Overweight and obese chefs battling the bulge are often stuck in the throes of a full-blown food addiction, spending most of their days working in the very place that's killing them. For many chefs, maintaining a healthy lifestyle seems next to impossible. Celebrity chef and certified nutritionist Christine Avanti is determined to change that - she's the official Health Consultant on Food Network's newest reality show, "Fat Chef".
I recently talked to Christine to learn more about the show and the chefs, and how she's helped "Fat Chef" participants lose the weight. She also shared some recommendations for people who need to lose weight but think they can't because of their lifestyle.
About Food Network's "Fat Chef" Reality TV Show
"Fat Chef" entered its first season this January and is one of the newest shows on the Food Network. The show follows 12 participants for 16 weeks as they learn how to adopt healthier eating habits and finally lose some excess weight. Every episode features two overweight food professionals who are spending four whole months working with Christine Avanti and her team of trainers and health professionals to regain control over their eating habits - and their lives.
Christine works one-on-one with each participant to address their food addiction, creates an exercise plan with a personal trainer, and helps them confront their unhealthy, abusive relationship with food.
She explains, "Chefs work 18 to 20 hours. The restaurant business is a thankless job. The kitchen world is a tough world and it's a very demanding job. I've been there; I know what it's like!" For that reason, many chefs are simply so stressed out each day and just can't eat properly. Christine creates a meal plan for each chef so they're eating every four hours and losing the excess weight. Even though these chefs are on their feet for most of the day, they also work out with a trainer throughout the show.
How "Fat Chef" Chefs Lose the Weight
Christine told me that she had to play not only the roles of nutritionist and health professional, but also that of a lifestyle coach. Since food has such a strong emotional hold for many people with food addictions, Christine had to provide support by helping these chefs admit they had some serious food issues. For many, this was a turning point. The chefs who struggled most with the new regimen had to hear Christine say, "I can bring you knowledge. But it has to drop ten inches from your head to your heart. You have to admit there's a problem. Admit to yourself what is going on with you and food."
And what about people who think they can't be healthier because of their lifestyle? The people who work on an on-call basis, very long shifts, or the graveyard shift? Christine says you have to make your health a priority. Eating smaller meals every four hours helps to keep blood sugar levels stable so you're less likely to overeat.
She also recommends preparing and packing an entire day's worth of meals so that fast food and overeating simply aren't an option. "You HAVE to plan ahead. It's just not acceptable to run to a fast food place! There is a way to prepare healthy five-minute meals. You just have to slow down enough to prepare them." Christine's five-minute meal recipes can be found in her book, "Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food: Kick Your Fake Food Habit, Kickstart Your Weight Loss" .
Christine says, "I don't believe in starving people." She emphasizes the importance of eating "real" food - preferably fresh, organic food you find around the perimeter of the grocery store - and also drinking probiotics drinks each day to improve digestion and increase nutrient absorption.
"Fat Chef" airs on the Food Network on Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST, 9 p.m. CST. Fans can keep up with Christine Avanti on her official Facebook Page.
Sources:
Interview with Christine Avanti, Celebrity Chef, Certified Nutritionist, and "Fat Chef" Health Consultant
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