It’s time to shape up with TV’s top trainers.
Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels pull out all the stops to shape up overweight Aussies in The Biggest Loser. Here’s how they go about it …
- Portion size
“The main thing I try to teach and inspire is portion control,” Bob says. “If you travel in America, the portion sizes are off the charts. It’s disgusting. The food they give you is about three meals. Cut that meal in half and share it with someone, then take the rest of it home and you are saving yourself both money and kilojoules.”
- Make healthy choices.
Part of The Biggest Loser approach is to re-educate contestants about food and choices. “People are always looking for a diet, but there are so many different opinions out there it’s confusing,” Bob says. “I try to help people make wiser, healthier choices in their everyday life, with what they have on offer. The healthier choices you make, the more you’re going to be able to eat.”
- Steer clear of processed foods
Bob says to avoid overly processed food stripped of nutritional value, as it leaves us starving and unsatisfied. “Your body rips through it because there’s nothing in it,” he explains. “You’re left with those kilojoules in your body, which will make you gain weight. You’re going to be hungry again in an hour and you’ll eat more.”
- If it’s from the ground, eat it!
Calling himself a “naturalist”, Bob says fresh fruit, nuts and vegies are always good choices. “If it grows out of the ground or you can pick it off a tree, it’s good for you,” he believes. “And there are just such good choices here in Australia. I try to get people to eat more naturally. But they are not used to it, so you have to get their tastebuds reacclimated.”
- Count your daily kilojoules!
Jillian believes a calculator and a kilojoule-counter book are vital tools to helping you stay within your daily allowance. “I’m a maths girl,” she says. “Everyone’s body chemistry is different. You simply educate people about the numbers and making healthier choices.”
- Listen to your body
It’s important that you listen to your body’s needs, says Jillian, and vary your diet accordingly. “You want to start listening to your body,” she explains. “When you have fruit, does it hold you or are you left hungry in an hour? Are you hungry right through the day? Can you skip meals without feeling it? Listen to your body, it’s that simple. Listen to it, try to make healthier choices and work everything into your daily kilojoule allowance.”
- Make good choices
“Choose wholegrains and not processed grains,” Jillian says. “Wild rice, not white rice. Instead of mashed potato, go for a baked sweet potato. Choose wholegrain bread instead of white bread and fruit instead of fruit juice. Your tastebuds will change. It isn’t hard.”
- Occasional treats are okay
“At the end of the day, if someone says to me, ‘No, I need my white toast and Vegemite,’ I’d say, ‘Fine, but work it into your kilojoules,'” Jillian says. “I’m more lenient in that I don’t believe in anything other than the numbers. So have cheesecake or chocolate, but work it into your kilojoules!”
- Learn to cook
Jillian claims the success of The Biggest Loser contestants lies in their ability to cook their own healthy meals. “It’s very important they take responsibility for themselves,” she states. “Nobody has a personal chef, unless you’re Madonna. Empower yourself and learn how to cook your own food.”
Trans fat or human-made fat
Processed grains in pretzels and pastries
Refined sugar in many foods
White bread, white rice and white pasta
Sweets and chocolate bars
Processed biscuits and chips
Juice
Newsletter conversion description. Get the latest in your inbox.
