It is not surprising that Jamie chose to start his revolution in a school, given his experience in his own country with Jamie’s Ministry of Food. His first day in the school, Jamie observed and asked questions. As he toured the school kitchen, Jamie stated that many restaurants in England would be jealous of the space and equipment they had, and was shocked to learn that the ovens were used primarily for reheating and rarely for cooking. As he had to ask the cooks to identify the food they serve school children, Jamie said in an aside that children in South Africa are getting better food than American school children. Despite the defensiveness and dissent of the cooks, Jamie remains positive and focuses on their strengths. Right as I was thinking how upsetting the entire situation was, Jamie said that he felt like crying.

Jamie also chose one family to work with closely. He and the mother prepared all the food the family consumes in a week, taking up the entire kitchen! The most utilized tool in the kitchen was the deep fryer, which they buried in a ceremony kicking off their commitment to healthier food. One of the children confided in Jamie that he has been teased at school and really wants a change. Jamie offered him individual cooking classes and showed him how to prepare a pasta and salad meal for the entire family, cooking from raw ingredients. Jamie left the family with a menu for the week of inexpensive, fast, and easy meals.

After learning about USDA rules and guidelines, Jamie was allowed to try to prepare school meals that meet budget and dietary restrictions. As they returned to the kitchen, the vivid colors of the fresh vegetables were noticeable immediately. Jamie prepared chicken and rice while the cooks looked on with disgusted faces. The children were given the choice of Jamie’s chicken or pizza reared by the school cooks; unfortunately, the majority of the children chose the processed food.

The one hour preview ends with Jamie directly addressing the negative press that he was receiving in Huntington and trying to assure those with whom he was working of his sincerity, caring, and respect. When alone, Jamie becomes emotional and his sincerity and caring are clear to the audience.

I am looking forward to the two hour premier on Friday and watching each week. Jamie is enjoyable and entertaining to watch, and he is providing excellent education. Many admit that they eat things they should not while watching the Biggest Loser, but I would guess that it will be difficult to eat processed, unhealthy food while watching Food Revolution. I hope you tune in with me!

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Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Sneak Preview

Ruby attended another one of her regular “Women’s Fat Night,” this time with special guest Tennie McCarthy, founder and CEO of Shades of Hope, a counselor who brings up the pattern of heavy women who eat as a way to fill a void for those who lacked a healthy relationship with their fathers. This was pretty evident in the women who attended the meeting. McCarthy refers to it as “Father Hunger.”

Next, Ruby meets up with Ron, her private investigator who she hired to help find the mysterious “Dr. Duke” from her childhood. In a previous Ruby recap, a commenter on our blog, who claimed to be a relative of hers, mentioned that his name is actually Dr. Dukes. The mistake is corrected in this week’s show, as Ron says that he has found him, and that he is not actually a doctor, but a physician’s assistant… and his name is Dukes.

Ruby mustered up the nerve to call Mr. Dukes, and he answers the phone. The purpose of the call was to see if Dukes could give her any clues as to why she has blocked out her early childhood memories. The phone call leads to a conversation that brings all kinds of emotion to the surface. But, instead of speaking about his suspicions over the phone, Dukes preferred to talk in person.

The show veers back and fourth between the Dukes story line and Ruby’s concerns about her nightmares. When she gets to the sleep clinic, she gets nervous about being wired up for her study, but reluctantly gives in.

I don’t fully understand the dynamic of the relationship between Mr. Dukes and Ruby’s family, but Ruby’s mother opened up more than normal when the three of them sat down to discuss the past. Ruby’s mom admits to having suicidal thoughts when Ruby was a child. Plus, they discuss how Ruby’s mother was feeding her to make her unattractive to men. All signs of what should end up being a pretty devastating secret… if they ever get to the bottom of it.

The show wraps up by tying the results of Ruby’s sleep analysis and her repressed memories. The doctor from the sleep clinic says that her night terrors may be a sign of a major trauma from her past. And, Ruby’s therapist recommends that she takes part in a 12-week program. That’s where we end up this week, so you will have to wait until next Sunday to see if anything from Ruby’s past is finally revealed.

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Ruby Recap Season 3 Episode 5: Digging Further into the Past

We want you to join in the fun by creating your own ‘My Big Life Workout iMix’, since a good playlist can be the motivation to get up and move in your own living room or at the gym.

Win a $30 iTunes Gift Card!

