Diets don't work. Nearly sixty percent of Americans are overweight-and the numbers are growing along with their waistlines. Many doctors still wonder why so many of their patients, despite their best efforts, cannot lose weight permanently. Diets offer temporary relief. Yet the reason is not lack of willpower, notes renowned gastroenterologist Dr. Andrew Packard. Instead excessive weight gain should be viewed as a medical condition-one that can be easily cured with the groundbreaking, easy-to-maintain Packard Weight Health Plan. Dr. Packard has spent the last decade developing this practical, scientifically sound, and sustainable five-step program. Taking into account your brain and its primal appetites, and tapping into the natural power of food chemistry, Packard shows you how to literally reengineer your brain's cravings. This process leads you to your ideal "weight health"-meaning you will reach your individual, optimum body weight without a relapse. The five easy steps of the Packard Weight Health Plan are as follows: Determine if you possess good "weight health"-which is comprised of BMI (Body Mass Index), percentage of body fat, and level of brain cravings Take the personalized quiz to discover where you fall on the "weight health" spectrum, from "you can stand to lose a few pounds" to "let's get to work" A no-stress five-day diet regime-a protein breakfast for weight loss, a complex carbohydrate lunch for health, and a dinner of your choice Recondition your brain's eating habits through meditation and relaxation techniques-and control your impulse for overindulgence Low-impact physical activity, which could be as easy as a brisk, invigorating twenty-five-minute walk each day. Featuring gourmet recipes and delicious meal plans, as well as lively case studies of people who successfully mastered and maintained the Packard Weight Health Plan, this eye-opening book will make everyone a winner in the battle of the bulge. Forget counting calories and portion c