That elimination didn’t keep Rebecca down. She is positively thriving at home. With a current weight of 157 pounds, and a new love in her life, Rebecca has become the person she always wanted to be.

Listen now as she tells about her romance with fellow contestant Daniel Wright, a person she says is her best friend. She’ll also talk about who the new Rebecca really is.

While Rebecca’s weight loss story is remarkable, the thing everyone is buzzing about is this relationship with Daniel. She admits she didn’t really like Daniel in the beginning, but by week three the two were building a friendship. Rebecca is a night owl, so she and Daniel would take long walks on the ranch at night to burn extra calories and talk. She says the real turning point came on the Biggest Loser’s Washington, D.C. trip.

But sooner after Daniel was sent home. Once Rebecca returned home, she says they started having five or six hour phone calls, and it was in those calls that Daniel admitted his feelings for her. Since then, “I fell in love with my best friend,” coos Rebecca. The two have been dating for a while and she says they are key parts of each other’s journey.

Today, the couple is making a long distance relationship work, with Rebecca in Iowa and Daniel in North Carolina. She says she gets “gaga” for Daniel, and uses him as a sounding board for food issues or when she just doesn’t want to go to the gym.

You can’t very well tell Rebecca’s at-home story without Daniel, she says the relationship is “pivotal, the most important thing for me.” The two enjoy trying new recipes together, with Rebecca typically manning the kitchen. One of her favorite recipes that she created on the ranch is a vegetable stir-fry. She includes asparagus, broccoli, onions, mushrooms, fresh herbs, garlic and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, and serves that with baked fish topped with herbs and lemon zest.

The two also enjoy pushing one another in the gym. One activity they enjoy is a treadmill interval challenge. They’ll run at an incline of 15 for one minute, then take it all the way down and walk for a minute, then back up to 15 for a minute, and keep doing that until they can’t any more.

It’s this transition to home life that Rebecca says has been the most difficult of the journey. She spent three and a half months away, came home an entirely new person, yet found everything to be exactly the same. She said she re-evaluated the relationships and friendships in her life and makes sure that everything she does fits her new lifestyle.

That new lifestyle also includes completing a half-marathon. “Becky Meyer would never do this,” she says of her old self. Of the new self, “That girl is Rebecca. This person who can achieve what I set my mind to, will be afraid, will possibly fail, and will set out to do things and finish them.” She ran the 13.1 miles in 2:16, and in those two hours evolved into what she calls the girl she always wanted to be.

Rebecca’s got three weeks left to prepare for finale, and make her television debut with beau Daniel. Given that her “ultimate focus is on changing [her] life forever,” Rebecca will no doubt dazzle us all at that final weigh-in.

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Rebecca Meyer – Biggest Loser Elimination Interview

The Biggest Loser prize pack, valued at $286.76, will include:

• 3-month membership to the Biggest Loser Club Online
• 1 Biggest Loser Hand Blender
• 1 Biggest Loser Wii Game
• 1 Biggest Loser DS Game
• 1 Biggest Loser Ultimate Fitness Kit
• 1 Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga DVD
• 1 Biggest Loser Boot Camp DVD
• 1 Biggest Loser Simple Swaps Book
• 1 Biggest Loser Protein

It’s so easy to be eligible to win the drawing:

• Click here to sign-up for any of our free health newsletters, including our weekly Biggest Loser Newsletter
• Click here to post this giveaway on Twitter. (You must be following @dietsinreview to be eligible.)

Stay tuned to Biggest Loser to see the final transformations of this season of contestants. They’ve lost some serious weight and they’re going to blow us all away at the live finale on NBC Tuesday, December 8.

DietsInReview.com will be interviewing the winner and contestants live from the finale stage. Then, we’ll announce the winner of the prize pack in the December 10 Biggest Loser Newsletter.

We want you to become your very own version of the Biggest Loser!

DISCLAIMER: Eligibility requires a Twitter post with DietsInReview.com follow and/or newsletter sign-up by Tuesday, December 8, 2009. One prize package will be sent to one individual drawn at random. The winner will be notified via the email address provided via the newsletter form or their Twitter account. DietsInReview.com is not responsible for lost or stolen packages, nor failed shipments due to user providing an incorrect address. DietsInReview.com may replace the prize with one of equal value if prize is not available; not redeemable for cash.

