Luke Coutinho - The Magic Weight-Loss Pill: 62 Lifestyle Changes

I still remember the first day I met Anushka. We became good friends within the one hour we spent together. I had flown down to Hyderabad to meet her to discuss her health, lifestyle and diet. Her first request was clear, I dont want to destroy my health at any cost, even if it means giving up a movie or two. I want to do it the right way. I want to respect my body and use nature to heal me, even if it takes time. I have abused my body with quick fixes and fad diets in the past, and I no longer want to take that route. That made me extremely happy. I like people who understand that health is not a joke and there are no shortcuts when it comes to your well-being. There are several that work, but they all come with dire consequences.

A few weeks later, we met again in Dubai. As the sun set, we sat on the beach sipping cold lemon water, talking about life, health, love, yoga and family. The more time I spent with Anushka, the more I understood how serious she was about sending a message to all the young girls and women that health means much more than just having a great body, great skin and hair; it is about how a beautiful soul creates beauty. We spoke about weight loss, cancer and disease, and how lifestyle is the drug when it comes to prevention, healing and even losing weight.

A few hours later, we decided to put together a book of all the most powerful lifestyle changes that have helped people lose weight across the world. We had one vision, to send out a message to people struggling with their health and weight that fad diets and exercise programmes dont work. Rather, one finds that simple, inexpensive lifestyle changes can bring about powerful changes in ones health. The idea of laying so much emphasis on body image and how only certain body types are beautifulwhich is only facilitated by the mediaimpacts millions of girls, women, boys and men across the world. This not only affects their self-esteem and leads them to make the wrong choices about diets and exercise programmes, it can also lead to frustration and depression. However, it doesnt have to be that way. We have to rise beyond just appreciating or loving ourselves and others for our physical selves. Our emotional, spiritual, intellectual and mental selves can be far more beautiful.