Cheryl's Blog

EXCLUSIVES Cheryl's Blog

Tara's Food Journals

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If you tuned in to the show last night, you saw the four finalists competing (and completing) their first marathon. Pretty amazing, considering that only seventeen weeks ago, they weren't exercising at all.

Successful weight loss requires dietary modification, cardio and weight bearing exercise, as well as addressing the psychological aspects of emotional eating (which affect most of us on some level).

Many of you have written to ask what the contestants are eating, to fuel their vigorous exercise and to help them achieve their weight loss success. Today, I'd like to share the before and after food journal's of Tara, one of Season 7's finalists.

Last fall, I met with Tara before the season started. She shared with me her typical daily intake at that time, which contributed to her starting weight of 294 pounds.

Tara Typical Daily Intake Before the Show

Breakfast
Sesame bagel (4.5-inch) with cream cheese (3 tablespoons) and tomato slices (3) and 12 ounces of orange juice.

620 calories (breakfast; very high in simple carbs and very low in protein; no whole fruit)

Morning Snack
None

Lunch
Cafeteria sandwich on a white roll or panini bread with grilled chix, cheddar, red roasted peppers, sliced pickle and honey mustard with small bag of potato chips (1 ounce bag) and 16 ounce diet cola.
990 calories

At lunch time, Tara purchased 3 or 4 cookies to eat as afternoon snacks; such as chocolate chip.
600 calories

Snack
Cookies with iced vanilla latte
(600 + 75 = 675)

Dinner
8pm Tara orders take out -
waffle fries with side of gravy, 550
hot wings with blue cheese dressing (1/3 cup)
450 calories with carrots and celery and a 16 ounce diet cola
1000 calorie dinner

Snack before bed 4 or 5 cookies - 300 calories

Daily Total - Approx 3585 calories

Read more about about Tara's daily intake at Cheryl's blog.