Exercise vs. diet

Are you ready to train and eat like people on the NBC TV show, but without cameras following you around 24-7?

You can do a similar plan at home to lose weight, get stronger, feel better, and help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure. It could transform your life - if you're ready for the intense commitment.

What You Can Eat and What You Can't

Most foods are low in calories but high in fiber, to help you feel fuller longer. By eating five to six small meals and snacks, you’ll keep your blood sugar and hunger in check.

Level of Effort: Medium

Limitations: You can eat from all food groups. Some of the meal plans may go below 1, 200 calories per day, making it hard to meet nutritional needs without a supplement.

Cooking and shopping: The foods you'll be eating are widely available in any grocery store. There are Biggest Loser cookbooks you can follow. One former contestant, Amy Wolff, said she researches healthy menu choices before eating out and carries a calorie-counting reference book in her bag. She also advises keeping a food journal, watching that you don’t eat too much carbs, protein, fat, and fiber, and not giving in to food cravings.

Packaged foods or meals: None required.

In-person meetings: No.

Required. It's a big time commitment that pays off.

Is It Good for Health Conditions?

By helping you lose weight, the diet may help lower your odds of getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and certain cancers. The exercise is also good for you.

The program includes whole foods that are high in fiber and low in saturated fat and salt. The diet is in line with what most major health organizations recommend, including the American Heart Association.

Does It Allow for Dietary Restrictions or Preferences?

Vegetarians and vegans: You'll find plenty of plant-based sources of protein to eat on this diet.

Gluten-free: Foods that include gluten aren't off-limits on this plan. But you should be able to make it work if you're avoiding gluten. In The Biggest Loser Club, meal plans can be adapted for specific food preferences. You'll still need to read food labels to completely avoid gluten.

What Else You Should Know

Costs: If you join The Biggest Loser Club ($39.99, first three months), you’ll follow an express, 6-week weight loss plan. You get meal plans and recipes, workouts featuring the show's trainers, a food and exercise tracker, and online support. You’ll chart your progress online and get weigh-in reminders.

Support: You can follow the diet by reading one of the Biggest Loser books. There are extra tools available at the Biggest Loser web site, including cookbooks, DVDs, equipment, Nintendo Wii and Xbox games, and workout music. You can even go to The Biggest Loser Resort, a destination weight loss program in Utah, California, New York, and Chicago.

What Dr. Arefa Cassoobhoy Says:

Does It Work?

Yes. It makes sense and the research proves it. When you exercise and limit your foods to healthy choices in small portions, you'll lose weight.

What’s great is that you’ll lose body fat while you maintain your muscle. The result is an athletic body.

The few critics out there say The Biggest Loser diet as seen on the TV show is unreasonable for the average person because it's extreme. This may be true, but if you have a large amount of weight to lose, an initial focus on getting a lot of weight off quickly may really be what’s needed. And maintaining the weight loss, which is often tough, is easier with The Biggest Loser’s emphasis on exercise and diet control.

Is It Good for Certain Conditions?

Yes. When you lose the weight you’ll be preventing many medical conditions linked with obesity. You’ll lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stroke. The exercise will increase your core strength, stamina, and flexibility. You’ll be able to get out, live life, and socialize with other people by doing activities like biking and hiking.

If you already have diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, check with your doctor before you start this challenging diet and exercise program.

To prevent injuries, you may need to pace yourself for slower, steady weight loss over a longer time than the TV show season.

The Final Word

This no-nonsense diet and exercise program works. It’s honest: You have to exercise and eat right to lose weight. And if you stick with the exercise and healthy food choices, you’ll keep the weight off.