As the countdown to season five of NBC’s Biggest Loser begins, we thought we’d catch up with two of the contestants. Neill and Amanda Harmer make up the white team on the first time Biggest Loser Couples season. The Oklahoma City couple has been married for three years, they have a two-year old son and say they’ve both battled their weight most of their lives.

I was fortunate enough to catch up with Neill and Amanda a few days before the big premiere. And I’m glad that I did. If you haven’t already made a decision on which of the ten teams you’re going to cheer for- I think the Harmers should be a top choice. They are so genuinely down to earth, have a captivating sense of humor and are truly in Biggest Loser to win. You can tell that above being a devoted married couple, they are the best of friends.

Be sure to tune into NBC this coming Tuesday night, January 1 at 7 p.m CST to watch the Harmers and the other couples on Biggest Loser’s premiere. You can follow along right here at Diets in Review for weekly episode updates. We plan on catching up with Neill and Amanda at the season’s finale to chat about the things that were hush-hush during this interview.
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Nearly everyone over the age of 30 starts their quest for the Fountain of Youth. To a large extent, the effects of aging are inevitable. Are there measures you can take to counter some of those issues brought on by Father Time? Sure.

There is one simple thing you can do. Before you go out and buy expensive creams and lotions, consider this list compiled by New York Times writer Natasha Singer. Simple common sense, like washing your face, can do wonders.

We’re very excited at Diets In Review to welcome our newest contributor to the Diet Column, as well as a new expert voice behind those reviews you’ve come to depend on. Heather Ashare joins us this week. Heather is a writer specializing in nutrition, wellness and health. She received a Masters degree in public health from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Michigan. Heather has written for a number of health publications and magazines around the country including The Detroit News, NY Spirit and Smart Woman Chicago magazines.

Heather has also been a dedicated practitioner and instructor of Ashtanga yoga for the past six years. She has also been studying Ayurveda medicine, the ancient form of Indian health and healing for the past three years and edited the book “The Power to Heal” which is an introduction to Ayurveda.

She currently lives with her boyfriend and their daughter in Michigan.

Welcome, Heather.

How much cardio is too much cardio? It’s a question of personal interest. Not that I’ve been hitting the treadmill every day. But, I evidently overdid it on the eliptical machine a couple weeks back.

Back being the operative word.

My lower back has been tense and sore ever since my cardio routine of a couple Saturdays ago. I attribute it to maybe too light on the stretching and a little too much on what was a new machine for me.

Anyway, back to the initial question.

A reader asks MSNBC Contributing Editor Jacqueline Stenson how much is too much.

Proponents of eating raw food, take note. A new Italian study shows that cooking veggies doesn’t always render them nutritiously inferior. The study found that raw vegetables were packed with antioxidants. But that after cooking them, the results were mixed. Some lost antioxidants, while others surprisingly gained them!