Jackson Free Press

As a former executive for a global food retail operation, Terry Sullivan saw first hand the adverse effects marketing and large portion sizes have on public health. He is currently using his past experiences to get Jacksonians in shape.

Sullivan, who works from his Fondren home, has designed a 12-week program called liveRIGHTnow, that incorporates diet and fitness for a healthy lifestyle.

"I'm trying to teach people how to eat healthy and exercise efficiently," he says. "The concept is that you should try to eat real, simple foods and try to avoid processed foods."

The Winona, Miss., native moved to Jackson two years ago after leaving his job in the food-retail industry in New York City.

"I basically got disenchanted with my career path," he says. "I was working for a food retailer that was selling low-end processed foods, and I was seeing the cycle of people coming in and buying unhealthy food. You could see the results of what people were eating by what they were buying at the stores. I decided that I wanted to come back to Mississippi and do something positive for the state."

He says he sees his program as an alternative to fad diets because it encourages a complete lifestyle change.

"I believe a lot of problems are based on our consumer habits," he says "We are extremely marketed (to) on what we are suppose to eat, and how we are suppose to live. The big business doesn't our best interest in mind. As a consumer you have a voice. You basically vote every time you go to the grocery store or a restaurant. If everyone makes the right decision, then the system itself can change."

Sullivan, who is also certified trainer, completed the New York City Marathon on Nov. 7—his third marathon to date. He earned his bachelor's degree from Mississippi State in anthropology and master's of business from the University at Buffalo in New York.

He says he would like to have his own community fitness center in Fondren in the next year.

For more information on liveRIGHTnow, visit the program's website. Sullivan is currently setting up a healthy local food blog for his site. For more information, call 716-316-6863 or e-mail [e-mail missing].