Diets don’t work. It seems like such an obvious, undeniable statement. But if it is true, why does the diet industry continue to thrive? Well, because people always want to lose weight. So when one diet fails to achieve the desired results, it’s off to the next one. In some cases like with major commercial diet brands, they’ve created such a strong brand loyalty that people will often go back to their approach over and over again.

While pondering this simple but important question of why diets fail, I asked two health authors and advocates to chime in.

“In my experience, the key question isn’t ‘Why do diets fail?’, but instead ‘Why do experts keep telling us to eat in ways that we can’t keep up?’,” said Jonathan Bailor, author of The Smarter Science of Slim.

In simplest terms, it’s a matter of supply and demand. It’s just that in this case, the consumer continually goes back to a product that fails them. Could you imagine any other industry this logic would work for?

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On Sunday, June 16th, Fifty one women will compete for the big sparkly crown and the title of Miss USA at the 62nd Annual Miss USA Competition. Giuliana Rancic, E! News anchor and co-host of the pageant, says she’s ready to roll with the “anything-can-happen” moments and she’s excited for the world to meet all the fabulously fit contestants.

Joining veteran Giuliana (who is hosting for the third year in a row) will be first-timer, Nick Jonas. In addition to emcee duties he’ll also be performing with his band, the Jonas Brothers. Before they take off for final auditions and prep work for the live show in Las Vegas this weekend, Giuliana and Nick took some time this afternoon to talk about the women, the pageant and answer a few questions from the press. We wanted to know if the hosts felt the contest conveyed a positive body image. The answer was a resounding, “absolutely.”

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Watch live as we meet the Retrofit team and learn more about this revolutionary weight loss program that could help you lose 10 to 15 percent of your total body weight.

Jennifer Plotnek, LCSW-C, the Lead Behavior Coach, and Whitney Durbin, Director of Employee Engagement, join DietsInReview.com and special guest Margo Donohue of BrooklynFitChick to talk about their revolutionary, tech-savvy, results-driven weight loss plan.

This brief Q&A serves as an introduction to the Retrofit program to help you decide if their approach to weight loss is the best fit for your needs. How could it not be though? With a dedicated team of experts that include a dietitian, exercise physiologist, and a behavior coach, your one-year membership to Retrofit includes a customized weight loss plan that not only helps you achieve your goals now but sets you up for sustainable success.
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At the Biggest Loser 7 finale, a fit and trim Filipe Fa walked out on stage next to his teammate and cousin Sione Fa and performed a rousing Maori Haka, a traditional war dance from their native Tonga. Filipe made it through 17 grueling weeks on the infamous ranch, ultimately sweating and beating 135 pounds off his frame. But the ranch and home are two very different places, and the years since Loser have put Filipe back where he started.

“In the last few years, Filipe’s put the weight, plus some, back on,” said his cousin Sione Fa, who is now a personal trainer at the Biggest Loser Resort in Ivins, Utah. Since his finale, Filipe has gained 155 pounds, twenty pounds more than he’d originally lost.

“It’s difficult to admit,” Filipe told us. “But it’s not that you can’t see it!” He’s hung back from alumni events like finales and given up speaking opportunities because he felt “embarrassed, inadequate.” He explained that nothing tragic happened, he gained weight like a lot of people do. First, it was 10 or 15 pounds and you think you’re OK, and then he explained the days turn in to weeks, turn in to months, and you’re back at your starting weight..

“I feel like it’s my time to lose weight again,” Filipe told us, as he talked about his new partnership with Walgreens, the Biggest Loser Resort, and his trainer Sione.

Without the pressure of the cameras, Filipe visited the Resort last October with an attitude that he was ready to start over. Walgreens, an on-going sponsor of the Biggest Loser television show, got word of his efforts and wanted to help. With the cousins they launched a web series, so far with eight episodes, that captures Filipe’s personal journey back to health.
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Last year I participated in the Saratoga Springs Tour de Cure, an annual bike ride that is held nationwide to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. One of the most inspiring things about the Tour are the Red Riders, individuals who live and ride with diabetes. To better explain what the Red Rider program is and about her own aspirations, I had the pleasure of interviewing the founder of the Red Rider program, Mari Ruddy!

She runs the daily business and management of TeamWILD, a program that teaches adults how to live with diabetes through exercise. She also coaches and speaks at ADA Tour de Cure rides. Mari’s working on a book that will no doubt highlight the success of the Red Riders, the health battles she’s personally fought and won, and offer guidance and insight for diabetics to truly live.

Tell me about the Red Rider program.

I’m the founder of the Red Riders, who are cyclists with diabetes. I also started the first Team Red. Now all 90 Tour de Cure rides have Red Riders and a Team Red. The first year there were 111 Red Riders. This summer, 2013, there will be [more than] 7,000 Red Riders in the US. In 2012, all the Red Riders together raised $3.9 million. The goal in 2013 is [for] the Red Riders [to] collectively raise $4.5 million. The Tour itself raised more than $26 million in 2012. These numbers are very exciting.

How much money does “your” Tour raise?

My “home” Tour for the past seven years was the one in Colorado. Now that I’ve moved back to my home state, I consider the Tour de Cure Twin Cities in Minnesota my home ride! We intend to raise $1 million this year at the Minnesota Tour.
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