From Health magazine
Meet three women who followed a personalized Biggest Loser plan via the show's online companion (www.biggestloserclub.com)—and have impressive weight-loss stats to show for it.
Tricia Milligan
Age: 37 Lost 45 pounds in 11 months "I never approached this as a diet, with a beginning and an end," Milligan says. "It was a lifestyle change." She loads up on salad before enjoying portion-controlled favorites like lasagna and puts a small serving of snacks like chips into a bowl instead of mindlessly dipping into the bag.
Heather Schmidt
Age: 32 Lost 80 pounds in 8 months Surprisingly, snacking on cookies, chocolate, and ice cream helped Schmidt lose her weight. "The fact that small treats were part of my daily eating plan helped me stick with it," she says.
Theresa Pucket
Age: 38 Lost 80 pounds in 11 months Pucket documented her weight-loss progress with monthly pictures she'd post in her bathroom. "Sometimes it's hard to notice a difference on a daily basis. Those photos were great motivators," she says.
Next Page: How to Eat Like the Biggest Loser [ pagebreak ]
How to Eat Like the Biggest Loser
Make an ice cream substitute by mixing cottage cheese until it's nice and creamy. Then add some almond extract or chopped-up almonds. Freeze, and eat.
Pour salad dressing into its bottle top instead of directly onto your salad to keep portions in check. A capful is 1 tablespoon.
At a restaurant, eat only part of your dessert, then put pepper on what's left (discreetly).
Speak up: Request that the chef saute with cooking spray instead of butter. It's the restaurant's job to make you happy.
Next Page: More Secrets From The Biggest Loser [ pagebreak ]
More Secrets From The Biggest Loser
The Biggest Loser's Alison Sweeney knows about weight-loss struggle—and success. She'd tried dozens of crazy diets through the years, "even starving myself—quite literally—and then after a few days of that, bingeing on bowls of ice cream," she says. When she changed her goal from being "superthin to superhealthy," she dropped four dress sizes and kept it off even after having a baby. Here's what she does.
If a workout feels like drudgery, she doesn't force it. Sweeney fell in love with Tae Bo when she first started losing weight. Now she keeps workouts interesting by hiking and playing racquetball with her husband.
She doesn't deprive herself of the carbs she loves, but goes for healthy whole-grain ones. Her favorites: oatmeal, a baked sweet potato, or brown rice.
Her secret weapon? Strength-training, once she got the hang of it. Even if you've been at it a while, set up a session with a personal trainer to have her take a look at your form and make sure you're not cheating here and there.