There’s a new face on the Biggest Loser ranch, but not one you’re likely to see very often. While her handiwork is witnessed throughout the season, we rarely get to see her teaching the nutritional skills the contestants rely on. Meet Rachel Beller, MS, RD, the new nutrition expert for Biggest Loser. She’s filling a position vacated by Cheryl Forberg, RD at the end of season 12, the co-creator of the current Biggest Loser diet.

“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” she told us, saying there aren’t any plans to change the Biggest Loser diet. It’s certainly not in need of change, since the plan,  based on the program outlined in 6 Weeks to a Healthier You written by Forberg, was recognized as the best diet for weight loss and diabetes by US News and World Reports last week. “We at Biggest Loser are so pleased to receive top ratings from so many of the world’s leading nutrition experts who served as judges,” Michael Dansinger, MD, the Biggest Loser Nutrition Doctor and co-author of the plan, told us. “There are many great eating strategies for maintaining or regaining great health and we are proud to be among the very top of a very important list.”

So far Beller calls her new job “a lot of fun and very hands-on.” She has an impressive background in nutrition, coming to the ranch from her own Beller Nutritional Institute, where she translates clinical research into real-world results. Dr. Dansinger, her new colleague, had this to say about Beller: “Rachel is a nationally recognized nutritional authority who knows how to motivate people to be the best they can be. She knows that good nutrition is the best medicine and has a special way about her that helps people gain clarity and perspective about the importance of healthy eating.”
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In yesterday’s announcement from US News and World Report’s Best Diets 2012, Biggest Loser took two top spots. Yes, the diet often bashed by critics for what they “see” on TV and not necessarily what they’ve researched received high honors.

First, the list tied Biggest Loser with DASH Diet, also named 2012′s best diet, as the Best Diabetes Diet. Then, it was ranked number two, behind Weight Watchers, as one of the Best Weight-Loss Diets.

The review, completed by a volunteer team of 22 renowned experts, ranked Biggest Loser based almost entirely on the plan outlined in the book Biggest Loser’s 6 Weeks to a Healthier You. Cheryl Forberg, RD was the original co-author, along with Dr. Michael Dansinger, and the author of this book.

“I am thrilled that this review was based mostly on my 6 Weeks to a Healthier You book, which has the most comprehensive and solid science on the plan as well as the ingredients selections,” she told us after hearing the news.

Forberg was the primary dietitian on the show, working with each contestant behind the scenes since season one. Late last year, at the end of season 12, she announced she was leaving Biggest Loser to pursue other work, including growing her Flavor First brand.

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US News and World Report made its Best Diets 2012 announcement today. The list by the high profile news magazine started last year, with Weight Watchers taking the top spot.

Released today, DASH Diet gets the highest marks on the list, being named the best overall diet. We wouldn’t disagree. In fact, our resident pharmacist and diabetes specialist, Dr. Sarah G. Khan, wrote in November that the DASH Diet is an ideal weight loss plan for diabetics. “The DASH diet consists of lowering sodium intake to less than 2400 mg per day, eating fresh fruits and vegetables and carbohydrate sources coming from whole grains,” wrote Dr. Khan. “It also includes proteins coming from lean meats, fish and chicken, and moderate amounts of fats such as olive oil and nuts.” Dr. Khan also notes endorsements for the diet from the American Heart Association, The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and the Mayo Clinic.

DASH wasn’t the only program getting high praise and attention today.

The US News and World Report Best Diets 2012 also breaks the diets down in to multiple categories, naming the best diets for weight loss, heart health, diabetes, and even the easiest to follow.

The Best Diets 2012 list is as follows.
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By Dani M. Stone

Lauren Lee is a big fan of Biggest Loser. She and her mother and fellow yellow team contestant, Gail Lee, watch every season and root for the winners. This season, they make up one of three parent/child teams on Biggest Loser 13 and they’ll need to root for each other when they’re not competing against each other. Spoiler alert: That’s this season’s shocking twist.

Lauren, 26, is a highly educated young woman from Poolesville, Maryland. She studied hard for years, receiving a bachelor’s degree in adult fitness from Marshall University, and a master’s degree in exercise science with an emphasis on cardiac rehabilitation. Though she’s proud of her education, she admits her studies kept her from eating right and exercising, which led to a significant weight gain in college. She regrets missing out on typical fun college shenanigans because she was self-conscious about her weight and even turned down dates because she just couldn’t find anything to wear.

Her motivation for trying out for Biggest Loser 13 was to help her mom get in shape, but at 246 pounds she knows she could also benefit from weight loss, healthy lifestyle changes, and all the advice and support the ranch has to offer. She knows if she can get in shape, her mind and body will finally be in sync and it will help her considerably with her occupation as an exercise physiologist.

Lauren knows there will always be temptations like vanilla ice cream (her favorite), or her parent’s homemade macaroni and cheese, but she’s committed to learning how to enjoy unhealthy food in moderation and learn to make healthy choices a part of her everyday lifestyle. Lauren looks forward to she and her mother both losing weight so they can be active as a family. She would also like to run a marathon and learn how to hang-glide. Wonder if mom will join her for THAT adventure?

By Dani M. Stone

Gail Lee’s epiphany for weight loss didn’t result from a particular incident or reading of a motivational poster. Instead, she had a heart-to-heart talk with her oldest daughter Lindsay, who shared how worried she was about Gail’s health. At 57-years old, 322 pounds, and on medication for diabetes, her family worried she might not be around to enjoy her husband of 32 years, her three children, and only granddaughter. Gail realized her family was right and now is happy to join her other daughter Lauren Lee as the yellow team on Biggest Loser 13.

Growing up in Bowling Green, Maryland with a younger brother, Gail survived polio and went on to have a happy, healthy childhood. By age 12 she was tall, just shy of six-feet tall, and though she wasn’t obese, she still felt self-conscious about her overall size. Gail attended Bowling Green State University with a triple major in special education, learning disabilities, and elementary education. She remained in good shape through college but after marriage and three pregnancies the weight started to slowly creep on.
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