Effect of Soy Protein and Colorado Diet on Weight Loss and Maintenance

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Males and females ages 18 - 55 years 2. BMI between 27-40 3. Weight stable (have not lost or gained more than 10 pounds in the last 3 months) 4. Generally healthy 5. Able to exercise 70 minutes per day at moderate intensity 6. Willing and able to participate in a State of Slim group class for the first 16 weeks of the study and willing to participate in 5 study visits over the 12 month study period. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Pregnant or trying to become pregnant. 2. Diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes 3. Individuals following a vegetarian only diet 4. Food allergies (to soy, dairy, wheat/gluten, eggs, or peanuts) 5. Taking medications that could cause weight loss or weight gain or alter plasma lipids (such as steroids, tricyclic antidepressants, chemotherapy, antipsychotics, prescribed or over-the-counter weight loss agents, statins, fibrates, niacin, etc). Oral contraceptives can be used as long as subject agrees to not change use of these during the study. Multivitamins containing niacin can be used as long as subject agrees to not change use of these during the study. 6. Known renal disease 7. hypothyroidism 8. Current alcohol or drug abuse or dependence (Subjects who have quit smoking in the last 6 months will be excluded. Smokers whose smoking habits have been stable for the last 6 months and which remain stable during the study can be included). 9. Any medical condition for which following a diet and/or 70 minutes of exercise daily would be inadvisable 10. LDL cholesterol levels above 190 mg/dl or triglycerides above 400 mg/dl.