BY DANIEL MCCOY

Eagle correspondent

As the manager of the Smart for Life™, Michelle Davidson has brought the nationally franchised weight-loss program to Wichita.

It's not just the 10 to 15 pounds the program claims to help customers lose every month that first caught Davidson's attention; it's also the way in which they lose it.

"I got really curious about this when I heard people were eating cookies and losing weight," she said.

Those cookies are part of Smart for Life's product line of "Smart" foods, which also includes shakes, soups and puddings.

Formulated with proteins and amino acids, the products are designed to provide natural hunger suppression throughout the day while still providing the necessary nutrients. Combined with a specified evening meal and daily water intake of 64 ounces, the products form the basis of the Smart for Life program, with exercise added as the weight comes off.

For Davidson, the program's commitment to overall customer health is what sets it apart.

Each client is given a customized plan, created under the supervision of a physician like James Seberger, who works with Davidson to determine each person's specific needs. "He has a passion for this, and that adds to the program," Davidson said.

Davidson's passion is customer service, which she said she now combines with her enjoyment of health and nutrition.

Originally from Smith Center, Davidson graduated from with a degree in human resource management.

Having lived in Wichita for 10 years, Davidson said she first became interested in Smart for Life after family members in California and Tennessee had success as franchisees. Started in 2002, Smart for Life has approximately 40 clinics in North America.

In opening her East Central location Nov. 5, Davidson brought the second such clinic to Kansas. The other is in Overland Park.

Although she hopes to eventually open a west Wichita location, Davidson said she is just concentrating on getting the word out about the center for now.

For her, Smart for Life clients need only follow the same advice she would give other prospective business owners.

"The biggest thing is to try," she said. "You never know what can happen. If you have a passion and a dream, right or wrong, go for it."