A while back, we had a copy-machine mechanic who was quite a character.  He loved to cook his steak in butter and would tell us he would never eat rabbit food. One day he came in when we were testing a lot of recipes and he remarked at how wonderful everything looked and smelled and even tasted - he was hungry and so we fed him lunch, of course!! He was quite surprised that healthy food could taste so good. And so then he said he wanted to lose weight - what does it take?I gave him a fun handout that we had just published in our newsletter, Communicating Food for Health.  It was the 10 Commandments of Weight Loss. Since that time we have put that handout on our site in our free handout section and it has been an all time favorite. He really took it to heart and started making better choices.Later on we made this handout into our popular 12 Lessons of Wellness and Weight Loss. Below we have a question that we have answered for a customer - she was using the LEARN program and it has gone out of business. Our answer is that we will help anyone who used this program and needs printed materials - we believe ours is a good replacement.Here are the 10 Commandments of Weight LossAre you finding yourself wanting to lose weight? Make small, gradual, realistic changes that will build upon one another, creating a healthier future. Start today by reviewing these strategies to help you control your weight:1. You should think “choose well” not “diet.”Instead of trying to starve yourself, choose foods that allow you to fill up on fewer calories. These are foods that are:

• minimally processed
• high in fiber
• low in fat and sugar

Examples include fruits; vegetables; cooked whole grains such as barley, oatmeal, whole-wheat products and brown rice; and legumes. For protein, always pick leaner choices such as white breast meat of poultry (without skin); pork loin; lean beef; legumes; and seafood. Prepare these items with little added fat.2. Try to make exercise fun.

• Take up several aerobic activities that are enjoyable, such as an aerobics class, walking, bike riding, swimming, running, hiking, softball, etc.
• Work out aerobically at least an hour a day, five or six days a week.

3. Only eat when you are hungry.

• Avoid eating to relax, cure boredom or overcome depression.
• Instead, take a walk or call a friend.

4. Take care when eating out.

• When you eat out, choose soup and salad or smaller dishes that are low in fat.
• Ask for sauces and dressings on the side. If portions are large, take half home.

5. Be a smart shopper.

• Fill grocery carts 2/3 full of whole foods instead of processed convenience foods. These include fat-free dairy, fruits, whole grains, vegetables, seafood, chicken and lean cuts of meat.
• Buy plenty of fruits and vegetables. Aim for 5+ servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

6. Snack for better health.

• Snack only when hungry.
• Instead of packaged snacks, think “out with the bag” and enjoy fresh fruits, vegetables with lowfat dips or fat-free, light yogurt. Baked potatoes, sweet potatoes and oatmeal also make great snacks.

7. Be a little adventurous.

• Be adventurous and expand your range of healthful food choices.
• Buy a lowfat cookbook to help you modify traditional high-fat favorites, and to introduce quick healthful dishes.

8. Use less fat when cooking.

• Prepare foods using lower-fat cooking methods such as baking meats on a rack, broiling, grilling, roasting or steaming instead of frying.
• Eliminate “extra” fats. Trim visible fats from meats. Rinse cooked ground meat. Remove skin from poultry.

9. Limit sugar & refined starch.

• Limit the amount of foods you eat that contain added sugars.
• Limit refined starch foods that are made with white flour and are low in fiber. Fill up instead with high-fiber choices such as corn, potatoes, yams, limas, peas, dried beans and whole grains.

10. Don’t skip breakfast. Starting the day with a high-fiber, low-fat breakfast will help you consume fewer calories the rest of the day. Never skip breakfast!QUESTION:My co-worker has been teaching the 12 week LEARN Weight Management Program for I don't know how many years. It's been well-received and we teach 4 classes quarterly, at least...that have about 20 people in each of them. We just heard that they've gone under....no longer have their phone number listed, pulled their website, etc. We had a call from another health/nutrition educator, letting us know this past Friday. What a shock since we order books from them, have brochures on the LEARN program, etc. Somewhat strange to not let us know.So we are shopping around for another program. We use alot of your materials for our Heart Smart series of power points and noticed you have a 12 week program. I called on Friday, asking you to send one of your food diaries since we do have them journal every week.Do you have any discounts for bulk orders of materials or do you know of other hospital wellness programs that use your 12 week program for weight management? The LEARN program stood for Lifestule, Exercise, Attitude, Relationships and Nutrition and is more lifestyle behavior change than a simple day by day diet.Let me know if you think we could team up to use your materials for our program.ANSWER:We do have 2 programs that would suit your needs quite well. They are 12 Lessons of Wellness and Weight Loss - there are 2 sets of 24 lessons and you can mix and match if you need to.Of course we will work with you to produce or customize any materials that you need. We can print color items in bulk at discount prices, too.https://foodandhealth.com/shop/catalog/12_Lessons_Wellness_Weight_Loss-77-1.htmlWe have had many hospitals, corporate wellness programs and public health agencies use our program - it has been in place for a few years.You can call us toll-free at 800-462-2352 so I can help you or email us.