If you tuned in to the show last night, you saw Jerry win the at home prize while Helen became Season 7's Biggest Loser.

Successful weight loss requires dietary modification, cardio and weight bearing exercise, as well as addressing the psychological aspects of emotional eating (which affect most of us on some level).

Many of you have written to ask what the contestants are eating, to fuel their vigorous exercise and to help them achieve their weight loss success.  Today, I'd like to share the before and after food journal's of Helen, Season 7's Biggest Loser.  Last fall, I met with Helen before the season started.  She shared with me her typical daily intake at that time, which contributed to her starting weight of 257 pounds.

Helen Typical Daily Intake – Before BL

Often skipped bkft   When she did have breakfast, she might have  
2 eggs
4 - 5 pieces bacon
2 slices toast
Bkft    640 calories

If bkft skipped;
Lunch out or large lunch; such as a large salad with soup, dinner rolls and butter

Or a steak and cheese sandwich with cheese – large 12 inch sandwich
1050 calories       86 grams fat 

Dinner –
fried breaded pork chops (2)
large helping potatoes with butter
regular cola
slice cheesecake
1350 calories

Before  - Two meals per day  no snacks  this particular day had; no veg or fruit
Lunch and dinner total 2400 (prob twice what she needs plus overall very low quality calories; 
 

Helen Typical Daily Intake - After BL

Breakfast
Cup of oatmeal
3 egg whites
if power workout in the morning - add 2 strips of turkey bacon
440 calories

Snack
Half a cup of nonfat Greek yogurt with berries
90 calories

Lunch
3 to 5 oz grilled chicken breast  4 oz
2 cups salad
1 cup steamed asparagus
Med apple or piece of fruit
salad dressing = balsamic vinegar
350 calories

Snack
Carrot sticks  5 medium baby carrots  with hummus, 5 T   160 calories
or
3 tablespoons avocado guacamole  with 18 baked tortilla chips       190 calories

Dinner
Salmon        5 ounces
Portobello mushroom cap steamed  2 ounces
Steam the cap in Teflon pan with lid that fits; steam about 5 min.
Sauteed peppers and onions, add to top of mushroom with little bit of non-fat mozzarella
Grill salmon with slice of orange and fresh dill 
260 calories
1330 daily total  (which is roughly Helen's current calorie budget)

If you tuned in to the show last night, you saw the four finalists competing (and completing) their first marathon.  Pretty amazing, considering that only seventeen weeks ago, they weren't exercising at all.

Successful weight loss requires dietary modification, cardio and weight bearing exercise, as well as addressing the psychological aspects of emotional eating (which affect most of us on some level).

Many of you have written to ask what the contestants are eating, to fuel their vigorous exercise and to help them achieve their weight loss success.  Today, I'd like to share the before and after food journal's of Tara, one of Season 7's finalists.

Last fall, I met with Tara before the season started.  She shared with me her typical daily intake at that time, which contributed to her starting weight of 294 pounds.

Tara  Typical Daily Intake Before the Show

Breakfast – sesame bagel  (4.5-inch)  with cream cheese (3 tablespoons) and tomato slices (3)  and 12 ounces of orange juice  

620 calories          breakfast; very high in simple carbs and very low in protein; no whole fruit

Morning Snack  - none

Lunch  cafeteria sandwich on a white roll  or panini bread with grilled chix, cheddar, red roasted peppers, sliced pickle and honey mustard   with small bag of potato chips (1 ounce bag)  and 16 ounce diet cola
990 calories

At lunch time, Tara purchased 3 or 4 cookies to eat as afternoon snacks; such as chocolate chip
600 calories

Snack

cookies with iced vanilla latte (600 + 75 = 675)

Dinner – 8pm   Tara orders take out -      
waffle fries with side of gravy,   550
hot wings with blue cheese dressing  (1/3 cup)           450 calories  with carrots and celery   and a 16 ounce diet cola
1000 calorie dinner

Snack before bed 4 or 5 cookies -  300 calories

Daily Total - Approx 3585 calories

Here is a photo of Tara after running the marathon last night

and this is what Tara's food journal looks like now!

Tara Typical Daily Intake Now 
Breakfast
5 egg white omelet with spinach, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, peppers (nonfat spray for the pan)
1 bowl of multigrain cereal        1.5 cups  with  1 cup almond milk
 360 calories

Snack
Clementine (or tangerine)  with pre-packaged trail mix she makes herself with different raw unsalted nuts and a few carob chips for something sweet                                                                                       140 calories
 
Lunch
3 Whole wheat tortillas
Grilled bell peppers, onions, with shrimp or chicken (4 oz. of chicken or 13 shrimp)
with nonfat Greek yogurt (1/2 cup)
Lettuce and diced tomatoes
Seasoned with no sodium spice blend
370 calories
 
Snack
salad with nonfat dressing and cut-up veggies like mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and hardboiled egg.
150 calories

Dinner
Salmon fillet or orange roughy or tilapia, 5 or 6 ounces
Steamed broccoli  1 cup
Steamed butternut squash, mashed  1 cup (buys it bagged) seasoned with salt and pepper                       

360 calories

Snack, if she wants something cool and sweet after dinner
Almond Breeze chocolate milk (45 calories per cup)
Ice cubes
Little bit of sugar free chocolate syrup
Whip it up in blender
45 calories
Drinks 3 liters of water a day.

Daily total of about 1420 calories

(her Biggest Loser calorie budget is about 1400 to 1500 calories per day)

To see before and after food journals for the other finalists, visit the The Biggest Loser Club online