For several years, Detox has been a buzzword in the weight loss world.

That’s because it is an excellent way to kickstart new lifestyle choices that lead to lasting changes. A detox is also a powerful first step to helping you achieve your long-term goals. You don't need any special products or magic ingredients to detox. Your body will naturally clear itself of toxins, and you can help the process by adopting some healthy lifestyle habits.

And if ever there’s a season for detoxing, it’s summertime. So why not start your new healthy habits today?

Food cravings are a part of life.

Whether you find your mind wandering to how nice it would be to enjoy a favorite baked good or feel an insatiable need for a childhood staple, cravings are real.

For some people, they’re harmless. But for others, they can quickly get out of hand, leading to overeating and excess calories that derail weight loss plans and make achieving goals pretty darn impossible.

How good are you at managing your cravings?

Fresh air. Warm sunshine. Green leaves. Birds chirping happily. The sound of dirt crunching beneath your feet. There’s something uniquely restorative about spending time in nature.

Being outdoors has been shown to have a number of benefits for your mental and emotional health, like reducing stress and increasing your quality of sleep. Activities in nature are also a boon for your physical health, typically requiring movement and exercise, which can improve your cardiovascular and muscular health.

Need a suggestion to help motivate you to move outdoors? Whether you're a fitness expert or are just looking to relax and collect some vitamin D, we have some ideas for you!

The healthy prepared meal delivery market has exploded in recent years. This market consists of companies that send customers fresh or frozen prepared meals that are individually portioned and aim to support a healthy diet. Most providers offer a range of meal plans for unique diets, such as vegetarian, low-carb, calorie-controlled, Mediterranean, and more. Convenience and the time-saving aspect of the meals are likely significant factors pushing the industry’s growth.

So, what types of people can potentially gain the most from freshly prepared, healthy meals delivered right to their door?

Undertaking a weight loss journey means adjusting your diet and focusing on eating healthy meals. It also may mean incorporating regular fitness routines into your daily schedule. And it always means dedication and a commitment to a better lifestyle.

While there will be challenges along the way, one of the most significant you’ll likely face is navigating familiar social situations that typically involve eating out and diet-derailing food. The people who successfully lose weight learn how to navigate these social situations in a classy way that keeps them on track. And we can all learn something from how they do it.

When it comes to losing weight, there’s a certain exhilaration that hits you when you get on the scale and see that your first 10 pounds are gone.*

For people trying to lose 50 pounds or more, that first 10 pounds is a significant milestone. You’ll probably feel excited, flushed, and — hopefully — proud of your success. It’s confirmation that you can — and will — reach your goals.

And while the mental and emotional benefits are worth paying attention to, the physical benefits of losing 10 pounds are also quite impressive.

We broke down seven things that happen to your body immediately after losing 10 pounds — changes to keep top of mind along with the well-earned exhilaration to keep you motivated and going strong.

Cholesterol plays a vital role in your body, ensuring your body’s blood cells can replicate and you get essential vitamins.

But high cholesterol levels can have the opposite effect, increasing your risk of serious diseases that lead to strokes, heart attacks, and even death.

Wouldn't you like to have a few easy lifestyle tips you can implement immediately to lower cholesterol levels and possibly add years to your life?

Life gets complicated as we age. Our time becomes more limited as the responsibilities pile up, we have kids, we focus on building our careers, you name it.

The more complicated it becomes, the more challenging it can be to fit in exercise and focus on taking care of our physical health. You may have prioritized fitness, working out at least four or five days a week in your younger years, only to have it fall by the wayside as you age. You know that science says fitness can prevent cancer and other diseases, but it feels nearly impossible to do it consistently.

If that rings true to you, there may be some good news.

When you start out on a journey to lose weight, it can feel daunting. You have to change your eating and drinking habits, get educated, set a timeline, and measure your success along the way. You may even incorporate fitness into the mix, which brings a whole new level of complication. But no matter how difficult the journey seems, it’s always worth it in the end.

