Biggest Loser BOOK Recommendation

My friend, Carrie, got me hooked on Biggest Loser this spring.  I loved watching the contestants push themselves and learn to make better food and fitness choices.

Watching the show motivated ME to make better choices.  When I first started watching I weighed 25-30 pounds more than is healthy for my body.  As I watched the contestants struggle to lose hundreds of pounds the thought struck me that they didn't get that way overnight.  It started with an extra 20 and just snowballed from there.

I am determined NOT to let my weight snowball but to get rid of my extra pounds and strengthen my body.

I'm thrilled to report that since June 1 I've lost 9+ pounds.  (The plus is because my scale today said I've lost 11 pounds but my husband won't let me count it until our "official" weigh-in on Sunday morning.)

As a fan of the show it made sense for me to look at the books that are being marketed by the show.  I found almost ALL of them through my local library.  My husband laughed at me for checking them all out but they each have a different slant.  Some are more focused on exercises, others on nutrition, others on trainers' tips and others on contestants' tips.

Rather than review them all, I'll just tell you about my 4 favorites.

The Biggest Loser:  The Weight-Loss Program to Transform Your Body, Health and Life.  Rodale Books, 2005.

This book gives a general overview of losing weight and getting healthy.  I liked it the best because it had the fewest contestant tips.  

My favorite section describes the "4-3-2-1 Biggest Loser [Food] Pyramid" and explains how many servings you should have, what a serving looks like, and why you body needs that type of food.

The Biggest Loser Simple Swaps.  Rodale Books, 2009.

A fabulous guide to help you make more nutritious choices without feeling deprived of your favorite foods!

My favorite tip is "Swap bacon for Canadian bacon.  Compared with traditional bacon strips, Canadian bacon has 35 percent less sodium, 65 percent fewer calories, and 75 percent less fat.  And it's just as delicious.  Enough said." (page 73)

As a Southern girl I like bacon.  A lot.  After I cook the bacon I like to use the grease to make milk gravy, which is then poured over homemade biscuits.  YUM!  In fact, I craved this meal constantly when I was pregnant with Samuel  (which accounts for about 10 of my husbands extra pounds).

I've made the switch to Canadian bacon.  It's more expensive than regular bacon but it's worth it.  And I've also dropped the biscuits and gravy - at least for now.

The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. Rodale Books, 2008.

For the most part these are budget-friendly and family-friendly meals.  I haven't tried any of the recipes because my children aren't very adventurous.

But the recipes look delicious and simple.  And NORMAL.  I hate it when a diet cookbook uses crazy ingredients that I would never use in real life.

If you are looking for a new cookbook, I highly recommend this one.

The Biggest Loser Fitness Program.  Rodale Books, 2007.

This book uses pictures and written descriptions to educate you on different exercises.  It also includes several beginner, intermediate, and advanced routines.

I have not used the routines because I am using 30 Day Shred (link to my review) and various Biggest Loser workout DVDs.  But I have found this book helpful.

One of my frustrations with the DVDs is that the trainers don't slowly walk you through the proper form of each exercise.  This book picks up where the trainers leave off.

If you are looking for books to use as resources for nutrition, exercise and recipes I highly recommend these four.

Do you have a favorite nutrition or fitness book?