Hot Topics: A Biggest Loser Winner

Shay Sorrells, “The Biggest Losers’” heaviest female contestant ever to appear on the season 8 of the show, spoke with msnbc.com contributor and ADA spokesperson Elisa Zied, R.D. about how she continues to lose weight after her appearance on the show.  In May 2009, she was 476 pounds at 5’8”.  Despite being told by doctors that weight-loss surgery was her only option, she proceeded to lose 172 pounds on the show.  The sandwich chain subway even agreed to pay her $1,000 for every pound Sorrells lost!

How does Sorrells continue to keep the weight off after the cameras are off and monetary incentives eliminated from the equation?  While many other contestants put weight back on when the cameras are off, she continues to lose.  She says she is no longer the “eating out” friend and she and her husband now jog or bike for coffee instead of dinner-and-movie dates.  She has learned to create new family food traditions and trim down portion sizes for holiday celebrations.

Sorrells reveals what foods and beverages she surrounds herself and her family with.  The tips below are some great suggestions for future dietitians to recommend to prospective patients looking to lose weight and keep it off:

Her refrigerator is be filled with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, like apples, oranges, asparagus, Greek yogurt, egg whites, organic eggs; lean meats and great sources of protein like low-sodium chicken and turkey breast and almond butter.  Salsa, avocado, hummus and Dijon mustard make great condiments while sparkling mineral water and green tea great compliments to meals.  The items in your fridge are inevitably what you will be grabbing for when hunger strikes.

Her pantry is filled with high-fiber cereals, steel cut oats, brown rice, air-popped chips, fruit & nut bars, plain popcorn and unsalted nuts.  Sorrells tells Zied, “All the snacks we keep in the house have no more than 400-500 calories for the whole package.  We call these ‘damage control portions.’”
When Sorrells eats out, she “either order[s] a child-sized entrée or splits a regular portion with someone.  I’ve also asked for half of my entrée to be put into a to-go container before served.”

While holiday celebrations for generations have always been known to revolve around food, “To deal with this,”  Sorrell says, “I’ve created new traditions.  For Christmas, we make baked apples and peaches.  For New Year’s Day, we made low-sugar, chocolate-covered strawberries.  I’ve also realized that just because you’re eating differently than you’re used to does not mean you’ll be ostracized by family or friends.  They may even enjoy the same foods with you.”

Sorrells stays motivated because she wants to live.  “There are days when I’m tired and sore and feel like sleeping for a week, but I know that when I take a mile long bike ride, I’ll want to keep going.”

While these suggestions are by no means strikingly innovative and Sorrells’ success story is not the first, it is always helpful to be reminded of the impact professionals in our field can have on those in need of losing weight.   I chose to post about this article because it contains a lot of valuable information that as a nutrition student, I think will be relevant to my future work and yours, too.  Read the full article here!  Check out Shay Sorrells’ final appearance May 25 on NBC as she reveals her “ever-shrinking physique” and collects her winnings.