Creating and sharing an iMix playlist is easy and free, and we’ll show you how below. Make a ‘My Big Life Workout iMix’, share a link to it in the comments below and tell us why this mix makes you move. One participant will be eligible to win a $30 iTunes Gift Card, courtesy of A&E Home Entertainment. The winner’s iMix will also be shared via A&E’s Facebook and Twitter. Winner will be selected 3/22/10.

iMix Instructions

iTunes users can easily create an iMix playlist by dragging and dropping songs from their iTunes Library. Once they create a selection, they’ll just have to name it ‘My Big Life Workout iMix’, put it in the Sport iMix group and publish it. When the playlist is published it can be shared on the Web. For more, read the iMix instructions page.

Kirstie Alley’s Big Life Preview

Check-out the trailer for Kirstie Alley’s Big Life and see what we’re all in for.

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Make a ‘My Big Life Workout iMix’ for Kirstie Alley’s Big Life Premiere

Sherry started at the ranch weighing 218 pounds and boasted a sunny disposition that she maintained throughout the competition. If anything, it only got brighter with each pound she lost. She says her elimination wasn’t really as a surprise. Speaking to concerns about ageism on the ranch, Sherry said that she and fellow contestant and mom Cheryl George (the two have become great friends) had discussed the topic and knew the younger players would stick together.

Listen Now:

Nicknamed “Little Mama” by trainer Jillian Michaels and “Mama Sherry” by her fellow black team members, Sherry stepped into a motherly role for many of those younger players who would eventually vote her off the ranch. When Stephanie and Sam began “dating” in week three, she said she offered friendly advice to not forget the reasons she was at the ranch and said that Stephanie was appreciative.

But her number one charge was 27-year-old daughter Ashley. During week nine Ashley confessed that she was struggling with constant concern over her mother’s well being, a burden she took on after the passing of her father. Sherry said “As a mom I don’t want to hold her back,” and was surprised to see how responsible Ashley felt for her. She was confident that after she left Ashley would be able to thrive.

Sherry wasted no time in returning to her normal life at home. Within a day or two she was back to her full-time job, and quickly realized the pressure to fit in the workouts, food planning and work. “It really can be done if you make a strong effort to do it,” she said. And seeing that she was down to the 130s in her “Where Are They Now” segment, she’s clearly made the effort.

She continues to live at home like she did on the ranch. She wakes up at 4:30 a.m. for a 5:00 a.m. bootcamp, then returns home to get ready for work. After work she gets in another workout. And it’s clear in speaking with her that her diet and food intake continues to be a priority she isn’t slacking on any time soon. Sherry maintains the “clean eating” habits she learned on the ranch. She says this means looking at what she eats, staying on task, reading food labels and watching the ingredients closely.

“Don’t put anything in your mouth that you don’t know what is in it,” season seven’s Tara Costa told her. And it’s good advice she adheres to.

When she finds herself in a rare moment where she just has to have something “bad,” she has one bite and says that is satisfying. “I’ve worked too hard,” Sherry says, and she isn’t willing to throw it away on an entire candy bar or pizza.

If it weren’t living up to her own expectations, you might say that the winning legacy of being on the pink team was keeping her in line. Sherry said they were “excited and proud to be picked to be the pink team” for this season. Like many of her predecssors (Ali Vincent and Michelle Aguilar), Sherry says you’ll see her wearing pink every day.

As she’s quickly working her way back down to the size five dress she wore on her wedding day, Sherry says “I feel like I did in my 20s… that’s exciting!”

Due to technical issues we were unable to record today’s interview.

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Sherry Johnston’s Biggest Loser Elimination Interview

Now that Daris George’s mother is gone, he is going to have the opportunity to really grow up and shine. You can see just how much his mother meant to him, but with her being eliminated he will have to face the rest of his journey alone.

The contestants are faced with a pop challenge where they are put to the test of recognizing different calorie and nutritional information on different types of food. The blue team wins a spa day at the Four Seasons hotel which proves to be a much needed stay away from the ranch. The black team loses and is forced to clean the kitchen and gym.

Alison reveals to the contestants that this week’s main challenge is to cook for Curtis Stone. Each team must pick a total of twelve ingredients and put together an appetizer, entree, and dessert. The contestants will be graded by Curtis for taste, caloric value, and overall health factor of each dish. The black team wins giving them a five-pound advantage at this week’s weigh in.

The weigh in this week proves difficult for the black team as they pull lower numbers. Alison tells the blue team they must lose more than 45 pounds to win. Koli Palu hits a major milestone reaching under 300 pounds and it seems to be an emotional victory for everyone watching. With the black team losing the weigh in, Sherry Johnston is sent home.

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Biggest Loser Recap Season 9 Episode 9 with Amanda Arlauskas

“Yes, NBC has finally lost their minds and decided to give me my own show,” posted the trainer on her Facebook page last fall.

