First off, all props go to Medifast. When I was asked to do it, I was skeptical, because it essentially meant I would be changing my life. But my life needed to change. And I couldn't be happier with the results.

But there are several tools that go along with that life change. And I thought it'd be interesting to share what I've been using.

Food Steamer - This is the first thing I bought. On Medifast, you eat lots of protein and greens. I can't really cook, because I'm a real man. So I literally asked my Medifast counselor Jamie "How do I cook the proteins?" And she repied "Just cook it healthy." I honestly had no idea what that meant so I literally googled "healthiest way to cook" and I decided that steaming was the solution for me. So I went on Amazon.com, looked at a few steamers, and bought this one (a Hamilton Beach Digital Steamer). I steam 2-3 big bags of chicken at a time. I've also steamed mushrooms, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Kitchen Scale - Jamie (my Medifast counselor) also told me to buy a a kitchen scale. No problem. Again, I just went to Amazon, looked at a few different kitchen scales, and bought this one (an EatSmart Precision Pro - Multifunction Digital Kitchen Scale). I basically use it to measure the amount of chicken I eat.

Tupperware - You need something to hold all that steamed chicken you eat during the week, right? And since I bring my lunch to work now, tupperware could solve both problems. I throw chicken and spinach into my tupperware everyday for lunch at work. So I bought this set (a Rubbermaid Easy Find Lid 24-Piece Food Storage Container Set).

Produce Saver - I've been eating a lot of greens. I mean A LOT. And greens go bad fairly quickly. And, of course, I don't want to have to go to the grocery store every weekend. So I bought this (Rubbermaid Produce Saver Square Food Storage Containers) and this (Kinetic Go Green Premium Nano Silver Rectangluar Food Storage Container). They keep my greens fresher for a few extra days. They're tremendously useful.

Lunch Tote- This sounds silly, but you do need something to carry your lunch to work in. I bought this because, well, it's sort of adult but still funzies. It's a Built NY Neoprene Spicy Relish Lunch Tote.

Measuring Cup and Measuring Spoons - I know this sounds stupid, but I hadn't used either of these items in YEARS. Sure I owned them, but when you eat tons of fast food and the times you do go food shopping you buy lots of mcirowaveable meals and chips, you find yourself not needing to measure anything. But I use these everyday now, multiple times a day.

Dressing container - I'm allowed a bit of vinegar and extra virgin olive oil for my greens. So I bought these little suckers. They're small and hold just the right amount for my salad condiment.

Bathroom scale - I bought a cheap one (about $10) and it's a piece of crap. It's like a 10 pound difference b/w the one I have and the fancy hi-tech scale Medifast has. But as long as I know that, it's okay. I weigh myself way too often. And when my weight hasn't gone down or is a touch more than when I previously weighed myself, well, I want to cry. But it's a necessary tool to have.

Joe's Goals (www.joesgoals.com) - This is a little goal tracker thingy. I'm using it to keep track of my meals, my supplements, and my gym time on a daily basis. It's devastatingly simple.

Time - Yo, it takes time to do all this stuff. It takes time to prepare my lunch the night before. It takes time to steam chicken for 2-3 hours at a time. It takes time to drive to the grocery store. All of this takes time and patience. But if you make time, you can do it.

Brita Pitcher - I've always loved ice water. It's been my preferred drink of choice since forever. I was literally nicknamed "Ice Water" at one point in my life. I don't like warm water. I don't like cold water without ice. I like ice water. Anyways, on MEdifast it's recommended that I drink 75-100 ounces of water a day. I'm probably on the lower end of that, but still that's a ton of water. So my Brita Pitcher is invaluable.

I'm probably forgetting some stuff. I'll update this if I remember other stuff, or I'll just post another Op-Ed column. I hope this helps and maybe even inspires someone. Good luck!

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