Chill out, y'all!

Jessica Simpson famously became a mom for the first time May 1, when she welcomed daughter Maxwell Drew Johnson. And even before that happy day, fans have had a big question on their mind: How quickly would Simpson, 31, drop her baby weight?

PHOTOS: Jessica's bump watch

After all, the singer and fashion mogul penned a multi-million dollar deal with Weight Watchers to slim down, and has been spotted over the past month hitting a private L.A.gym with celeb trainer Harley Pasternak. But on Wednesday, Simpson cleared the air via Twitter.

"Just so everyone knows . . . Weight Watchers hasn't put ANY pressure on me!" wrote Simpson, engaged to Maxwell's dad, Eric Johnson since fall 2010. "I'm trying to be as healthy as I can be for myself and I feel great."

PHOTOS: Awesome post-baby bods

Said Weight Watchers in its initial announcement of Simpson as their new ambassador for North America: "We're thrilled that Jessica Simpson has chosen to join Weight Watchers to adopt a healthier lifestyle and inspire others to do the same. Her talent, resilience and positive outlook already make her a great role model, and by deciding to trade in yo-yo dieting for a healthier lifestyle, we know she will inspire many women to join her."

PHOTOS: Jessica's weight struggles in the past

The weight loss company continued: "From the point when we started speaking with Jessica before she became pregnant, to now when she's had baby Maxwell, Jessica has made clear her commitment to establishing a healthier lifestyle for herself and her family. We look forward to supporting Jessica as she embarks on this next chapter in her life."

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Jessica Simpson: Weight Watchers Hasn't Pressured Me to Lose Weight

Houston, TX (PRWEB) June 28, 2012

Green tea benefits like weight loss are a large reason why the drink is gaining popularity in western society. Green tea is quickly becoming recognized as one of the best gifts to ones health, courtesy of Mother Nature. This is why HealthAvenger.com has revealed on their website how weight loss and green tea can benefit someone.

"Green tea is made solely from Camellia sineneis leaves that have undergone a process of minimal oxidation. Even though the actual weight loss will not likely be extremely significant, and not immediate, the polyphenols and caffeine in green tea have been shown to boost ones metabolic rate. In addition, it does it without increasing heart rate, which makes is safe even for people with elevated blood pressure."

"Strength and effectiveness vary on how one makes it, and how they ingest it. When properly prepared and drank hot, the actual green tea as a liquid is more effective than taken in pill form- especially when it comes to all the anti-oxidize and anti-carcinogenic properties. Antioxidant properties of green tea reduce toxins in the body and help users lose weight and reduce bloating. This is especially helpful to reduce puffiness in the midsection. Green tea also acts a carb blocker, and is even thought to reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the body."

Green tea weight loss may not be extreme as some methods, but can be a good addition to ones weight loss program. The benefits of a green tea diet extend far beyond just shedding excess water weight and a few extra pounds. Some additional green tea benefits include reduced risk of cancer and heart disease and you cant beat that in one simple drink.

Many people are interested in learning more about green tea and weight loss, so to answer the call The Health Avenger website has posted more information about it plus an informative video detailing more green tea weight loss benefits. There one will find information about what health and weight loss products are worth the effort- such as adding green tea to their diet. To see the article and video one should visit: http://healthavenger.com/green-weight-loss-green-tea.

For those who want more information on fat loss and diets, the are giving away a special report on "5 Sneaky Tricks to Triple Your Fat Loss Results Now". To get access one can go to: http://healthavenger.com/5-sneaky-fat-loss-tips

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Green Tea Weight Loss Results and Health Benefits Revealed

ROCHESTER, Minn., June 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Medifast, the fast-growing weight loss system in Minnesota, is pleased to announce the opening of its first Rochester, MN Weight Loss Center in July 2012. The newest Medifast Weight Control Center will be conveniently located at 2048 Superior Dr NW, Suite 300 Rochester, MN 55901

The Medifast Weight Control program is based on healthy eating, combined with staff support and one on one counseling. Minnesota Weight Control, Inc currently operates six Medifast Weight Control Centers in Minnesota, with a seventh center located in Eau Claire, WI.

Originally developed by Dr. William Vitale for doctors to use with their patients, the clinically proven Medifast plan has been recommended by more than 20,000 M.D.'s since 1980. Typically, Medifast clients following the program lose up to two to five pounds a week.

Exact locations of all eight Medifast Weight Control Centers and additional information can be found at http://www.MedifastMN.com or http://www.MedifastWI.com.

Follow on Facebook: Medifast Minnesota and Wisconsin

'It's fun living now'

186 pounds ago, John Borgstrom of Roseville, Minnesota was just plaintired. All the time. "I was missing out on so much. No energy. No walking. No sports. Cutting the grass was tough. I'd have to rest, take a nap afterward. Just lethargic all the time." Not that the feelings were new to him. He was 64 and, "I'd been heavy since I was a child. I'd gain weight, then I'd lose weight, then I'd gain weight."

His physician had placed him on blood pressure medication, and he knew he had to "do something for face diabetes."

Linda, John's wife of 39 years, knew it, too. "I saw him going downhill because of his weight and was concerned about 'what's next?'"

So she took action. Gently. But action, nonetheless. "We had investigated Medifast online, so I decided to visit the Roseville Weight Loss Center. I met with them, liked them, and told John about it. Then I set the material on the table and just left it there. About a week later, I said was going back to learn more about it, and asked if he wanted to come along. He said yes."

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Minnesota Weight Control, Inc Announces the Opening of Newest Medifast Weight Loss Center in Rochester, MN

27 June 2012 Last updated at 19:43 ET

US health regulators have approved a weight-loss pill for the first time in 13 years.

