Blog Posts by DietsInReview

By Elizabeth Simmons for DietsInReview.com

First came the announcement of Melissa Joan Hart (Clarissa Explains It All, Sabrina the Teenage Witch) as a new brand ambassador for Nutrisystem. Hart lost 20 pounds on the meal delivery system after the birth of her third child. "The program is really delivering results for me and I look forward to long term success, staying motivated and helping others do the same," she said in a press release.Hart and Gasteyer are the two newest celebrity diet spokeswomen.

Hart is just the first in a whole group of spokespeople for Nutrisystem coming in 2013. "She mirrors our values and will resonate with our customers as authentic. Moving forward, you'll see us have an appropriate mix of inspiring celebrities and real life customers who have also enjoyed success," said Nutrisystem new Chief Marketing Officer Keira Krausz. Her leadership comes under the direction of the company's first female CEO, Dawn Zier.

The move to work with Hart opens Nutrisystem to a generation of customers who barely know their other

By Jill Lawson for DietsInReview.com

Currently, women outnumber men in yoga classes. However, many people do not know that yoga used to be a discipline that only men were allowed to practice. Back in the day, men dominated the yoga scene so vehemently that if a woman wanted to practice yoga, she had to do so in private and keep it a secret.Yoga is not just for girls, and we'll tell you why more dudes should take up the practice.

So why is this different now? Today, men have a different idea about what yoga is and what it can do for them.

If you have yet to try yoga, read about the following misconceptions that are keeping too many men (and some women) out of the studio. Perhaps one rings true for you. If so, I hope you take the time to debunk your doubts and join a yoga class today.

They think it'll be impossible to do because they are inflexible.

All you have to do is look at a yoga ad of some lithe young woman in a seriously advanced yoga pose to understand this. The thought of trying to do the same thing would make anyone's hamstrings scream in fear. But the only way

By Brandi Koskie for DietsInReview.com

Looking to lose weight under the watchful eye of a reality TV camera? Then heed the call - the casting call that is! ABC's Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition begins casting its fourth season this weekend. The four-date, 13-city casting tour will make it possible for men and women across the nation to get in front of casting directors and vie for one of a few spots on the popular show.Jacqui McCoy lost more than 200 pounds on Extreme Makeover.

Kicking off Saturday, April 6 in Salt Lake City, Austin, Atlanta, and Milwaukee, the tour will go through the last Saturday in April ending in the show's hometown of Los Angeles. (Find a full casting tour schedule here.) Potential cast members may wait in line for hours to score two minutes of face time with the casting team. It's advisable that they make the most of those 120 seconds.

"This is your one big shot," said Jacqui McCoy, who lost 207 pounds during season two. "Know why you want to lose weight and how the weight has held you back. This is not the time

By Jonathan Bailor, author and co-founder of SlimIsSimple.org, for DietsInReview.com

Over the past few decades we've been trying harder and harder to be healthy and fit. The result: we got heavy and sick. What's going on here?Forget calorie counting, when we stop eating processed

If a doctor prescribes us a medication and it makes us worse, we would stop taking it and fire our doctor. If an architect builds us a house and it crumbles, we would fire them, too, and we certainly would not blame ourselves for our housing issues. Why not apply the same logic to health and fitness? Seems reasonable. But what else is there other than the old calorie-counting approach we've all been taught?

There is an alternative. We can do what every human being up until a few decades ago did: Eat actual food and stay active. No complex calorie counting. No confusing workout routines. No pills, powders or potions.

It may be helpful to think about this alternative approach like this: want to avoid lung cancer? No need to worry about breathing, just don't

By Brandi Koskie for DietsInReview.com

It seems quite fitting that in the same week the women's revolution re-ignites itself with Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In that two women would win both prizes on NBC's Biggest Loser. With only .78% separating the grand prize winner from the at-home winner, it was the closest finale weigh in ever.Biggest Loser 14 Winners Danni Allen and Gina McDonald.

Danni Allen won the Biggest Loser title the $250,000 grand prize, losing 121 pounds off of a starting weight of 258.

Gina McDonald won the at-home prize of $100,000, losing 113 pounds off of a starting weight of 245.

Danni proved the pink team legacy once again, but didn't need any of that kind of juju to help her win. She dominated this competition from day one, competing for over half the time as a single individual after her entire team either quit or was eliminated. She won all but two challenges, a feat not accomplished since season 7's Tara Costa. And she did it all side-by-side with trainer Jillian Michaels, who made a wildly popular return to the show

By Samantha Bandasack for DietsInReview.com

Health experts say if you watch the amount of calories you intake then losing weight will be easier for you. But what exactly does that look like? In you cut or burn 500 calories each day you stand to lose one pound a week, as there are 3,500 calories in a pound. Creating a 500 calorie deficit each day can help you lose one pound in a week.

Cutting calories from your diet does not mean starving yourself; that's not healthy anyway. It does mean being a bit more conscientious about what you're eating, how much you're eating, and even how much you're moving.

Along with our resident nutrition expert, Mary Hartley, RD, we've found 50 ways that you can trim the fat, so to speak, off of your calorie deficit. These tips should help you cut back up to 500 calories from your diet each day, and sometimes more with exercise, making all of those simple changes add up to a much healthier, longer life.

Where to Cut Calories When You Eat

1. Eat meals that start and end; i.e. don't graze over a buffet
2. Pass on the second

By Lacy J. Hansen for DietsInReview.com

Even those who never watch a football game will tune in to watch the Ravens, 49ers, and of course the commercials this Sunday. Expect another banner year of great ads that will have us all talking Monday morning. However, while many cars and digital products will have their high-priced moments in the sun, most of those ad minutes will be dedicated to some of the most unhealthy foods our country has to offer.One 11-chip serving of Doritos has 140 calories!

Gail Falkenthal reported for The Washington Times about the going rates of this year's sold-out ads. A 30 second spot on Sunday costs $3.5 million while a hotter spot closer to kickoff goes for about $4 million.

What he, nor the ads, will spotlight is how terrible these foods are for us. If you had one serving from the biggest food and drink commercials, you'd wrack up 2577 calories in Cokes, Pepsi Next, Volcano Nachos, new and old Budweisers, Doritos, Oreos, and M&Ms. That number even includes Wonderful Pistachios and Milk, two snacks we

By Brandi Koskie for DietsInReview.com

Does packing lunch ever conjure memories of that droneful "time to make the doughnuts" guy? It can start to feel monotonous, especially if you're trying to healthify the lunches, meet the demands of young picky eaters, and add enough variety to prevent anyone from getting bored. The turkey sandwich and PBJs might be hard to break away from, but the snacks are where you can really have some fun!

After all, that's what everyone wants to eat anyway.

We, of course, don't condone the inclusion of cookies, cheese puffs, and candy, but we do know of a few treats that will keep mom, dad, and the kids interested and satisfied. There's some pretty cool stuff coming out as more and more people demand better quality food. So take a look and add these to your next brown bag.

Why You Should Never Buy Girl Scout Cookies

KIND Bars. We love thFeel better about the mid-day fuel you're packing in lunchboxes.ese things and find them far more impressive than any standard "granola bar." There are fruit and yogurt bars, chocolate