NBC's Biggest Loser Nutritionist Blog (129)
  |
Go Social with Cheryl & Enter to Win!Starting in December, "Biggest Loser" nutritionist Cheryl Forberg is partnering with Melissa’s Produce to offer a series of prizes throughout the year. All members of Cheryl’s social networks are entered to win, so enter today! Twitter.com/cherylforbergrd
The first prize drawing is December 1, so join Cheryl’s social network today! |
Children categories
Skipping meals, not exercising, too much fast food - there are lots of different reasons that Biggest Loser contestants wind up at the Ranch. But the one thing they all have in common is prioritizing everyone (spouse, kids, friends) and everything (job, school, home) over themselves and their own health and well-being. By the time they arrive at the Ranch, they know they must put themselves first because their lives literally depend on that commitment.
Making a New Year's resolution to lose weight is easy -- but keeping the commitment often seems impossible. Real life interferes day by day with our good intentions, and we just can't seem to find the time to plan meals, exercise or cook at home.
Whenever I begin to slip, I’m inspired by my experience on “The Biggest Loser.“ The contestants who start season 11 on Tuesday won't all make it to the final four - but they're all winners for not only committing to change their fundamental habits, but setting aside significant time and resources to do so. They will live away from home, forgo social routines, and put their careers on hold in order to be at the Ranch.
Cheryl was featured on CNN with Joy Behar following the "Biggest Loser" Season 10 finale! Watch the video below:
During the festive holiday season, it can be hard to avoid consuming cocktails and wine. But most cocktails and alcoholic beverages are full of calories and not much else of nutritional value; just a few drinks can break the bank of your calorie budget.
Some of the most traditional beverages are packed with loads of calories and fat. Take good old eggnog: per cup it has a 343 calories and a whopping 19 grams of fat (11 g saturated fat). A Long Island iced tea has 789 calories, and a white Russian has 425 calories. Even a non-alcoholic grande eggnog latte made with nonfat milk at Starbucks is loaded with 450 Calories and 18g of fat (11 g saturated)!
So, how do you make the best of the festivities without completely going overboard or depriving yourself? Here are some dos and don’ts of holiday drinking:
Most of us enjoying snacking on and cooking with nuts throughout the year – but we often forget about chestnuts.
Now in peak season, chestnuts are a perfect addition to many holiday dishes. Freshly roasted, they’re delicious on their own. When added to a simple vegetable dish or stirred into your favorite dressing they turn ho-hum to festive while adding flavor, texture and a big boost of nutrition to your meal.
Good nutrition isn’t all or nothing – especially during the busy, festive holiday feasting season. Rather than trying to follow a complicated plan to the letter – and giving up when you “blow it” by sampling one too many holiday cookies – make a smart series of small choices. Opt for healthier foods each time, and you’ll make steady progress toward your goals, regardless of the season.
Try these simple swaps to make easy, healthy food choices for holiday parties:
Looking for healthier options for the Thanksgiving table?
The staple ingredients of this holiday's comfort food hold plenty of health promise. After all, most of the time the Thanksgiving spread features plenty of nutritious vegetables as side dishes, while turkey is low in both calories and fat and contains plenty of iron.
With a little culinary know-how, your Thanksgiving can be a guilt-free, healthful feast. Check out these new recipes I developed - they're both flavorful and nutritious.
Having a sweet tooth can be a struggle for many. Who doesn't love something sweet now and then, particularly at the end of a meal? But sugar-laden products are full of empty calories, making them hard to justify from a nutritional standpoint.
Many people have turned to artificial sweeteners such as Equal and Splenda to sweeten their coffee or tea. There has also been an increase of "sugar free" and "diet" foods showing up on our grocery shelves. But these synthetic products don’t seem to help with slimming. Although we are consuming more "sugar free," processed foods, we are collectively getting fatter and obesity rates continue to soar. It's also becoming increasingly clear that natural, whole foods are better for our bodies than man-made and over-processed foods.
There are alternative "natural" sweeteners out there and many have come to the forefront of public interest lately. Are they healthier than regular granulated sugar?
We all know that exercise and physical activity are part of any weight loss/maintenance program. But working enough exercise into a busy schedule can be tricky – especially while also trying to juggle healthy meal planning. Without forethought, it's easy to "bottom out" after heading into a workout on an empty stomach – or to finish dinner and feel too full for an evening jog.
The trick is to time eating and physical activity to reap the most rewards from each. The right timetable is variable, as there are several factors to consider: How long will you be exercising, what time of day, what kind or exercise and what level of intensity.
Squash are categorized as winter squash and summer squash, based on their time of harvesting. Summer squash are harvested when the rind is tender and edible, so they are high in water content and very low in calories. A cup of cooked summer squash has only 35 calories. Winter squash, on the other hand, are fully mature vegetables with hard rinds and seeds. Winter squash varieties include acorn, butternut, pumpkin and spaghetti squash.
How many calories do I need? I hear this question all the time - mostly from people who want to lose weight. Though it's always best to see a registered dietitian, here is a tool I provided in my book Positively Ageless to give you an idea how to calculate your calorie requirements.
Page 4 of 10
Cheryl Forberg, RD, is a James Beard award-winning chef, a bestselling author and the former nutritionist for NBC's "The Biggest Loser." 
