NBC's Biggest Loser Nutritionist Blog (129)
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Originating in the Andes more than 6,000 years ago, quinoa has been "rediscovered" of late closer to home – and with good reason. Pronounced kin-WAUGH or kin-OH-ah, quinoa is an excellent source of protein, fiber, amino acids, iron and magnesium. No wonder it was renowned for increasing the stamina of ancient Inca warriors!
Originating in the Andes more than 6,000 years ago, quinoa has been "rediscovered" of late closer to home – and with good reason. Pronounced kin-WAUGH or kin-OH-ah, quinoa is an excellent source of protein, fiber, amino acids, iron and magnesium. No wonder it was renowned for increasing the stamina of ancient Inca warriors!
Originating in the Andes more than 6,000 years ago, quinoa has been "rediscovered" of late closer to home – and with good reason. Pronounced kin-WAUGH or kin-OH-ah, quinoa is an excellent source of protein, fiber, amino acids, iron and magnesium. No wonder it was renowned for increasing the stamina of ancient Inca warriors!
Whole grains have sustained families and civilizations, as a familiar and comforting common thread. But in recent history, they've fallen from favor. It's no wonder, since we're deluged with choices that are tasty, fast, and economical. But "fast" is usually a dead giveaway for a grain that is refined. And though refining pares back preparation time, it also peels away the most valuable parts of a whole grain.
Just like everyone else, I overdid it during the holidays. A little too much food, quite a few not-so-great choices and not quite enough exercise. But I'm back in the swing and I started off the new year with a scrumptious and healthy breakfast on New Year's Day morning.
Here is a recipe from Simple Swaps for Huevos Rancheros. It's not something you can whip up in a couple minutes before dashing off to work. But we enjoyed spending extra time in the kitchen that morning and even cooked our own black beans.
Chocolate is the ultimate taste of love. In addition to its incomparable flavor, chocolate delivers a delicious boost to our health. And what better way to say “I love you” than with a mouth-watering gift that just happens to be healthy too?
I'm often asked, "If I were to change just one thing about my diet, what could I do to help me lose weight and/or improve my health?"
I'd definitely make my recommendation based on a list of common denominators that helped overweight contestants win a place on NBC’sThe Biggest Loser. These same factors have helped America earn its top ranking among obese nations of the world. I found that most contestants:
We love reading diet books, almost as much as we love eating. You’d never know it, with the explosive rise of obesity in this country. But high fiber, low fat, sugar-busting diets abound. Though they’re not always supported with solid science, we do seem to learn valuable lessons from each passing diet craze. Case in point is the low carb, high protein trend that took the country by storm (and almost didn’t go away).
Contestants arriving at the "Biggest Loser" Ranch for the first time are often surprised to learn that one of the reasons they’ve gained so much weight is because they've had a habit of skipping meals. It sounds counterintuitive, but skipping meals can actually contribute to weight gain, not loss.
Metabolism Journal documented a meal-skipping study at the National Institute on Aging. They found that people who skipped meals during the day and had all of their calories at one nightly meal exhibited unhealthy changes in their metabolism, similar to unhealthy blood sugar levels observed in diabetics.
Last week, I wrote about the basic guidelines for choosing "Biggest Loser" foods and the importance of regular meal times and snacks. Another one of the first things the "Biggest Loser" contestants learn about is the importance of a food journal. Not only is it one of the key secrets to a successful weight loss plan, it's often a very loud wake-up call. Most of us eat (and drink) much more than we think....until we start recording it.
The more detailed your food journal entries are, the more accurate your calorie count for the day will be. The first thing you need to know is -- how big is a serving size? Weighing and measuring food is crucial in order to calculate an accurate number of your daily calories.
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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." 
