1. It should be effective. If you do something, you need to know it works, otherwise why bother? Testimonials, word of mouth, case stud­ies, scientific research are all good proofs. You should be careful here, though. Make sure that the research you are looking into does not have bias. Ask yourself: who is writing it (pharmacist, medical doctor etc.). What is he/she promoting? Are there any personal benefits that he will get if I read and believe in what he/she is writing about? How big was the study? Was it based on one rat, mixing several substances in a lab, or a big group of real human beings? Does it comply with other sources of information, all you've learned about the subject previ­ously, and first of all, with common sense? If somebody wants to say that the junk food is good, he/she will offer you all kinds of studies and testimonials to prove it. Do not rely on opinions, check it out.

2. It should be safe. Some weight loss products can be very toxic, and some diets can be very harmful. How do you know it is safe? What are the ingredients of the formula? Study every single one of them. It is actually a good idea to have a dictionary of food additives handy, as it will help you to avoid eating unhealthy chemicals, and even more -- you will realize that many things that are man-made are not only harmful, but deadly dangerous.

3. A good get rid of weight program should include firstly and most im­portantly, healthy food and secondly, exercise. These are two aspects of your life you have to change, if you want to get rid of weight.

4. It should include all major types of food: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. All 3 of them are essential to health. It is important, however, to choose healthy sources of carbs, proteins and fats in diet. We will talk about them in detail some­times.

5. It is not as much about a program, as about your own purpose: getting rid of extra weight should not be an isolated goal. First of all, the most important is to regain health; healthy weight is only a side effect. If you keep this principle in mind, you will not choose a program that will harm you.

6. A great program has a support system, some tools that help you continue on the path of health. Additional resources, forums, meet­ings, follow-up consultations etc., anything that will remind, encourage, help you to evaluate your progress.

7. It should be balanced. There are other essentials that are not directly related to restoring healthy weight, but are equally important for general health. I like to present them in an acronym New Start:

Nutrition

Exercise

Water

Sunlight

Temperance

Air

Rest

Trust in Higher Power

+ Attitude of gratitude

An Arabian proverb states that the speed of a caravan is determined by the speed of the last camel. Our health level is a lot determined by the most neglected health essential.

N.B. Genetics plays a big role in our health also. It will take much shorter time to recover from a disease for a person with strong genetics comparing to the one who has a weaker one. However, regardless our genetics we can dramatically improve our health levels, skin com­plexion and weight by changing our lifestyle. It just takes longer and comes not so effortlessly.

8. It should not present a magic bullet as a solution, but rather focus on lifestyle changes, even though it might use some other powerful tools, like detox and some supplements.

9. It should emphasize emotional health. ALL without exceptions people whom I have seen with weight problem, were suffering with low self-esteem and frequent depression. Without addressing those recovery is not going to happen, because even if you reached your goal "in pounds", you will still continue being unhappy with yourself, and as a result will go back to where you were.

10. It should be simple and make sense, even to a child. Trust your intuition and use your common sense. Ask yourself: is the process gradual, natural and realistic?

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