NBC's Biggest Loser Nutritionist Blog (129)
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When losing weight, it’s important to lose more fat than muscle. To lose fat but retain muscle, you should take in more calories each day than your BMR – Basal Metabolic Rate: the amount of calories your body burns when at rest.
This may seem counter-intuitive but if you follow a diet with a lower caloric intake than your BMR, you will not only lose fat but also a higher percentage of muscle. This is why it is vital to regularly engage in some form of resistance training! It’s really important to keep or even increase our muscle mass.
As we all know, muscle burns more calories than fat, thus raising our BMR, or metabolism. (To calculate your BMR and calorie needs, I’ve included the formula at the end of this blog. There are also several free online calculators that are user friendly.)
Maintaining muscle mass while losing fat is an important factor in reaching both your ideal weight and ideal body composition. To achieve this goal, it’s important NOT to reduce your carbohydrate intake too aggressively. Our bodies need carbohydrates to function properly and to replace glycogen in our muscles. (Glycogen is the main fuel source for muscles). If you’ve ever tried a very low carb diet, your initial weight drop is actually from glycogen and water loss. Glycogen is a mix of glucose and water that’s stored in your muscles. For each gram of carbohydrate (glycogen) the cells in your body store, they store four grams of water.
There’s nothing I like more to fight the chill -- and the bugs -- of winter than a hot, healthy bowl of soup. One of my favorite go to meals when I’m feeling under the weather, soup can be a tasty appetizer or a one-dish meal on its own. Plus, there are many ways to make soup delicious and healthier without adding butter, cream or other high-fat, high-calorie ingredients.
Start with fat-free, low-sodium vegetable, chicken or beef broth and add fresh vegetables, herbs and spices in any combination that suits your taste. Even with just a few of these simple ingredients, there is no reason for any soup to lack a bounty of flavor.
To make a healthy and filling soup, try adding:
- Vegetables -- carrots, legumes, root veggies -- for their antioxidant power, nutrients and high fiber content.
- Whole grains, like hulled barley, to kick up the fullness factor.
- Fresh or dried herbs like oregano, chili powder, tarragon, thyme, basil or dill to provide complex layers of flavor to replace what salt and fat deliver.
- Lean protein like chicken breast, pork tenderloin and lean beef to increase the protein content and make it feel like a meal.
Here is one of my favorite soup recipes:
Italian Vegetable Soup
Loaded with fiber, this recipe makes a large batch of soup, which freezes well, too. For more protein, add shredded roast chicken or turkey or one cup cooked and crumbled Old-Fashioned Breakfast Sausage. (Makes 12 large servings)
If you’re among the 167 million Americans who drink coffee every day, then chances are that you’re also mixing in a little cream or sugar or both, or picking up a latte or mocha at the local drive-thru. Tasty, yes, but this is where empty calories can really pile up.
Sixty-five percent of all coffee drinkers add milk or a milk substitute to their coffee; 48 percent some kind of sweetener, according to a 2010 survey by the National Coffee Association. Since coffee drinkers consume, on average, 3.1 cups per day, that’s a lot of milk and sugar being added. Even if you’re not counting calories, reducing white sugar and unnecessary fat from your diet is a healthy habit to have. Using low- or fat-free milk and measuring the pour can shave more than you think off your caloric intake. Keep in mind that two tablespoons of one percent milk is 26 calories, while the same amount of whole milk is 37.
Sweetening your coffee may be a preference but it’s not beneficial. Sugar is a high-calorie carbohydrate – one tablespoon is 45 calories – with little nutritional value. (The jury is still out on the long-term affects of artificial sweeteners but, in my opinion, they’re best avoided.) If you must sweeten your coffee, minimize how much you add and try a natural sweetener, such as honey, brown rice syrup or coconut sugar, which are also high in calories but at least have some health benefits.
When was the last time you said “I need to lose a few pounds” but then didn’t do anything because you didn’t know where to start? You’re not alone. Millions of people ride the weight loss roller coaster everyday. They perpetually jump on and off the wagon because they’re too busy or too overwhelmed with scheduling, shopping, exercising and eating choices.
Whether you have 10 or 100 pounds to lose, it didn’t appear overnight. Chances are you’ve been making some not-so-great choices over a period of time that added up to a little love handle here and there. The good news is that you don’t have to change everything overnight. Integrating a few small changes, s-l-o-w-l-y, can be simple, while adding up to a big difference, in your weight and your health.
Swapping an unhealthy food, habit or lifestyle choice for a healthier option is easier than you think.
Cheryl will be teaching classes at the Central Market Cooking School in Texas the following dates.
April 18, Monday: Southlake, 6:30 – 8:30 PM - Sign Up!
April 19, Tuesday: Plano, 6:30 – 9 PM - Sign Up!
April 20, Wednesday: Austin, 6:30 – 9 PM - Sign Up!
April 21, Thursday: Houston, 6:30 – 9 PM - Sign Up!
April 22, Friday: San Antonio, 6:30 – 9 PM - Sign Up!
White, green, purple or orange, this antioxidant-packed flowering plant is far from boring. It is a healthy and versatile vegetable! Cauliflower is high in vitamin C, folate (a form of vitamin B) and fiber, but low in calories -- one cup of raw cauliflower contains only 25 calories!
