Biggest Loser Review and Nutrition Tidbit; Flaxseeds

This post is dedicated to our dear friend Jillian Michael's, who was recently sued for selling a "weight loss supplement" that apparently doesn't work. You're kidding?? Way to go Jillian! I mean I knew you were backing a lot of completely ridiculous products, but this one takes the cake (oh wait, we aren't allowed to eat cake...sorry...we're just supposed to work our butts off, eat 500 calories a day, and take a weight loss supplement...RIGHT!).

Ok, I'm finished.

Biggest Loser Review

Likes

• Bob's conversation with Koli. He was really motivational and reassuring. I do really like bob. I don't think he's extremely sexy, like some of you do ;)

• Did you do the lunges during the commercial break? I did! I actually barely got a workout on Tuesday (remember the Tweets?) so it was something I actually enjoyed. They should do that more often (actually I already do it sometimes, and I learned some great tips for commercial workouts from Jess at Fit Chick in the City)

• Did you ever use one of those slides with the booties, to workout? I was about 11 years old when those were popular. I remember my cousin had one and I used to "pretend" to use it (she was 15, so a bit more coordinated that I was!). I bet the contestant had some serious lactic acid buildup from doing that. It was a fun childhood flashback.

• I think this show could be really useful for those who are trying to lose weight. Not because you necessarily learn a lot, but because it's a look into just how difficult it is to lose weight. These people clearly work extremely hard, and some lose only 4 pounds in a week (which doesn't seem like a whole lot considering their 6 hour daily workouts!) These days people expect miracles, but four pounds is about as much of a miracle as anyone will see in 1 week, without being incredibly dangerous. I hope people walk away from this show with motivation and more realistic expectations when it comes to losing weight.
  

• Melissa was super mature. And, maybe she wasn't lying after all? Or do you think it was the traveling that caused her to gain the weight? I know I get a little constipated (the only time, ever) when I travel. Sorry. Graphic.

• The one-on-one challenge at the end. Fantastic idea! After I Tivo'd through the weigh-in, that was a nice little twist.

Dislikes

• Eat like an Olympian? Yeah right! They didn't eat like Olympians. Olympian's aren't trying to lose weight. They eat from "1600-8000 calories", Adam said. The Biggest Loser contestants eat much less than that. Liars!

• Adam was a "nutritionist". Did you know that technically means nothing?? Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist! He probably had a degree of some sort in nutrition, but he wasn't an RD. I'm not saying he didn't know his stuff (clearly they wouldn't hire an idiot to help teach the Olympians about nutrition) but I wish they would have used an RD.
  

• The meal for the speed skater was full of simple carbohydrates, and no fruits or vegetables. Plus, no lean meat. The weight lifter's meal was packed with fruits and vegetables. That doesn't seem right. It's not like a speed skater needs less vitamins and minerals, and it's not like speed skaters shouldn't be eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Wrong message to send.

• Why don't they ever show the conestants eating during the day? The contestants make comments like, "Colorado was like a vacation, sometimes I didn't eat what I should have." Why don't they show that? People need to see reality, and this show needs to start giving suggestions for things like eating healthy while on vacation! This was a perfect opportunity, and they bombed.

• When the girl (name??) was eying the spinning dessert showcase, and Bob said "I'd much rather you have a 5 calorie piece of Extra sugar free gum". LOL, ummm...no thanks! There are so many alternative, and better options for a low calorie treat! What a joke.

Nutrition Tidbit
Flaxseed

What are the benefits of flaxseed?

- Flaxseed oil provides a good source of the essential fatty acid Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA; an Omega-3 precursor to the EPA and DHA found in fish oil). Ground flaxseed is best because the hard outer shell of flaxseeds have been shown to ineffectively break down in the body, therefore making it more difficult to absorb the Omega-3 found in the flaxseed oil.

- 2 T ground flaxseed provides about 2 grams of soluble fiber, and about 3.6 grams of insoluble fiber.

- Flaxseed contain lignans, which are phytonutrients that have been shown to have cancer protection properties.

What does research suggest?

While flaxseed contains many beneficial properties, research has only supported the efficacy of the claim that they may help relieve constipation (thanks to the high fiber content). Studies supporting the efficacy of the claim that flaxseeds may be able to improve blood lipids are mixed. Currently there are not enough studies supporting their use for cancer prevention, and reduced risk of heart disease and stroke .

Bottom Line: Despite the lack of appropriate evidence for the use of flaxseeds for several of its purported benefits, it's still a healthy food that would make a great addition to a well-balanced diet. Foods like flaxseed may be especially important for vegetarians and vegans, who don't eat fish or take fish oil, and who must rely on ALA for their EPA and DHA intake. Additionally, 1 T of ground flaxseed, or 1 tsp. of flaxseed oil, can provide you with the Adequate Intake of ALA for the day, which is 1.1 grams for women, and 1.6 grams for men. Other sources of ALA includes walnuts, fortified products (like my Smart Balance peanut butter!), soybeans, and canola oil.

Coming Up

Tomorrow Nick and I are celebrating Valentine's day! We can't do it on Sunday because he works, so tomorrow will have to do. He's making steak and lobster (umm, I'm scared...) so I'll be sure to post a recap on Sunday! Tomorrow I will be posting the winner of my "random giveaway" then on Saturday I'll post my new list of favorite supplements (not including Jillian's weight loss supplement) and sweeteners.

Have a nice night/day everyone, and thanks for reading :)