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The Ultimate Biggest Loser Prize Pack Giveaway

Kimkins Diet Class Action Lawsuit Filed

After years of customer complaints about the health ramifications associated with the Kimkins Diet, a class action lawsuit has been filed in Riverside, California.

Kellogg’s Ends Deceptive Cereal Labeling

After concerns parents were being duped into believing sugar-bomb cereals like Cocoa Krispies are building kid’s immunities, Kellogg’s is ending its over-the-top nutrition claims.

Believe It, Be It by Biggest Loser’s Ali Vincent Releases This Week

Titling her first book after her personal mantra, this Biggest Loser champion and weight loss success story gives an intimate account of how she lost the weight and continues to manage it.

Diet Soda May Cause Kidney Problems

In case you needed one more reason to give up your diet soda habit, now a study reports that the beverage can reduce kidney function.

Michelle Obama on Sesame Street

The first lady launched the 40th season of the iconic children’s show by teaching kids about healthy habits and gardening.

Five Easy Food Swaps to Prevent Diabetes

These five tips involve slashing sugar, saturated and trans fats, and cutting back on calories so you can lose weight and better control your blood sugar levels.

The Tapeworm Diet

This horrifying diet fad was all the buzz this week after Tyra Banks discussed it on her daytime talk show.

New Diet Reviews – Now with more than 1000 published!

• Nu-Kitchen Fresh for NutriSystem
• Green Smoothies Diet
• Why Are You Weighting
• Fast Track Detox Diet
• Clean Food
• Family Fit

New Diet Videos and Diet Slideshows

• Video: Michelle Obama and Elmo Discuss Healthy Habits
• Video: Mike Morelli’s Biggest Loser Recap – Week 9
• Slideshow: Daniel Wright’s Biggest Loser Journey
• Slideshow: Shay Sorrell’s Biggest Loser Journey

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Weight Loss News in Review – Week of November 8

The Biggest Loser Gift Card is an easier to way for you to either join the club, or offer this life changing program to someone you love. You’ll receive two $25 gift cards, each good for a one-month membership. Keep them both for yourself, or find a weight loss partner and you can join together.

The Biggest Loser Club gives everyone access to the diet and fitness information that you thought was only available to the contestants. You’ll learn about the Biggest Loser Diet, the Biggest Loser Workout, have the option to interact with the show’s experts, connect with other members, build customized meal planners and workout programs, and keep track of your progress in your personal journal. Plus, it’s all completely online so no matter where you are, the plan goes with you.

These cards are only available in stores, like Target.

Learn more about Biggest Loser Club or join online today!

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Biggest Loser Club Gift Cards

Now, Shay tells us that no matter how many times she fell below, you’re still never prepared to leave the ranch. And Daniel explains in leaving the ranch for the second time he’s now more focused on the emotional barriers in front of him.

They were the likeliest team of two this season. When Daniel asked Shay to join him in forming the orange team, it was instantly a perfect match. Only a few months before was Daniel in Shay’s shoes, even though her 476 pound initial weight was only about 20 pounds more than Daniel’s season 7 initial weight of 454.

While Shay set a record in week nine by reaching a 100 pound weight loss faster than any other female in the show’s history, she conceded that “the ranch is not the reality.” In nine weeks she lost 100 pounds, and at home it’s taken her three times as long to lose 54. It’s extremely difficult at home she admits, balancing her weight loss with two jobs, family and kids. For Shay, it’s all about making the sometimes difficult choices to move forward and continuing to lose the additional hundred-plus pounds in front of her. They go to the park instead of a movie, and she swapped her ice cream habit for frozen yogurt or peanut butter and jelly Lara Bars.

Daniel said it was at finale when he was approached by producers to come back to the ranch to be a part of season eight. They told him filming would start in three days, and he said “absolutely!”. His struggle this time around was different though; this time he was able to run and and he could work harder, but he had to dig deep into the emotional issues that had brought him here in the first place so that he could keep this weight off for life. Daniel says during season seven he was fighting for a chance to stay alive, and in season eight he had to decide how deep he could really go to stay healthy.

