Weight Loss Challenge - Show 9

Leslie gets help from a nutritionist. Dr. Phil sends Leslie food shopping with nutritionist J.J. Virgin.

"I think the whole problem here is that you don't know what healthy food is," J.J. tells Leslie before they head to the store.

"I don't," Leslie responds. "If it tastes good, it's bad, that's what I've learned."

"That's the mindset you get while you're on diets," J.J. reminds Leslie. "This isn't a diet."

On the way to the market, J.J. tells Leslie: "You have to eat very balanced foods: carbohydrates, proteins, a little bit of fat and lots of fiber."

J.J. then shows Leslie how to go shopping for healthy foods. "We know we need some sliced turkey meat," she says. "I'm going to choose the oven-roasted turkey breast. It's a healthier option."

Leslie reaches for something that catches her eye, but J.J. stops her, reminding her that going to the market with a list — and sticking to it — is essential.

"Oh, there's a ginger root," Leslie says. "You said we could have that, right?" J.J. agrees.

"I love condiments of any kind," says Leslie.

"Well, this is going to be restricted love of condiments," warns J.J., adding balsamic vinegar to their cart. "Notice there's a lot of things we're bypassing."

"Like the good stuff," says Leslie.

J.J. leads Leslie to the bread aisle. "This where you really have to know how to read a label," she says. "If it just says 'wheat,' it's really white bread. We're always looking for whole wheat. The other things you want to avoid here are high-fructose corn syrup and partially-hydrogenated-fats."

J.J. examines the bread that Leslie's been buying recently: "First thing is whole wheat flour, fantastic. Wheat bran is great. The hydrogenated fat? Not in here. This looks fantastic."

In the meat section, J.J. says, "One of the obvious ways to tell how lean a cut of meat is to look at the marbling. What's the most marbled? Ribeye..."

"And what do I like?" asks Leslie. "Ribeye."

J.J. adds, "We've got boneless skinless chicken breast on sale and this what you're going to use in your menus a couple times a week. You are also going to learn to love fish."

Back in the studio, Dr. Phil asks Leslie, "So when you got through, were you better off?"

"I am so much better off. I'm not hungry. I'm enjoying what I'm eating," Leslie replies. "My girlfriends are ripping my recipes out of my hands wanting copies."

Dr. Phil emphasizes that his weight loss plan is not a diet. "People go on some restrictive programs and while they're on them they lose weight, but then they have to go back to their lives. I want you to do this as part of your life, so you don't go back and forth between diet food and non-diet food. What I want you to do is eat the right way all the time so you don't have that rollercoaster effect, and you're learning to do that."

Dr. Phil asks J.J. if Leslie's been a good student. "She's fantastic now that we've gotten her over the fear of food," J.J. answers.

Dr. Phil tells Leslie, "You said you're not hungry and I want to tell you why. There are foods that are what we refer to as hunger suppressors. They're filling. They're gratifying. And then there are foods that are hunger drivers. They're addictive foods and they cause your blood sugar and insulin to just go nuts and you chase it experiencing it as hunger."

J.J. adds, "And by doing small meals throughout the day, doing the three meals, the two snacks and teaching her to always carry food with her, she doesn't end up in trouble where she would [turn to] an impulse food."