Biggest Loser...Healthy Cooking and Living Life!

I always love it when Curtis Stone is on Biggest Loser. I'll be the first to admit that part of it is that he's very easy on the eyes and I love his accent, but it's so much more than that. He really knows his stuff. Last night on the show, the teams had to prepare a healthy 3 course meal for him, and he would decide which one was better and who would win the challenge. He not only teaches the nutritional information about the foods that are prepared, but he gives pointers about how to properly cook those foods so they are enjoyable and safe to eat. After all, like Curtis says...if it's not cooked right and you don't enjoy it, you're going to go eat something else.

This episode taught me that I really need to put more variety in my eating plan. I am making a commitment right now to try different ways to prepare healthy food, so I don't get bored and want to go eat something bad for me. Just seeing how many different ways there are to use various fruits, vegetables, and lean meats inspires me to start getting more creative in the kitchen.

My other lesson last night came from Sherry, who was sent home at the end of the episode but taught me something very important. Even after you lose someone you love, you must go on and live your life to the fullest. In all of the years since her husband died, she was just existing. She filled the void in her life with food, and stopped doing all of the things that once brought her happiness. As you know if you have read my older posts, my mom passed away 16 years ago. I know I went into that same mode as Sherry did, maybe not quite to the same extent, but I still went into a semi-hibernation state. I used food as my comfort, and it's taken a long time to stop doing that.

When we saw how Sherry looks now, it's an amazing transformation...not just in the amount of weight she's lost, but in her heart and soul as well. Her spirit is soaring, and she knows that her husband is looking down on her proudly, watching her do all of those things she dreamed of for so long. I know my mom also would not want me to let life pass me by just because she's no longer on earth with me. She wants me to live to the fullest...and that is just what I'm finally doing. Time to let MY spirit soar!