Belviq, made by Arena Pharmaceutical, can be used by obese or overweight adults with at least one condition.

The drug achieved only modest results in clinical studies, helping people lose on average about 5% of their body weight.

Belviq was rejected in 2010 because of concerns over tumours that developed in animals tested with the drug.

After San Diego-based Arena resubmitted its application with more data, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found little risk of tumours in humans using the drug.

The medication is expected to launch in 2013.

Belviq is designed to block appetite signals in the brain, making patients feel fuller with smaller amounts of food.

It has been approved for use in obese adults with a body mass index of 30 or greater.

The drug can also be used by overweight adults with a BMI of 27 or greater if they have at least one other condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol.

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US approves new weight-loss pill

The Food and Drug Administration has approved marketing of the weight-loss drug lorcaserin, the first prescription anti-obesity medication to win the FDA's blessing since the agency approved orlistat in 1999.

Once it is cleared by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the drug will be marketed in the United States under the commercial name Belviq.

The medication won marketing approval as a drug for "chronic weight management in adult patients" with a body mass index greater than 30, or for those with a BMI of 27 or above with a weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol or Type 2 diabetes.

The FDA's approval came with a significant warning to consumers likely to flock to a medication that could help boost their weight loss: The safety and effectiveness of Belviq when used alongside other diet medications has not been established.

Nor, the FDA said, has the effect of Belviq on the long-term risk of having, or dying from, a heart attack or stroke.

The approval comes after a lengthy review by an agency under pressure to help Americans lose weight but also to screen out drugs that could prove dangerous once embraced by a large number of patients.

Just over 1 in 3 adult Americans is considered obese, and an additional 36% are overweight, prompting widespread concern that Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers linked to obesity will overwhelm the U.S. healthcare system. Already, obesity-related disease is estimated to account for $147 billion in annual healthcare costs.

Belviq, made by San Diego-based Arena Pharmaceuticals, is one of four weight-loss drugs the FDA has anguished over in recent years. Safety concerns have prompted the agency to order the makers of two other candidate drugs to conduct and comb through additional research. A third drug was withdrawn after it was linked to an elevated suicide risk.

In the 28 months since the makers of Belviq submitted the drug for FDA consideration, the agency also demanded the withdrawal of Meridia after studies showed it increased the risk of heart attack and stroke. That left only two FDA-approved weight-loss drugs on the market: orlistat and phentermine.

The result has been to the growing frustration of many obesity experts almost no pharmaceutical aid for a steadily growing population of Americans desperate for help in shedding pounds.

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FDA approves lorcaserin, first weight-loss drug since 1999

Featured Article Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Also Included In: Regulatory Affairs / Drug Approvals Article Date: 28 Jun 2012 - 3:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Weight Loss Pill Belviq Gets FDA Approval

Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride), made by the Swiss pharma company Arena, is the first prescription diet drug to receive US federal approval in over a decade. It works by activating the serotonin 2C receptor in the brain, an effect that may help the patient feel full after eating smaller amounts of food and thereby eat less.

Dr Janet Woodcock, director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the FDA, told the press:

"Obesity threatens the overall well being of patients and is a major public health concern."

FDA says the drug is approved for use in adults who are obese, or adults who are overweight and have at least one weight-related condition, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.

"The approval of this drug, used responsibly in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle, provides a treatment option for Americans who are obese or are overweight and have at least one weight-related comorbid condition," said Woodcock.

The agency defines obesity as having a BMI of 30 or over, and overweight as having a BMI under this but no less than 27. BMI stands for Body Mass Index, and equals weight in kilos divided by the square of height in metres.

BMI is used by health authorities and policymakers as a measure of body fat. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one in three of adult Americans is obese.

The approved label for Belviq recommends that patients stop using it if they fail to lose 5% of their body weight after 12 weeks of treatment, as "these patients are unlikely to achieve clinically meaningful weight loss with continued treatment," says the FDA in their announcement.

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Weight Loss Pill Belviq Gets FDA Approval

Posted: 2:36 pm Wed, June 27, 2012 By Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Food and Drug Administration has approved Arena Pharmaceuticals anti-obesity pill Belviq, the first new prescription drug for long-term weight loss to enter the U.S. market in over a decade.

Despite only achieving modest weight loss in clinical studies, the drug appeared safe enough to win the FDAs endorsement, amid calls from doctors for new weight-loss treatments.

The agency cleared the pill Wednesday for adults who are obese or are overweight with at least one medical complication, such as diabetes or high cholesterol.

The FDA denied approval for Arenas drug in 2010 after scientists raised concerns about tumors that developed in animals studied with the drug. The company resubmitted the drug with additional data earlier this year, and the FDA said there was little risk of tumors in humans.

The approval of this drug, used responsibly in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle, provides a treatment option for Americans who are obese or are overweight and have at least one weight-related comorbid condition, said FDAs drug center director, Dr. Janet Woodcock, in a statement.

With U.S. obesity rates nearing 35 percent of the adult population, many doctors have called on the FDA to approve new weight loss treatments.

But a long line of prescription weight loss offerings have been associated with safety problems, most notably the fen-phen combination, which was linked to heart valve damage in 1997. The cocktail of phentermine and fenfluramine was a popular weight loss combination prescribed by doctors, though it was never approved by FDA.

In a rare move, the FDA explicitly stated in a press release that Belviq does not appear to activate a chemical pathway that was linked to the heart problems seen with fen-phen.

The FDA said the drug acts on a different chemical pathway in the brain, which is believed to reduce appetite by boosting feelings of satiety and fullness.

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FDA approves first new weight-loss pill in 13 years