Allison Fishman, left, of Cook Yourself Thin with co-stars Harry Eastwood and Candice Kumai.

For those of you who have been tuning in everyday at 5 p.m. to watch Allison, Harry and Candice on Cook Yourself Thin concoct delectable and low-calorie eats, you need to start watching earlier. The show recently changed its air time to 8 a.m. ET, but Lifetime didn’t do the best job at alerting the show’s loyal fan base of this new shift in schedule.

The good news is that you can still learn how to whip up low-fat, low-cal and nutritious recipes from these culinary experts, but you may have to alter your morning routine or your set your DVR to watch them.

If you missed an episode, Lifetime has all of the previous aired shows available on their website to watch. You can also catch our interview with Allison Fishman and try the Cook Yourself Thin Frosted Vanilla Cupcakes recipe in the mean time.

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Lifetime’s Cook Yourself Thin Changes Show Times

Allison Fishman, left, of Cook Yourself Thin with co-stars Harry Eastwood and Candice Kumai.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Allison Fishman, one of the co-stars of Lifetime’s new show Cook Yourself Thin, which made its American debut just this past week. Allison is a passionate chef  who owns The Wooden Spoon, a Brooklyn-based culinary school, who sharpened her own culinary skills while working for Martha Stewart, the Food Network and TLC’s Home Made Simple. She shared with us how she got her start cooking healthy (it’s a story, all working women can relate to) and some of her favorite slimming secrets in the kitchen.

Listen now to the interview in its entirety, or continue to read the highlights from my interview with Allison Fishman.

Where did the idea come from for the show Cook Yourself Thin?

Cook Yourself Thin got its start in England where the show and the accompanying cookbook have proved to be a huge hit with British women. The producers of the show thought that the premise of Cook Yourself Thin would be a great hit with the American audience to learn how to cook healthy.

Have you always cooked healthy or is this a new way of cooking for you?

My story is similar to many working women out there. I had an executive level job in the dot.com industry and after a few years in it, noticed the weight creeping on after too many business dinners. I also noticed that even though I was a very successful business woman, I couldn’t poach an egg to save my life. I was a complete nincompoop in the kitchen. So I decided that I need to go to culinary school and that is just what I did.

I wanted to be able to indulge in delicious foods without perceiving food as the enemy. I had my kitchen stocked with truffle oil, fresh Parmesan cheese, I was able to master cooking and eating vegetables and whole grains. And to my surprise, I lost weight eating this way.

What are three of the most important steps anyone can do in their own kitchen to stay trim?

Number One is to avoid drinking your calories. Right now, I have three huge bottles of unsweetened sun tea sitting on the windowsill of my kitchen. I also always keep seltzer water on hand and drink plenty of brewed tea during the winter. Second, stock your refrigerator with fruits and vegetables and clean out your pantry of snack foods. Right now is the season where fresh produce is in abundance. Stock up on blueberries, pineapples, peaches and whatever is fresh and in season. Third, don’t be afraid of following recipes. The dishes that we prepare on Cook Yourself Thin are healthy and simple. And all of the recipes can be found on mylifetime.com.

What is your favorite skinny meal-making strategy?

Grab your plate and fill it with 3/4 vegetables and not the kind of vegetables that are swimming in ranch dressing.

Frosted Vanilla Cupcake from Lifetime's Cook Yourself Thin.

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If you haven’t caught an episode of Lifetime’s new cooking show, Cook Yourself Thin, do yourself (and your waistline) a favor and carve out one half-hour this week to watch this creative program which shows you to slim-down your favorite foods without sacrificing on flavor. For instance, this Frosted Vanilla Cupcakes recipe from Cook Yourself Thin.

And thanks Allison so much for sharing your insights and secrets with DietsInReview!

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Interview with Allison Fishman of Cook Yourself Thin

Don’t miss our interview with co-host Allison Fishman.

Are you wondering if there is a healthier and less caloric way to whip up your favorite dishes like pasta carbonara and fudge brownies? Cook Yourself Thin is Lifetime’s newest cooking show, helping you give your favorite meals a healthier and lower-calorie makeover. The series, which starts airing on May 4 at 5 p.m. EST, features three cooking experts, Harry Eastwood, Allison Fishman, and Candace Kumai, who incorporate their ingenious and savvy cooking techniques to make indulgent dishes tasting as indulgent as they were meant to be but with significantly less calories and fat. (Now showing at 8 a.m. EST weekdays.)

Based upon the super popular cookbook and British series of the same name, during each half-hour episode of Cook Yourself Thin, you’ll learn how to swap calorie-heavy ingredients for leaner and healthier additions. For instance, the three cooking experts will show you how to turn a traditional 1,300 calorie steak and potato dinner into a less than 400 calorie meal, or you’ll learn how to skim 400 calories off of a muffin.

Each episode chronicles one cooking novice who wants to lose weight, but still savor sumptuous meals.  With step-by-step cooking instructions, their favorite meals get a skinny makeover and you get to learn secret and clever ways to slim down meals and your waist. Then after six weeks of Cook Yourself Thin, each participant is revisited at their home to see how their new culinary skills are keeping their tummies satisfied and flat.

Similar to newer cookbooks like Hungry Girl’s 200 Under 200 and Naturally Thin, more and more people are desperate to find creative ways to eat the foods they love and lose weight or maintain their healthy weight. Cook Yourself Thin is just another example that lets you have your cupcake and eat it too -  gooey frosting and all!

Try Cook Yourself Thin’s Frosted Vanilla Cupcake or Pumpkin Spice Cookie recipes.

Get your copy of Cook Yourself Thin, or pre-order the upcoming book Cook Yourself Thin Faster (releases 12/29/09).

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Lifetime’s Cook Yourself Thin is a New Healthy Cooking Show