You may have noticed the proud sponsor of BreastCancer Network of Strength logo at the end of this week's alli television ads. But, you might not be familiar with the organization because they used to be called Y-ME National BreastCancer Organization. 

BreastCancer Network of Strength provides support to people touched by breastcancer through its YourShoes 24/7 Support Center.  As part of this center, you can talk to someone (1-800-221-2141) who has walked in your shoes because all of the peer counselors are breastcancer survivors. 

Having worked on the project, I can tell you the passion and enthusiasm that the organization has for helping those touched by breastcancer. I am proud to say that I wear their pin everyday.  Like many others, I have already provided their Support Center number this year to someone dear to me.

Oh, BTW, the BreastCancer throughout the post is not a typo, but the only way that our system would allow the first word to be used.

The lawyer also reminded me to state that The BreastCancer Network of Strength name and emblem are used with its permission which in no way constitutes an endorsement, express or implied, of this product.

There are numerous articles that link exercise to a disease risk reduction.  Yet, it's been stated that 50 percent of Americans don't get enough exercise. 

Exercise is an important element of any weight loss program, but as the alli Companion Guide states, "you don't have to hit the gym or hire a personal trainer to make a real difference in your health."

To help with your exercise effort, videos from exercise physiologist, Garrett Roberts, have been added to myalli.com. 

Garrett's videos include in-home daily routines as well as cardio workouts for the gym. He also emphasizes that starting slow is sometimes best. "You have to start developing a fitness foundation. Once a foundation is built you can start setting other goals," he said.

Or, for those of you who find the Olympics to be a motivating time to strengthen your fitness routine, you can also join some alli users who have started their own Olympics challenge. 

Expanding your family with a new baby is usually a joyous time. For alli user Laura Lee Mills, something was different with baby number three. At 27 years-old, Laura Lee felt like the fat friend at a party and started alli the next day.

"I didn't have any treatment effects. It's really as hard as you make it. If you stick to the diet you'll be fine," she said to me over an alli-friendly lunch. Laura has lost 48 pounds with alli, and has traded her size 15 pants for a size five. She says life has gotten easier.

"I can play with my kids now, and I feel good about it," she said. 

Laura Lee's story is included in the digital version of the free we lost it book or on the new allicircles community. If you haven't been to the allicircles, it has many new features including a tool to create your own circle of friends within the community. 

Oh, and the lawyer reminded me to add that Laura Lee's weight loss results and experiences may not be typical of all users.

In January, I wrote about the alli calendar which directs readers to three episodes of Trend Watch on Vogue.TV. The first episode focuses on spring entertaining with celebrity chef and RD Melissa Petitto. 

Melissa used produce from local farmer's markets to create the menu. Spring lends itself to fresh produce no matter where you live. 

For those tempted by the food in the Trend Watch episode, most of the recipes were selected from alli cookbook or The alli Diet Plan. Or, more recipes are available in the healthy eating section of myalli.com or in your favorite low-fat cookbook or magazine.

A usual trip to the pharmacy goes a little like this. Walk in, go to the counter, and hand in the prescription. Wait 10, maybe 15 minutes. Pay for your script, grab the bag.  Next, out the door and start thinking about dinner. Pretty typical, right?

Surprisingly, yes. The 2008 Parata Prescription Survey of the nation's 225 million prescription-takers found 80% of people spend less than two minutes talking to their pharmacist when they pick up their prescriptions and 45 percent don't talk to pharmacists at all.

Your pharmacist can be a great source of information.  They can:

• Determine if you are taking your medicine correctly.
• Counsel on potential drug interactions, preventing overdose and unwanted side effects.
• Provide prescription and nonprescription medicine information.  For example, when we launched alli, many pharmacists received resources that included information relevant to the alli program.

So the next time you go to the pharmacist, ask questions. Remember a pharmacist is the most accessible health care professional in America.

As the book says, "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus." This is no different for weight loss.  Generally speaking, men and women approach weight loss differently and have different favorite foods. 

But, can men eat hearty and still eat healthy?  Yes. In fact, this is one of the questions included in the American Dietetic Association's Men's Health: Fact vs. Fiction guide.  You can eat healthy and still have some steak, potatoes and eggs. 

Pat Baird, RD and moderator for the alli message board adds, "Whether it's steak or chocolate there IS a place for all foods in a healthy diet. Choose foods wisely, enjoy them in moderation, and include foods from ALL the food groups. Then smaller portions are realistic."