Getting there is challenging, but one very effective way to keep going when the going gets tough is through positive affirmations.

Need a mantra to keep your mind motivated? Don't worry, we have some ideas for you! 

If you are living with Type 2 diabetes, there's a good chance you know how critical a healthy lifestyle is to manage the condition.

We'd like to talk about two highly effective methods of managing your Type 2 diabetes, and to share information on our award winning Balance Diabetes meal plan.

We're here to help!

If you've ever felt lonely, you know how challenging navigating it can be. Many things cause loneliness, including some that you may not even realize are to blame. Reasons could include anything from life events to social media, your personality type to mental health challenges. And it's important to note that it's possible to feel lonely not only when you're along, but when you're surrounded by family and friends.

Loneliness is a very powerful emotion that can have detrimental effects on your mental and physical health, including your weight loss journey.

So what exactly can you do to combat loneliness?

Remember when you were a small child, and you ate when you were hungry and stopped when you were full? Even if you faced challenges surrounding eating, such as temptations from sweets or rules about finishing everything on your plate, there truly was a time when your body told you what it wanted to eat and how much — and you listened.

That’s the core message of intuitive eating, a method that dates back to 1995 but has recently gained momentum in mainstream healthy living culture.

Confidence is a powerful, sometimes obscure, sense of self-assurance that leads to believing in yourself, your judgments, your abilities, and your identity.

The more confident you are, the more quickly you’ll be able to tackle life’s challenges, achieve your goals and find positivity in your day-to-day life.

Thankfully, there are practical ways to boost your self-esteem and improve your overall confidence, which can go a heck of a long way toward improving your personal and professional life.

Imagine waking up feeling energized and fresh in a clean, luxurious hotel room before heading to a short yoga session with a stunning backdrop of distant mountains or a beautiful blue ocean and sandy beach. Then, consider how great it would feel to enjoy a nutritious, balanced meal and spend the rest of your day getting a massage or spa treatment, exercising with a trained fitness instructor, or working with therapists to learn how to incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine.

Those are just a few of the extraordinary things you can expect when you take a wellness vacation, which are getaways designed to help you focus on your overall well-being.

One of the most accessible and perhaps enjoyable fitness activities to make a part of your daily routine is walking. That’s especially true during the late spring and summer months when the fresh air, sunshine, and beautiful scenery can elevate it to the next level.

And while those things may improve your fitness and well-being in and of themselves, what if there were a way to make them even more beneficial?

Enter...meditation.

Prediabetes means your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. It could be considered a blessing in disguise. Knowing that you have it allows you to make new, healthier choices to reverse the condition and hopefully help you avoid developing Type 2 Diabetes.

February is American Heart Month, an annual observance of the importance of cardiovascular health. The American Heart Association and all health providers use the month to remind us to engage in healthy habits that reduce our heart disease risk.

That’s why the American Heart Association (AHA) identifies these eight essential elements to better heart health. Read on to learn more!

If the potential of adding years to your life by making small changes appeals to you, listen up.

Improving the quality of foods you eat daily — even just a little — can extend your life, no matter how old you are.  Making some simple swaps to your overall diet can improve your nutritional intake — and maybe even add years to your life!

The new year is often when we think about hitting the reset button on some (or several!) aspects of our lives. We consider our intentions, set goals, and start doing what we can to achieve them.

This year, consider the following: How often do you set a goal to do something extraordinary that will give you a sense of true exhilaration?

Maybe it's time to step outside your comfort zone and live life to the fullest!

Anyone who’s ever struggled with weight knows how challenging it can be to find a diet that works, especially with so many options.  

Well, here’s the thing. While selecting a healthy, well-rounded diet that works for you is essential, changing your mindset to focus on changing your overall lifestyle is even more critical. By approaching your weight loss plan to improve your health and overall wellness, you’re much more likely to find success.

But how do you do that?