'We Took it Off!'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The stars of The Biggest Loser reveal their diet secrets, workout strategies and the ab moves that really get results!
By Amy O'Connor, Prevention magazine
(Nov 7, 2006) — 330,000 calories. If you've been watching the third season of NBC's hit reality show, you'll know that's how much contestants Heather and Kai have burned on a quest to take back their health—and win $250,000.
And, although we can't reveal too much because all the episodes haven't aired yet, we're giving you a sneak peek into the challenges Heather and Kai face when they leave the "Biggest Loser" ranch.
To help these women—and those of us following along at home, including contestant Adrian, whom you'll meet on later on in the story—Prevention experts provide advice on everything from conquering cravings to carving out exercise time when real-life hassles get in the way.
Heather Hansen, 36
Starting weight: 223
Week 7 weight: 182
Height: 5'5"
Starting total cholesterol: 196, dropped to 135
Blood pressure: 122/80, dropped to 98/70
Over the past two years, Heather went from a size 10 to a size 20 as she juggled the intense demands of work, marriage and motherhood. She was consuming up to 3,500 calories every day—by her own estimate—but very rarely exercised. A vacation to the Bahamas was her wake-up call. "Lying on the beach in your bathing suit at 220-plus pounds is not a situation you want to be in," she says. "I said to myself, I can't live like this. I have to do something."
On the Show
During Heather's audition for "The Biggest Loser," she jogged in place for hours, raising her knees as high as she could to show the producers, "You can count on me to win!" At the ranch, she paid a price for her competitiveness: a torn calf muscle, bursitis in her knees and mild tendonitis in her quads. Trainer Kim Lyons guided her toward lower-impact workouts. "If you injure your lower body, there's always something else you can do," Lyons says. "I suggested that Heather try the gentler recumbent bike, elliptical trainer or rowing machine for a week while she healed."
My Greatest Motivation
"It sounds cheesy, but nothing tastes as good as thin feels."
Challenges Back Home
Comfort-food cravings: "I'm surrounded by temptation all the time—especially goodies at work. Food is everywhere."
Prevention intervention: Make overeating a hassle, not a habit.
If Heather's coworkers have to keep snacks around, she should ask them to store goodies in hard-to-reach places, such as a high cabinet or even in a locked closet, says Brian Wansink, PhD, director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab and author of Mindless Eating. His research found that the farther away you stash appealing food, the less you eat.
Vacation Temptations
"On holiday, I look at every single restaurant we pass with longing," she says.
Prevention intervention: Create a paper trail. To stay mindful of what and how much she's eating, it's key for Heather to keep a food diary, says Cheryl Forberg, RD, the nutritionist for "The Biggest Loser."
In one study, overweight people who kept a food journal for a year lost 41 1/2 pounds, compared with just 17 pounds for those who didn't keep track.
Fitting in Fitness
Heather's workout time has dropped 50 percent since she left the ranch. "I plan my workouts around my child's sleep schedule. When I see my fitness equipment and I see my daughter reading a book, I think, I'd rather be with her. Also, I refuse to exercise on Sundays. I believe in giving the body a day to rest."
Prevention intervention: Merge family and exercise. Lyons suggests that Heather invest in a child's bike seat and helmet so she can cycle with her daughter. Also, fitness strollers are designed for walking and running. "If you walk with your child and do a few lunges, you can burn up to 500 calories an hour," Lyons says.
Heather's Take-It-Off Tips
Plan ahead and indulge wisely.
"I used to diet all week and then feel free to eat whatever I wanted on the weekend. Now I just do that on Friday night. But having that meal to look forward to makes it easier to pass on the doughnuts everybody else at the office is eating."
Watch all measures, not just the scales.
"Last week I lost only 1 pound and I was just incredibly disappointed. But then I got out the measuring tape and learned I lost 3 1/2 inches overall!"
Adjust your social life to fit your goals.
"I used to go out to dinner with my friends every month. Now we do outdoor activities—it's fantastic!"
Be patient early on.
"Give yourself the chance to lose the first 10 pounds before throwing in the towel. Keep persevering. Because once you pass that benchmark, you get a psychological jump-start and a lot more confidence."
Adrian Kortesmaki, 22
Starting weight: 227
Dropped to: 183
Height: 5'4"
Starting total cholesterol: 208, went down to 113
While attending the University of North Dakota, this former high-school athlete abandoned her healthy habits in favor of late-night partying and a diet of beer and pizza. "Other people gained the freshman 15—I gained a whopping 60 pounds!" she says.
With the Club
Unlike Heather and Kai, contestant Adrian is at home following a Biggest Loser Club program (www.biggestloserclub.com) while also getting advice from show experts. "The first time I went running, I couldn't do more than two minutes, so I alternated running, skipping and walking. Within two months I was running a mile in under 10 minutes."
Challenge At Home
Nights out with friends: "There are people who think I'm no fun because I'm always wanting to eat healthy. Last night someone even said, 'Please have a beer and pizza.'"
Prevention intervention: Avoid social eating. The impulse to chow down in groups is so strong, it's mathematically predictable, says Wansink. People who eat with just one person consume 35 percent more, and those who eat with seven or more people consume 96 percent more, a Georgia State University study found. Instead, do another activity where food isn't the focus. Stick to your guns. "Find support at the gym or get your friends eating better and working out, too," says Freytag. That way all of you have the same goals.