And for those interested, the picture above is from the Healthy Eating Guide, a book in the alli starter pack. You can find it in the 1600 calorie Heartland menu. 

As part of the alli program, we offer meal plans and restaurant guides within the packaging, customized meal plans on myalliplan, and two alli cookbooks. Also, Steve discussed last June that alli is compatible with low-fat reduced-calorie options like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or Nutrisystems,

We know that some alli users may want meal options that are convenient and fresh.  Last month we announced a partnership with eDiets and now the meal plan is available through eDiets. 

eDiets is rated #1 for best taste and nutrition by epicurious.com. And, you can choose your preferences. An example of sample meal plan could include Denver Style Potato Skillet (breakfast), Oven Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Wild Rice Salad (Lunch) and Turkey Meatballs Marinara with Whole Wheat Spaghetti (Dinner).  Professional chefs work with dietitians to create meals specifically designed for the alli program.

I tried a couple of the main entree meals and my favorite part was that they were freshly prepared and delivered right to me.  In my opinion, they tasted better because they were fresh, and they also took less time to prepare (only a minute or two).  A personal favorite was the Hoison Chicken with couscous (320 calories and 10 grams of fat for those counting).  For breakfast, I also liked the Potato Skillet with Scrambled Dill Eggs and was pleasantly surprised that it had black beans. 

What do you think about diet meal delivery? Would it make your life, and your diet easier or would you miss the cooking?

eDiets is a trademark of eDiets.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Epicurious is a trademark of CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

As part of National Nutrition Month, the American Dietetic Association provides lots of information on their site, including an interactive quiz and games.  I also wanted to share some tips provided by Lisa Jones, MA, RD, LDN. She's a dietician with the American Dietetic Association, with 14 years of experience.  She recommends:

• If portions are confusing, try drawing them. Sketch an 8-inch plate, cut it in half, and then cut the left side in half again. The right side should be veggies, and the left side should be a protein serving the size of your palm with a starch like rice or pasta.
• Stop staring at food labels, just check the ingredient list. "If it's not in the first five ingredients there's probably not enough of it to make a difference." The healthy stuff, that is.
• For help understanding how to personalize the food pyramid, visit MyPyramid.gov and use the Menu Planner tool.

How much thought do you really put into your food before putting it on your plate? These resources are available to support your efforts during National Nutrition Month & beyond. 

Just to introduce myself, I'm Cynthia Levy, the newest writer to the blog.  One of my first tasks for the site was to sit down and talk about health issues with Dr. Valentine Burroughs, of Saint Francis Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. 

It's a fact that nearly 70 percent of African American adults are either overweight or obese and 13 percent have diabetes. So, the statistics are laid out, but how can they be changed?

While there is no magic bullet to weight loss, Dr. Burroughs has a few ideas on how African Americans can begin to address some of the habits that lead to unhealthy living.

1. Because African Americans tend to perceive weight loss differently, Dr. Burroughs said it's best to measure yourself using BMI (body mass index), which takes into account height and build. Doctors prefer this method, and it can be used by everyone.
2. Common myths about dieting in the African American community are it can't be achieved and is difficult to do. Instead, Dr. Burroughs believes dieting is negotiable. By keeping food diaries and exercising, dieting can prove flexible.
3. "Learn how to say no for yourself," Dr. Burroughs said. Rather than looking to cultural norms or celebrities to define a healthy lifestyle, he said African Americans need to look inside. "Give up the remote, go outside and walk, take a realistic look at you."

He also emphasized portion control-yes, even when enjoying soul food. During our conversation, Dr. Burroughs and I talked a lot about the effect cultural norms have on healthy living.  Personally, in my family curvy women are admired-even when you're too curvy.  And because of this I've never felt pressure to be a size two. 

So the question is how do we keep positive cultural norms in place, while encouraging healthy living?

 Dr. Burroughs is a paid consultant on behalf of GSK, but his opinions are his own.

It's no big story that many African Americans struggle with health issues.  Hypertension, stroke, heart disease, in many cases these problems are linked to obesity in our community.

Here are some other cultural issues that impact us:

• Our culture has its own perceptions of body weight
• Our diet and activity habits cause disproportionate rates of diabetes
• While soul food is great, it tends to be fattening even when it doesn't have to be

So, these are the issues. But there's good news.

During Black History Month, we will focus on some of these issues. We'll be posting some tips from a leading health expert and sharing the experience of an African American taking on the weight loss challenge.

And feel free to post your own stories, questions or comments.