Registered Dietitian Andy Brooks and former Army Fitness Trainer Scott Brooks challenge readers to join them in a 24-week life and body makeover they will begin on Monday, January 21. They will use their expertise to provide invaluable, free information on nutrition and fitness including menu plans and workout programs.

Is it really possible to loose 5 pounds of body fat within a week? To be honest, I don’t expect to loose this much weight in only days, but I believe, looking at the first seven day menu, that I’ll definitely be on my way to do so. Get the menu here...

Organic foods are produced according to certain production standards. For crops, it means they were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. For animals, it means they were reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.Organic food production is legally regulated. Currently, the United States, the European Union, Japan and many other countries require producers to obtain organic certification in order to market food as organic.Historically, organic farms have been relatively small family-run farms — which is why organic food was once only available in small stores or farmers' markets. However, since the early 1990s organic food has had growth rates of around 20% a year, far ahead of the rest of the food industry, in both developed and developing nations. As of today organic food accounts for 1-2% of food sales worldwide. Future growth is expected to range from 10-50% annually depending on the country. (see facts and statistics below)