Have you have struggled with diets that fail you again and again? Are you or your family members frustrated with their attempts to lose weight? Are you certain your thyroid is malfunctioning? Originally created by Dr. Lisa Clark to help aid her patients with weight management, Lighten Up, America presents a handbook for healthy weight management through healthy living, along with an easy-to-understand description of how the body gains and loses weight. After working in clinical medicine for fourteen years and spending thousands of hours discussing weight loss with her patients, Clark knew that a handbook with the important points she discussed every day could help people looking for advice. Part One, "Education Is the Key" considers the secret to losing weight and really maintaining a comfortable, healthy body weight. It can help you learn how to balance calories in versus calories out-the real key to weight loss. It also explores the dangers of obesity and other health problems associated with obesity. Part Two, "Age and Weight" addresses the life stages of battling weight, from infancy to adulthood. Included is commonsense information that can help you attain a healthy weight by adapting to a healthy lifestyle. Finally, Part Three, "Motivate Thyself" gives tips and advice on developing discipline and making healthy choices-not just during the weight-loss process, but for the rest of your life. Written with honesty and humor, Lighten Up, America seeks to educate patients on achieving and maintaining their ideal body weight.