The premise of the show will be a grand departure from what you’ve seen on Biggest Loser, as Jillian will move in with a different family each week. In an almost immersion therapy-like atmosphere, Jillian will be at home, go to work and school and be involved in every other facet of the family’s lives for a week helping them gain control of their health through diet and exercise.

In our interview with Jillian last fall about Losing It, she told us she was tired of hearing from Biggest Loser fans that the weight loss would be easy enough if they could make it to the ranch. So, Jillian and the producers alleviated that problem. “We’re telling people, we’ll come to you and teach you how to be healthy,” she says.

Another Biggest Loser fixture, chef Curtis Stone, will also be a frequent guest on Losing It. Jillian called him a “natural and obvious choice” to help her work with the families in areas she may not be an expert. Other guests will tackle issues like finances.

The June 1 premiere of Losing It with Jillian will air at 10/9c, and move to a permanent time of 9/8c on June 8. There are eight episodes scheduled.

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Losing It with Jillian Premieres June 1

The pamphlet sparked a memory of a teen girl named Christina that Ruby met at a weight loss camp. This girl was so damaged by the ribbing she took by her peers that she dropped out of school and began being home-schooled.

So, Ruby recruits Christina to enter the pageant, which is in Texas, as a way to boost her self-esteem and get her out of her shell. There’s a short conversation to convince her to enter. But, when Ruby said she’d come too, Christina instantly acted more open to the idea.

Ruby and Anthony (who occasionally comes across as a pompous jerk) proceed to give Christina a makeover before the trip to Texas. After some frustration in finding the right clothes for the pageant, they finally settle on the line that will be used in the show.

The rehearsals for the pageant got off to a rocky start, as Christina was having a hard time with the dance steps and walking in heels, something she’s never experienced on her own. But, Ruby cracked her whip (in a loving way, of course), and got Christina through it. She also showed off her strong influence by getting Anthony, who was opposed to going, to give in and head down for the pageant.

Christina was thrown to the wolves, having to find a way to feel confident about herself, through a business interview, a runway tryout, and whatever else goes on in beauty pageants. She has the hardest time adjusting to high heels walking down the catwalk.

Ruby starts to walk the fine line between motherly support and overbearing beauty pageant mom. But, she does make light of this by referring to herself as a “crazy mentor.” There were some tense moments when Christina was walking in her formal wear that seemed so close to snagging under her heels. But, she passed with flying colors.

The show’s finale is the announcement of the five finalists… and Christina makes it in third. Anthony redeems himself a bit too, showing that he’s not quite as cold as he came off at the start of the show when he applauds Christina for her transformation.

But, the best outcome was that Christina decided to go back to school for her senior year.

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Ruby Recap Season 3 Episode 4: The Beauty Pageant

Dr. Oz will discuss natural ways to reduce the effects of aging and he congratulates Devin for her “good idea” when it comes to aging and health. Devin will also be sharing her scrumptious recipe for a healthier take on Chicken Parmesan.

Devin is the author of several healthier cookbooks, including “The Most Decadent Diet Ever,” the “Biggest Loser Cookbook,” a New York Times Bestseller, and the just-released “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Fattening.”

Devin is currently hosting the Cook At Home Challengehere at DietsInReview.com, through April 9.

Check your local listings for exact show times.

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Tune In: Devin Alexander on The Dr. Oz Show

Julie struggled with her weight her entire life and reached a high of 321 pounds, but it wasn’t until her mother was diagnosed with cancer that she decided to make a change.

After doing research and learning that being morbidly obese increases your risk of cancer, Julie committed herself to Weight Watchers and their Lose for Good campaign. The 32-year-old has since lost 164 pounds, and she tells Rachael the most important thing she gained from the program.

Plus, Trudie Styler, activist, mom and wife of Sting comes by to introduce you to her new yoga DVD. Warrior Yoga, covers a sequence of movements from the Ashtanga yoga practice.

Check your local listings for show times.

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Tune In: Amazing Weight Loss Stories on the Rachael Ray Show

From what you might be eating for breakfast to how you manage stress, these seven health habits might be taking years off of your life.

Plus, Dr. Oz introduces audience members to an obese man whose weight is putting him at serious risk for an early death.

Previous Dr. Oz guest, Rocco, who was in the same position just a few short months ago, stops by to help this young man kick-start Dr. Oz’s 28-Day Plan. The plan is a lifestyle weight loss program that focuses on a plant-based diet as well as regular exercise and stress-reduction strategies.

Check your local listings for show times.

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Tune In: Seven Deadly Health Habits on The Dr. Oz Show