The Suit Magazine

"What I realized is that one question that medicine hardly ever asks is how we can create health in the first place", said Andersen. "Doesn't it make more sense to create health, rather than wait for the health problem to show up and solve it with medical procedures", he asked.

Recognizing the importance of nutrition, family, friends, and leading a life of meaning and purpose in the fight against disease, Andersen explained that, "Ninety percent of cardiovascular disease is entirely lifestyle induced. But what people don’t realize", he continued, "is that health is about individual responsibility. We need to help people create health in their lives.”   
   
As a result of this philosophy, he co-founded Take Shape for Life, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Medifast, Inc. Dr. Andersen serves as Medical Director of Medifast, a venerable 25-year-old company that is traded on the New York Stock Exchange and was recently selected as Stock of the Decade, one of the 29 quickest growing companies in the world.

Take Shape For Life utilizes Medifast’s network of health care professionals in combination with nutritional interventions for weight loss and an innovative health and fitness plan. It involves a virtual system that allows patients the choice of taking part in the program from their homes. The services include cutting-edge nutritional solutions along with support from certified Health Coaches who work in conjunction with a physician-led health network of over 2,500 medical professionals in order to individualize health programs. Aside from food bills, the support services are free!

The goal of the program is simple. “We aim to teach people that optimal health is the most desirable thing in terms of lifestyle choices,” said Dr. Andersen. “Optimal health is like freedom; it’s a fundamental choice that we would make if we could. What we do at Take Shape for Life is to show them how to make this choice.”   

It was during his high school years, spent in Japan, that Andersen came up with a cohesive idea of how to lead a healthy lifestyle with a focus on proper diet. During his studies in Japan, he observed the effects of the low-fat Asian diet, seeing how it led to much lower rates of obesity, cancer and heart disease. As a result of this newfound knowledge and understanding, Andersen enrolled at the University of Florida to pursue a degree in the sciences. The first in his family to attend college, he graduated with honors. After completing his Bachelor’s, Andersen enrolled in medical school at the University for the Health Sciences in Kansas City, where he was valedictorian of his graduating class. He then interned at Grandview Hospital, earning recognition as Outstanding Intern of the Year.

After his postgraduate studies, he was slated to become a specialist in internal medicine, with a focus in cardiology or pulmonology. He believed, however, that in order to care for an extremely sick person, a physician needed to be well-versed in all organ systems and how they relate to each other. He decided instead to enter the then-emerging subspecialty of critical care and trained in open-heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, after which he studied surgical intensive care at the Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami.

Upon finishing his training in critical care, Andersen was recognized as one of only ten physicians in the country to be board-certified in critical care. With this prestigious honor, he returned to Grandview Hospital to create an open-heart program and surgical intensive care unit, thus, putting his training to the best possible use.

During his eighteen-year tenure as Director of the Surgical Critical Care Program at Grandview and Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology, he developed a clear understanding of the role nutrition plays in disease and health. After fully coming to this realization in 2000, he decided to leave Grandview Hospital and devote himself to helping people become healthier through lifestyle changes. 

Besides his work with Take Shape for Life, Dr. Andersen is the author of two bestselling books, the first of which, Dr. A’s Habits of Health, provides a comprehensive plan for effectively losing weight and leading a healthier lifestyle. “Like many people, you’ve probably tried to lose weight and failed,” reads an excerpt from the book. “You and I are going to build a different kind of relationship than you may have experienced in your past medical treatments. I'm not going to use prescriptions, warnings, or fear tactics. Instead, I'll be your coach, your guide. Together, we'll put you on the path to taking permanent charge of your health.”

A companion guide to Dr. A’s Habits of Health , the second one, Living a Longer and Healthier Life, is a comprehensive self-help manual designed to enhance individual control over daily behaviors and habits, thus allowing readers to create a more fulfilling life of optimal health.

As co-founder of Take Shape for Life, Andersen works closely with his staff, often collaborating on studies with other physicians, including several at John Hopkins. His ultimate goal is to provide convenient meals to help people lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. “It’s been magic,” he said of his experiences with Take Shape for Life. “It allows people from the comfort of their home to have access to a virtual system that puts them in a micro-environment of health. We provide the support pieces as well as the food, which is no more expensive than regular food.

“All the support pieces, including the coach, are entirely free of charge. Rather than some companies that have a 1-800 number and provide anonymous help, we personalize the experience and have people reaching out and helping people. I am truly amazed by the power this group of people is having on society. We have a massive epidemic of overweight, unhealthy individuals, and I smile every day as we expose more and more people to a real solution that actually works.”

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