My name is Yaakov (Jeff) Marks. I am both an ordained Rabbi and independent certified health coach. I always considered myself to be a healthy eater and properly active. When I was in Yeshiva, I would work out regularly at the local YMHA during the men’s only hours and prepared a salad to have with dinner. After I got married to my darling wife, we continued what I thought was a healthy life style. Many wonderful years went by; we have six marvelous children and time pleasantly passed. I didn’t see it happening it was slow but steady, one or two pounds a year. Without realizing it when I bought new pants or suits they would expand a little or “the cleaners shrunk my suit”. I don’t remember when it happened, but I looked down and I thought,” Where did that come from?” I rationalized my growing waist line by thinking that I ate healthy and by comparing myself to other guys who were much worse off than I was. As my wife was losing 50 pounds (Results vary. Typical weight loss is 2-5 lbs. per week for the first two weeks and 1-2 lbs. per week thereafter.) through a comprehensive health program, I was telling her not to worry about myself because “I will work it off”. She was so thrilled with her new healthy outlook on life that she became a health coach to pay it forward. After the macho stuff didn’t work for me, I decided to try her program and it worked. I lost 35 pounds and feel great and I’m back to a 32 waist. (Results vary. Typical weight loss is 2-5 lbs. per week for the first two weeks and 1-2 lbs. per week thereafter.) I joined my wife in helping others by joining her in health coaching. A good comprehensive health program is not only a diet, but it works with the whole person to help you lose weight and create long term success in maintaining your proper weight and reaching your optimal health. It teaches you about yourself (i.e. you may think healthy habits but you must practice to get healthy habits), food (i.e. even healthy food if not in the right portions or at the proper time could cause weight gain), body (i.e. as you age you lose muscle and burn less calories) and much more, so you gain knowledge how to maintain your proper weight and retain your optimal health for life. As I continued to hear people give many excuses for not watching their weight and eating habits, I started looking up Pasukim, Gemaras, Halacha, etc. and I found so many sources that require and demand of us as religious Jews to be diligent in all aspects of our Guf (physical body), just like our spiritual Neshama (soul). In this website I would like to share these motivating and inspiring sources. As a Rabbi and certified health coach I feel charged to help people reach their optimal spiritual and physical optimal health. I hope you will join me on the journey for optimal health.