Along with broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts, cauliflower belongs to the brassica family and is known as a cruciferous vegetable. Cauliflower is an excellent source of fiber, which helps maintain blood glucose levels so we feel full longer. Fiber also acts as a clearing agent, removing bacteria and other buildup from our intestines, reducing our risk of colon cancer.
In addition to its fiber and vitamin content, cauliflower contains several cancer-fighting antioxidants including sulforaphane and indole-3-carbonal. Clinical studies increasingly indicate that dietary indole-3-carbinol (I3C) prevents the development of estrogen-enhanced cancers including breast, endometrial and cervical cancers.
I recently sat down with Curtis Stone to get to know a little more about this personable Aussie who not only serves as the chef for “The Biggest Loser” but who also stars in one of America’s most popular reality/cooking shows, “Take Home Chef.” Curtis, who trained in London under the legendary Marco Pierre White, is also author and presenter of the globally-successful cooking/lifestyle program, "Surfing the Menu.” His success in the U.S. has been phenomenal, with People Magazine naming him one of the sexiest men alive.
You certainly look quite fit Curtis - have you ever had a weight problem?
I don’t like to sit still for long at all which has probably helped me along the way and partly why I was drawn to the heat of a restaurant kitchen. The rush of service means that you are always on your toes and keeps a chef pretty active. These days I have to make more of a concerted effort to include exercise as part of my routine but I do try to do a little something on a regular basis as I always feel so much better when I am fit.
With February upon us and Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, sweet, ripe raspberries also come to mind. Did you know that raspberries are part of the rose family? With their bright red color, and delicious taste and texture, they make a versatile as well as healthy fruit choice.
Raspberries have only 65 calories per cup and are loaded with fiber (eight grams per cup) and vitamin C, with 30 mg per cup -- about 50 percent of the U.S. recommended daily intake (RDI). Add a cup of Greek-style yogurt and you have the perfect easy snack with 180 calories and 20 grams of protein.
These tiny berries rank near the top of all fruits for their disease-fighting antioxidant strength, particularly due to their dense content of ellagic acid. Research into the health benefits of ellagic acid is preliminary, but early trials indicate that its antioxidant properties may help reduce blood pressure and carotid artery wall thickness, linked to heart attack and stroke. It is also believed to bind with cancer-causing molecules, thereby making them inactive and preventing their growth.
On Super Bowl Sunday -- chicken wings, nachos, chili -- the calories can add up quickly. This year, you can still enjoy tasty snacks while watching the game -- without breaking the bank on your calorie budget (but, there’s no self-denial here).
My favorite choice for such occasions is a scrumptious spread of dips -- creamy, chunky, spicy, tangy – the stuff everyone loves. Hot or cold, spooned or dipped -- the possibilities are endless. As a cook, it's a slam dunk because there's nothing easier to prepare for impromptu get-togethers. But my favorite part is that they can be made well ahead of time so I can enjoy my parties with my guests.
No, you won't find me stirring up a zippy sour-cream based French onion dip or melting handfuls of gooey cheddar over crispy fried chips -- not in my kitchen. I am still a nutritionist, afterall. There's no doubt that high fat ingredients add flavor and texture to just about anything. But as a chef, I've learned how to make recipes sing without a boatload of fat grams.
Instead of loading on goop, let nature do all the work. Instead of focusing on a rich sour cream or cheese base for a dip, I use vegetables or beans as my primary ingredient. A rich, unctuous puree of eggplant or garbanzo beans is a scrumptious place to start. A spoonful of healthy fat such as olive oil or tahini is all that’s needed to add layers of texture and flavor to just the right mélange of spices and seasonings.
The other thing I love about dipping is that it’s a great way to kick up your daily vegetable intake. A colorful array of crisp dippers can include crunchy sticks of bell pepper, fennel, jicama or celery and baby carrots. Asparagus spears work well too but should be blanched first to soften them slightly.
And then you have the “other” dippers known as chips. When I first started cooking, there were no products such as fat free chips on the market. I made my own by cutting corn tortillas or whole grain pita bread into eights by triangles. I gave them a mist of olive oil and baked them slowly until they were crisp and lightly browned.
This Super Bowl Sunday, try one or both of these Super Swaps. The next day, let me know how you did and we can Monday Morning Quarterback the results.
Sometimes, even when we have every intention to do so, things get in the way and prevent us from exercising. One of the most common is the winter weather. Besides it just being tougher to get out there in the cold there are serious safety concerns such as ice.
Snow and ice prevented one of the contestants on Biggest Loser this season from hitting their weight loss goals.
This got me researching ways to overcome winter obstacles. For running on ice and hard-packed snow Polar Cleats came highly recommended to me (in fact, Runner’s World found they were a top performer in tests). The cleats are mounted on recycled rubber (from old truck tires, I am told), and slip on easily and securely over running shoes or boots.
Polar Cleats has sent me a set of cleats which we’re giving away.
With all the rough weather across the country this winter, these will come in even more handy than ever for many of you. So, we want to know, what do you do to keep up your exercise regimen during winter? Tell us for a chance to win.
Share with us your best tip for exercising during the cold and snow. Post your tip to Cheryl's Facebook Page (or if you can keep it real short, share it on Twitter @cherylforbergRD) for a chance to win a set of Polar Cleats.
Follow Cheryl on Facebook and Twitter to see who wins.
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Cheryl Forberg, RD, is a James Beard award-winning chef, a bestselling author and the former nutritionist for NBC's "The Biggest Loser." 
