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Healthy Habits online is a unique program initially designed to help my patients (and now, yours also) to reach a healthy weight while reducing their stress, improving their sleep, and optimizing their activity. Though most of your patients will participate in order to lose weight, you will find satisfaction in helping them to lower their risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Even more importantly, your patients will have the opportunity to achieve a greater level of well-being.

The program delivers relatively short emails 5 days a week that provides content that builds over time to educate and motivate participants in making habit changes that add up to big results in weight loss through better nutrition, more activity in their life, a lower reactivity to everyday stress, and improved quality of sleep.

There are no products to sell, no meal replacements, no fads or gimmicks.

A forum is active with each group that moves through the program; audio recordings of guided visualizations offer unique assistance in achieving goals; and 'value added' content all increase your patient's chance of success in achieving a new level of "healthy habits".

I'm a family nurse practitioner in an independent practice in Missoula, Montana. I created Healthy Habits Online out of my own frustration with the difficulty of helping patients acheive their optimal weight, and best health, in the time constraints imposed by typical office visits controlled by insurance company reimbursements.

Though most of my patients just want to lose weight fast, I remind them that the key is not about losing the weight, its about keeping it off... by creating healthy habits that help them maintain their weight loss. And the key to maintenance is addressing each of those four components.

During 2010, a total of four groups began the program and provided feedback that led to adjustments and tweaks to improve the program. It was well received with many rave reviews. Of course there were some folks who thought they would be gung ho, but dropped out quickly, others who followed along quietly, and then a certain percentage who "played full out" and maintained a presence in the online forums throughout the program. I continue to receive email from the quiet ones as to the benefits of the program.

As to results, to be honest, I did not structure the program to gather the data on participants' weight loss success. I did not want to have the participants focus strictly on weight loss. Some participants however, could not contain themselves and were thrilled to share online or in personal emails that they were losing weight without dieting, or feeling like they were depriving themselves. Many did not have much weight to lose to begin with, but were able to drop 10-15 pounds and keep it off without effort.

But, the program is about healthy habits beyond the goal of just losing weight. Participants may be successful simply in learning the process to apply in creating new habits.

As an example, one participant who started in the very first group, really did not make changes in her habits until nearly the end of the program year. Initially, she dealt more with absorbing the nutritional information and adjusting her everyday outlook and response to her stress. Eventually, near the end of the first year, she took off like a roman candle and has had greater success in weight loss than she ever has had before.

So where do you come in?

The second phase of my business plan is expansion to health care providers for use in their patient populations. I plan to offer 5 providers "beta tester status" to help me test the website capabilities for expansion to other providers.

With additional providers, I will be adding more functionality to the website that will allow for private forums for each provider to conduct with their own patients/participants as well as a few other enhancements that should be tested on a smaller scale before opening to others.

What are the benefits to you?

More income and more satisfaction. For each patient that joins the program, you receive a percentage of the program fee. You are encouraged to engage more fully in your patient's success by offering individual visits in the office or online and/or group coaching via conference calling/webinars for additional income opportunities.

You can structure these as you wish or use the guides available from the program. I'll also help you learn the basics of conference calling and webinars. Its fun!

In the first year of the program, with limited marketing, low introductory fees, and intentionally limiting the number of total participants, my revenue for the program was over $8000. I did not include any office visits or conference call/webinar services in the first year which could have increased the total revenue and likely increased participant satisfaction even further. I plan to incorporate these aspects in the upcoming year, and to market outside my patient panel as well.

At the very least, Healthy Habits Online provides an option you can feel great about offering to your patients who need more help in making lifestyle changes for better health. You can choose to benefit personally through revenue sharing, or if you prefer, have your share donated to various local food banks.

You have the option of marketing to the public through local presentations/seminars or via social networking. Support materials will become available for those activities once the second phase is well under way.

What will it cost you?

Nothing, but a little of your time. As I said, I'm looking for 5 beta testers. Once we test and tweak the systems needed for expansion, I will open the program to other providers who will be required to pay a set-up fee for the website enhancements. You will never have to pay any fees unless you leave the program and want to rejoin later.

How do you find out more?

I am using this temporary page as a landing page for providers who are interested in the program. I will soon have a more detailed video and explanatory page up. I also plan to have a couple of conference calls for those who are interested.

If you would like more information, please simply This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . I am not a spammer. Your information is secure and private. Please make certain your email server will accept email from info(AT)healthyhabitsonline.com. I will keep you apprised of our progress towards the next phase by email. A webinar dwill be presented to demonstrate the website functionality, go over more details, and get your input and suggestions. It will also be recorded for those who cannot attend 'live'.

I'm looking forward to talking further with you!