Success is often measured in years and Canyon Ranch has been in existence for over 40 years. Health and wellness has been their total focus over those 40 plus years. In the second half of Canyon Ranch's existence I have been their medical director and I have continued their philosophy of getting people healthier. Using this philosophy and constantly following the science of weight loss, this approach has been successful in helping my patients at Canyon Ranch become healthier and in the process they are able to lose those unwanted pounds. This is the essence of this book. This book puts you in my shoes as to how I evaluate and advise my patients here at Canyon Ranch. As I do with my own patients, I methodically first look for any medical causes of weight gain. Most weight loss programs glaze right over this very important aspect. Many individuals may find out that it is not their fault for the weight gain. An example may be that the new medication they were placed on added those pounds by increasing their appetite. The book continues to look at medical goals, not just goals in pounds lost, but also goals that are associated with improved health.