Contact: Audra Jennings, The B&B Media Group, 800-927-0517 ext. 104, ajennings@tbbmedia.com

DALLAS, Aug. 8 /Christian Newswire/ -- For many who struggle with weight and healthful living issues, changing unhealthy habits and eating patterns has often been a defeating battle. Now success can finally be in the grasp of everyone who desires to bring all areas of their life--physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental--into a more healthy balance.

For 27 years, hundreds of thousands have achieved lasting weight loss through First Place, a Bible-based program with groups in 12,000 churches. This revolutionary program uses everyday foods, includes a support and accountability component, and focuses on biblical health and disease prevention. Recently, the program has been completely revamped shifting the focus from weight management to complete wellness. The brand new version, renamed First Place 4 Health, is written by Carole Lewis, the organization's national director.

"Losing weight is not the real answer to our problems. But being overweight is often the warning sign that we are not where we need to be in life," Lewis states. "The real answer is that we need to live a balanced life. As Jesus says in Mark 12:30, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' God wants to deal with all aspects of your life."

The foundation for this comprehensive program is the book First Place 4 Health: Discover a New Way to Healthy Living (Regal), which provides a framework for addressing wellness in each of the four areas of life. The accompanying member guide delivers detailed instructions and helpful hints for everything from determining correct serving sizes to starting an exercise routine to memorizing Scripture. This updated version includes a simple, sensible new food plan based on the USDA food pyramid and new exercise guidelines as well.

The First Place 4 Health: Begin with Christ Bible study series is the program's cornerstone and features completely rewritten studies that are fresh for today's readers. "Almost every First Place 4 Health member I have talked with about the program says, 'The weight loss is wonderful, but the most important thing I have received from my association with First Place 4 Health is learning to study God's word,'" Lewis states.

www.regalbooks.com - www.firstplace4health.com