As Daniel and Shay move forward with their tremendous weight loss (Shay down to 322 and Daniel down to 224), they each share one other important thing: being role models. Daniel says the experience is both weird and amazing, and calls it “an absolutely incredible feeling” that people have taken their victories and applied them to their own lives. Shay recalls that Daniel was her role model while watching season seven, and that she never thought her story would impact others. But she says they’re showing other 500-pound people that it’s not hopeless or impossible, when it is entirely possible to do this without taking drastic measures.

Shay reminded that half a million people applied for Biggest Loser 8, and 16 were chosen. She says “Don’t wait for next season. What if there is no next season?” That’s why Shay has started the “100 Pound Down Club” on Facebook, and she’s telling everyone “It’s possible, whether it takes nine weeks or nine years!”

Sign-up for the Biggest Loser Newsletter!

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Shay Sorrells and Daniel Wright – Biggest Loser Elimination Interview

DietsInReview.com had the opportunity to speak with Ali just moments after her victory, in which she continually said to us “Believe It, Be It.” It’s a personal mantra Ali used to drive herself during the competition, and today, it’s the title of her first book.

Believe It, Be It: How Being the Biggest Loser Won Me Back My Life releases today, and shares her very personal story of going from an all-time low point in her life before Biggest Loser, to feeling on top and regaining the life she so desired.

In the book we’re reminded of Ali’s personal journey, and one that is completely relatable. She was overweight, unhappy, stressed and ashamed. When Biggest Loser came along, she embarked on a transformation that won her a title and her life back. Ali shares a rarely seen look at her true story, as well as a look behind the scenes at the Biggest Loser ranch where she made it happen.

Ali also shares with readers the healthy eating habits and workout plan that have helped her keep off more than 100 pounds from her original weight.

It’s a motivating story that will move anyone to make the changes in their lives to be happier and healthier. You just have to believe it, to be it!

To learn more about Vincent’s book, here is DietInReview.com’s complete review of Believe It, Be It.

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Believe It, Be It by Biggest Loser’s Ali Vincent Releases Today

Although, when did food become age appropriate? That’s exactly what author Nancy Tringali Piho is asking and arguing in her newly released book My Two-Year-Old Eats Octopus: Raising Children who Love to Eat Everything.

I positively loved this book, and as an expectant mom, thought it should become a must-read for every expecting parent. The book introduced ideas that I hadn’t yet thought of, made me think about issues that I hadn’t paid too much attention to, and even justified some of the expectations I have for feeding my child-to-be.

Piho spent her career working in PR and marketing for the food industry, so she’s well-versed in what it is “they” are selling to us, and trying to convince us that our children need. The book is really a quick and enjoyable read that includes anecdotal quotes from chefs, parents and celebrities about the task of feeding their children, including Piho who boasts about how her two young sons have an appreciation for food rarely seen in children. More important, My Two-Year-Old Eats Octopus breaks down the task of introducing our children to the world of solid foods in a way that will cause them to be excellent eaters as a child and grow to have an appreciation for food throughout life.

The book is filled with a candid humor and uses that to draw you in to the more serious conversation the author wants to have with you as the reader. And it really does feel that way, like having a conversation. Piho never attempts to be some all-mighty expert, instead she explains that she’s a mother with food industry experience and a bit of a foodie who has found this disconnect between how we’re feeding our children and teaching them about the quality, importance and benefits of food.

Highlights of My Two-Year-Old Eats Octopus include:

• What Piho calls the Big Three. Piho explains that the American children’s diet contains too much fat, sugar and sodium, what she refers to as the Big Three throughout the book. She discusses how the diet rich in packaged foods influences the growing childhood obesity trend and repeatedly offers ways to avoid and reduce them in your child’s diet, like sticking to fresh foods.

• Make your own baby food. I found this to be one of the most valuable sections of the book. Piho discusses the limited palate American babies have, blamed on the baby food industry for offering only a limited variety of foods. In other countries baby food comes in black beans, lamb, papaya and broccoli, as well as a host of other flavors our babies never experience because they aren’t considered local favorites. She shares a taste-test wherein several flavors from different baby food brands are tried and found to have zero resemblance to the real food, not to mention a lot of sugar and sodium. No wonder our kids hate vegetables! She espouses the many benefits of preparing your own baby food at home, as it gives you better control over the food your baby will eat, will save money, and help your baby’s palate develop.

