On April 15, 2008 Ali Vincent made history when she became the first female to win NBC’s hit weight loss reality show Biggest Loser. Ali had entered season five of Biggest Loser weighing 234 pounds, and was eliminated during the fourth week of competition. In a twist of fate that reality shows are known for, Ali returned in the final weeks of the season, having lost more weight at home than her fellow eliminated contestants. With that she re-entered the game and instantly became a competitor. At the season finale, Ali walked on to the stage looking like a knock-out in a dress in her trademark hot pink. And when she walked on the scale that final time, it showed she’d lost 112 pounds to become the season’s winner.
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.
When I was growing up, one of the many mantras in our house was “This is not a restaurant, you’ll eat what I fix for dinner or go to bed hungry.” That meant from the time I went off the bottle until I moved to college I ate what was served for dinner. I had meatloaf, tuna casserole, spaghetti, hamburgers, or anything else my mom decided to fix that night, like it or not. We never had any kid food, you know, the food that is served to the kids but not the adults. Grilled cheese, hot dogs and chicken nuggets are staples in the American child’s diet, while mom and dad prepare something more age appropriate for themselves.
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.
As a dietitian, I am well aware of where people get their health information. By and large, people search the Internet, read blogs (like this one), watch the news, and read books and magazines. There is no shortage of information available and books especially seem to carry a layer of credibility. That’s why I think it is crucial that when I find a book I love, I need to shout it from the rooftops! The Biggest Loser Simple Swaps, by the show’s dietitian and chef Cheryl Forberg, is one such book. In this post, I’ll share why you should run (not walk) to pick up your copy today.
When most of us think of eating disorders, an image of a teen-aged girl or young woman enters into our minds: Sallow complexion, hollowed eyes, noodle-like arms, stick legs. We’ve all ”seen” her. But what about closing your eyes and envisioning a grown man, and not a gangly and lanky one, but rather an overweight gentleman who has battled bulimia, binge-eating disorder, laxative abuse, nighttime eating and an almost dangerous inherited love of food.
In fact, it was precisely the excess pounds and passion for food that landed author of Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater, Frank Bruni, a job as the restaurant critic for The New York Times. In his nakedly honest memoir, Bruni chronicles his life as not just one of the most respected (and feared) food critics in the country, but also as a voracious eater whose relationship with food rendered him powerless over anything from convenience store eats to Chinese food delivery.
How many times have we said this to ourselves: “If only I could lose 10 pounds, then I would be happy,” or “I can never be truly happy as long as my back continues to hurt.”
What it takes to be happy may not be a consequent of losing weight or having a pain-free lumbar spine, but rather, making the choice to be a happy person irrespective of weight or pain may determine just how healthy we can be.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Rick Foster, one of the co-authors of Happiness & Health. Rick and fellow author Greg Hicks discuss their breakthrough research and findings on what it takes to find the two things we covet most in life: Happiness and Health. Rick and Greg are also the authors of the bestselling and international sensation How We Choose to Be Happy.
Continue reading to see the interview.
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