According to an article by the New York Times, contestants on the NBC show “The Biggest Loser” not only take home their fit new bodies, but healthy habits as well:

“They learn fundamental cooking skills that they — like many Americans — have lost, or never had… Contestants climb a steep and brutal learning curve in the kitchen, since they have to do all their own cooking. ‘There’s no chef whipping up spa cuisine,’ Ed Brantley, a contestant from last season, said glumly.”

It’s certainly an interesting follow-up to the stories of the contestants we see on TV. While most do not keep all the weight off, the “losers” somehow develop healthier eating and cooking practices, even after the cameras have stopped rolling.

The facts that the article presents, however, are startling and sobering. Worldwide, home cooking is at an all-time low. Today, the average American woman spends 30 minutes a day preparing meals, compared to 13 hours per week back in 1965. Perhaps, as the article implies, it’s no coincidence that obesity rates have risen almost 60% in the last 40 years.

As with anything in life, it’s all about striking a balance. For anyone looking to lose weight, without going to the extremes the show’s contestant’s goes through, the article gives some sage advice: “…count your calories, exercise and learn to cook.”

Labels: In the News