• No kid foods! That means kids eat what you eat. They learn table manners, how to appreciate the meal that is prepared for them, how to dine out at a restaurant, and much more. Plus, your child will enjoy a broader variety of foods and be far less likely to be a persnickety eater, making both of your lives easier.

Get your copy of My Two-Year-Old Eats Octopus today, released November 1, 2009.

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My Two-Year-Old Eats Octopus Teaches Balanced Eating for Kids

That’s why we’re sharing our favorite healthy holiday recipes in our first cookbook. The DietsInReview.com Holiday Cookbook is available from TasteBook and features 25 recipes that offer all the traditional flavors of the season, with less of the guilt, fat and calories.

Inside this colorful hardback cookbook we’re sharing appetizers, desserts, entrees and sides that will help you set a healthier scene as you and your family gather to give thanks and celebrate the season. These recipes are ideal for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other winter event.

And since it comes from TasteBook, you can add up to 75 more of your own family favorites and personalize each recipe page to create a one-of-a-kind holiday cookbook.

Order your DietsInReview.com Holiday Cookbook to start preparing healthy recipes yourself, or share the gift of wholesome food with a loved one. The book comes with 25 DietsInReview.com recipes, plus credits to add 75 pages of your own, for $34.95.

Visit TasteBook now to preview the cookbook and order.

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DietsInReview.com’s Holiday Cookbook Shares Healthy Recipes

Michelle Obama will be featured in a segment with four young children and introduce the idea of vegetable gardening. She’ll show them, and Big Bird, how planting seeds in the ground will yield fresh, healthy vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce.

Last week Michelle Obama announced childhood obesity as one of the issues she would focus on, and Sesame Street is a fitting place to share that message, encouraging young children to eat a balanced diet that includes many vegetables.

It’s also fitting segment as the first lady introduced the first White House vegetable garden since Eleanor Roosevelt. A recent episode of Biggest Loser showed contestants harvesting vegetables from that garden to make a delicious and fresh White House Salad.

Tune-in for a blast of nostalgia, or with your kids and introduce a new generation to this iconic children’s show that has taught the ABCs and 123s to a global audience for nearly half a century.

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Tune In: Michelle Obama on Sesame Street

November is Diabetes Awareness Month

DietsInReview.com will be providing you with even more information about how to prevent and manage this disease all this month. Plus, look for articles each Friday from the American Diabetes Association.

Top Three Ways to Prevent Diabetes

Our dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield explains how diet, exercise and weight loss can all help you prevent and reverse a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

Learn more about Diabetes.

Self Magazine’s Healthiest and Unhealthiest Citites

Our health and wellness editor Heather Ashare interviews Self’s Sara Austin to learn more about the survey that identified Burlington, VT as the healthiest city and Tulsa, OK as the most unhealthy city for women in the U.S.

Michelle Obama Spotlights Childhood Obesity Epidemic

The first lady is making childhood obesity one of the items of focus on her agenda.

Kirstie Alley’s New Weight Loss Reality Show

As the actress continues to battle her weight, missing a bikini goal on Oprah this week, she’s going to embark on a journey to lose it on a new show on A&E in 2010.

How to Dine Out: Italian Food

Trying to lose weight, but can’t resist your favorite Italian restaurant? Don’t worry, we’ve got tips you can use when ordering to keep calories in check and satisfaction high.

5 Healthiest Breakfast Foods

Get the most out of this most important meal of the entire day!

10 Tips for Achieving Successful Weight Loss

Trainer Matt Johnson says it really is as easy as eating right and exercising. Plus a few other things like drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep.

New Diet Reviews – Now with more than 1000!

• Check-out our Chief Mom’s in-depth review of the Diet to Go meal delivery service.

New Diet Videos and Diet Slideshows

• Video: Mike Morelli’s Biggest Loser Recap – Week 8
• Video: Jillian Michaels Casting Call
• Video: Biggest Loser’s Tracey Yukich with Jay Leno’s Ross the Intern
• Slideshow: Tracey Yukich’s Biggest Loser Journey
• Slideshow: Girl Scout Cookies Nutrition Facts

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Weight Loss News in Review – Week of November 1