Adrian's Take-It-Off Tips
Eat a rainbow.
"I get my nutrients from all colors of fruits and vegetables—pale foods like chips are never the right fuel."
Don't compare yourself with your formerly fit self.
"Pretend you are starting from the beginning. Focus on how fit and healthy you're going to be."
Kai Hibbard, 28
Starting weight: 262
Week 7 weight: 208
Height: 5'5"
Starting total cholesterol: 263, dropped to 158
Blood pressure: 140/91, dropped to 110/78
Kai was an emotional eater who stuffed her feelings with food. After her divorce, she says, "I coped by eating a lot of ice cream and mac and cheese." As she gained, reaching 262 pounds, she gave up the outdoor activities that she loved, such as white-water rafting and running. "My life became completely circumscribed," she says. "I lost all focus on what I wanted to accomplish physically."
On the Show
Kai's biggest challenges were the long hours of running and the rigorous ab workouts the "Biggest Loser" trainers demanded. "Moving that much body weight was so hard for her," says Lyons. Kai also had to face down her emotional demons. "I learned that I had walls up—literally," she says. "Fat was my way of being invisible." But as she trimmed down, she realized it was time to deal with her difficult emotional issues. "I couldn't live in denial anymore," she says.
Challenges Back Home
A stubborn plateau: "I'm losing and regaining the same two pounds even though I am doing everything right."
Prevention intervention: Ramp up your workout. "A plateau means your body is getting used to the exercise you've been doing," says Lyons, so shake up your routine. For example, Kai started gaining weight even though she was running long distances for endurance. But switching to a more demanding activity, such as sprinting, to boost the heart rate and burn more calories could reignite weight loss.
Spending time on the road: Kai is starting law school in Maine. To get there, she and her father are driving all the way from Alaska. "I am going to have to be very careful not to fill those hours with mindless eating," she says.
Prevention intervention: Plan ahead. "Before she goes, she should Google YMCAs and hotel gyms on her route that'll give her a day pass. While her father takes a rest from driving, she can be exercising," says Prevention fitness advisor Chris Freytag. Finally, says Stephen Gullo, PhD, author of "The Thin Commandments," the trick is to avoid being tempted by the burgers and fries. Kai should research restaurant chains that serve lighter fare—and what low-calorie meals are available if the only eatery for miles has a drive-thru window.
My Greatest Motivation
"Having people care that I get healthy again is my best incentive. Losing weight and learning to let down my defenses has brought me closer to my family and friends."
Kai's Take-It-Off Tips
Learn to love lunges and squats.
"I do tons of both. They're the no-excuses moves you can do anywhere, even if you're stuck in an elevator."
Use regret as a tool.
"The remorse over a chocolate sundae is going to last a lot longer than the pleasure of eating it."
Mark your progress visually.
"Even after I had lost 54 pounds, I couldn't see that I looked different. But when I was able to fit into Heather's much smaller shirt, something clicked and I was able to see my new shape more clearly."
Ask for tough love.
"Remind your family that it's incredibly supportive not to invite you out for a big dinner."
No matter what, don't put it off.
"Before when I overindulged, I used to say, 'I'm definitely going to start my diet Monday.' It never ever worked. Now when I fall off the wagon, I get right back on again."
8 Best Belly Busters
Biggest Loser trainers Bob Harper and Kim Lyons reveal their favorite moves for flattening your abs—no matter what your fitness level.
Beginner
Adrian's Favorite Move:
1. Get off balance. "Anytime you're on an unstable surface—and therefore trying to balance—you're developing your core strength. I had my team pull in their guts and stand on one leg while doing bicep curls to help tone their middles." —BH
2. Suck it in. "Very motivated contestants like Adrian wanted to work on their abs even when they weren't working out! One trick: Constantly pull your stomach in to work your transverse abdominis, the deepest layer of muscle in your core. This also improves your posture, so your stomach looks even flatter." —KL
3. Sit and sculpt. "Use a stability ball instead of a chair to work your abs all day long. It's a wonderful way to engage your muscles without having to think about it." —BH
Intermediate
4. Crunch and twist. "Regular crunches are great, especially if you can lift your feet off the ground and make a 90-degree twist from side to side. I recommend three sets of 20—more if you can. Heather makes these even harder by holding free weights behind her head." —KL
Kai's Favorite Move:
5. Get on the ball "Do 5 to 8 minutes of crunches on a stability ball to isolate the transverse abdominis and rectus abdominis, the muscles that go straight across and up and down your abs. This is the only ab work that Kai wanted to do!" —KL
6. Ride on. "Do up to 10 minutes of bicycle pedaling in the air while you are lying on your back to work your abdominals." —BH
Advanced
7. Make like a superhero "Get on your stomach and lift your arms and legs off the ground like Superman. Then get up into the plank (with your back straight, feet and hands on floor) and lift one arm and the opposite leg like Spiderman—Heather can hold it for over a minute. It works your whole core in a circle." —BH
Heather's Favorite Move
8. Work your back. "Many people forget that back strength helps support your abs. So do some back extensions on a stability ball. I suggest doing as many back extensions as you can do regular crunches." —KL
I don't know how they do this.........5+ lb a week!........for 7 weeks. Maybe that's all they do all day.......work on losing weight.
i think it is all they get to do; it was incredible to see the weight drop off though and really good to see this as well. thanks editor :)
Although I don't watch the show, the :bar: amazes me. And that is what boosts the big losses.