge! Join the BeSlim™ Club today and set your life in motion! Introducing the New BeSlim Club & Rewards Program! Optimal Health is its own reward, but how about earning a bonus or two along the way? You’re on a journey to Optimal Health. You’ve made a commitment to lose weight and keep it off! You’ve earned the right to celebrate your success! The new Take Shape For Life BeSlim Club & Rewards Program is your ticket there. The BeSlim Club & Rewards Program is Take Shape For Life's progressive savings program, offering clients and Health Coaches an easy way to obtain their Medifast Meals at a savings, with exciting rewards you can earn along the way! The longer you are member of the BeSlim™ Club, the more significant your savings are and the more rewards points you’ll earn. When you join the Take Shape For Life BeSlim Club & Rewards Program, you: Enjoy your favorite Medifast Meals all month long, with orders conveniently shipped right to your door Save on your meal purchases and enjoy increased savings the longer you’re on the program Earn points towards exclusive rewards that promote healthy living Receive coupons for special savings. Enrich your life as you achieve Optimal Health Available to all, the BeSlim™ Club is a great way for individuals learning and practicing the BeSlim™ philosophy. Every time you order, you earn points towards healthful rewards. Here’s how: There’s no minimum purchase required. Redeem your reward points* for exclusive Take Shape For Life merchandise, including: Apparel, Exercise Equipment, Spa Trips, And more! Join the BeSlim Club today! Simplify Your Life — — Receive automatic monthly shipments of your favorite Medifast Meals; Save Your Money — Enjoy savings that increase the longer you are a club member; Earn Just Rewards— Select from an array of rewards that promote healthy living and a healthy lifestyle.

Medifast Coupon Codes

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.

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.