Today’s guest author is Heba Salama. You’ll remember Heba, and her husband Ed Brantley, from Biggest Loser season six, during which they lost a combined total of 277 pounds. Heba became the first woman to win the at-home prize for the highest percentage of weight lost amongst all contestants eliminated during the game; Ed finished in second place. In addition to continuing to lead as examples in the fitness realm, the couple has been busily working on a new healthy cookbook due to release spring 2010 and has embarked on a fitness campaign for 2010. Learn more at EdAndHeba.com.

Let’s face it: any celebration is cause to hit the “diet pause button.” The simple word “celebration” usually denotes lots of calories just by reading it. But a celebration with the actual title “Fat Tuesday” must mean double trouble, or double chin. If I have learned one thing since being in the real world after The Biggest Loser, it’s definitely that none of these things have to be the case. I started to think about healthier ways to eat a King Cake. I turned to my husband, the chef, and his suggestion: make sure you run for 18 hours, and then you have earned yourself a piece. Thanks, honey. But for those of us looking for more realistic options, here are my top five tips for turning this into a great holiday you won’t feel guilty about!

Tuesday, February 24 is Mardi Gras, which is the 24-hour food fest that ushers in the six weeks of Lent, the 40 days of abstinence leading up to holiday, Easter. Similar to Thanksgiving, this is one of those holidays that is dedicated to eating - a lot.

With a name that translates to “Fat Tuesday,” there is really not much hope for getting through the Mardi Gras’ festivities without loosening your belt a few notches. And since concocting a low-cal and low-fat version of the paczki might require a veritable culinary miracle from the heavens, we’ve drummed up some healthy Mardi Gras favorites from the Diets in Review kitchen.