Weight loss reality shows, like The Biggest Loser, have forever been the bane of my existence.
But then ABC asked me to be on one. And I said “yes.”
It’s been a weird ride.
The show is hosted by Shaun T of Insanity and shows real people from Atlanta putting diets – like vegan vs. paleo – into action in real life. In an interesting twist, the experts on the show (like me), can get eliminated.
Will you be stunned by how much fat you can burn with real food?
Will Abel debut on network TV dressed in a full-body bacon costume?
Will The Wild Diet dominate by taking a huge lead right out of the gate?
Could I be completely eliminated from the competition for being a buffoon?
There’s only one way to find out.
Tune in tonight (Thursday, January 7th) at 9pm Eastern / 8pm Central for the premiere of My Diet Is Better Than Yours on ABC.
In the meantime, watch below to see my ugly mug on People and Entertainment Tonight…
And get an Exclusive Sneak Peek of The Wild Diet on People.com.
Abel James Explains The Wild Diet on People
What Is The Wild Diet?
The Wild Diet focuses on whole foods: healthy fat-burning fats; organic vegetables; pasture-raised meats, poultry, and wild-caught fish; pasture-raised eggs and grass-fed dairy.
What Is The Wild Diet In 30-Seconds or Less…
In “My Diet Is Better Than Yours” star experts and trainers coach overweight Americans on how to lose weight on their unique diet and fitness plans.
“My Diet is Better Than Yours” features celebrity trainers, including Abel James New York Times bestselling author of The Wild Diet and creator of the award-winning Fat-Burning Man show.
Dawn Jackson Blatner author of The Flexitarian Diet is featuring “The Superfood Swap Diet” (check out Abel’s interview with Dawn here).
Carolyn Barnes is creator of the “cLEAN momma” plan, as well as a speaker, author, and workplace wellness coach and is also joining the expert coaches on ABC TV.
Jovanka Ciares is a speaker, integrative herbalist, nutrition educator, author of 3 books, and is bringing the “Wellness Smackdown” to My Diet Is Better Than Yours.
Jay Cardiello featuring the “No Diet Plan” is a coach to professional athletes in the NFL and MLB… and he’s also trained A-List celebs including Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Seacrest and 50 Cent. (watch Jay Cardiello on the Fat-Burning Man show)
Unlike NBC’s The Biggest Loser, contestants on ABC’s My Diet is Better Than Yours will be following their expert’s unique diets from their home.
Watch this segment from Entertainment Tonight…
There’s no “weight loss camp” – it’s just real people working their day jobs, living with their families, and doing the best they can to lose weight.
Kurt Morgan will be following The Wild Diet with Abel James as his expert and coach.
“I picked Abel James’ Wild Diet because it’s simple, fresh ingredients with a bit of fun,” says 46-year old Kurt Morgan who gained more than 100 pounds, topping out at 375 pounds after a head-on collision in 2006.
“I couldn’t move, and I just didn’t care what I ate. Then I got a staph infection and almost died,” he says in People Magazine.
“Unlike other diet shows, this is real life,” says Shaun T, creator of the home fitness sensation Insanity and host of the show. “They’re going to work, they’re coming home and they have to make their own food.”
To measure each contestant’s weight loss and fitness progress, contestants will be evaluated in challenges created by celebrity trainer Anna Kaiser (whose clients include Kelly Ripa, Shakira, and Sarah Jessica Parker).
Another concept of “My Diet is Better Than Yours” that makes it unique is that contestants may eliminate their trainers if they don’t feel like the plan is working for them.
Here’s what Shaun T thinks about The Wild Diet…
Here’s a look at Kurt and Abel in People Magazine…
Want to learn more about the show and get the latest updates? Enter your email below!
LEARN HOW TO DROP 20 POUNDS IN 40 DAYS WITH REAL FOOD
How To Get Started On The Wild Diet Today…
If you’re ready to start burning fat right now eating delicious real food, get my Wild30 Fat-Loss System right now for an $20 discount!
You’ll get all the tools you need to take your health into your own hands, including: A Wild Diet 30-Day Fat-Loss Manual, Quick-Start Guide, Shopping Guide, Motivation journal, and our just-released 30-Day meal plan!
NO MORE boring meals and calorie-counting wheels. No more embarrassing weigh-ins or killer treadmill workouts.
Just delicious food and simple home-exercise that will have you shedding fat in no time.
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Comment below with the one thing you think will definitely happen on the show.
The wild diet will be #1!!!
Woohoo! Down 21 pounds in 14 days!
Crushed it! We had so much fun watching the Wild Diet prove we need fat in our diets!
Thanks so much Sarah! Bacon for the win!
Great show. #TeamWildDiet
Thanks for watching, Feliciano!!!
The show focuses on looking more long term along with the overall health benefits and not only losing weight. Abel, I really like the way you are clearly explaining the concepts of your plan. Makes so much sense and Kurt seems to be very enthusiastic so far. The activity/exercise component is a great complement to this way of eating. Looking forward to next week.
Abel, you and Kurt are killing it man! Awesome to see you on network TV. Love the podcast keep up the good work!!
Hello Abel, I have been listening to your podcasts for about 1 year and I love them. We watched you on TV last night and you were great, your passion for health and more importantly your positive energy shines through and its inspiring. You are always smiling and so is your client Kurt. Eating in a “ancestral” way and getting outside for exercise is just so natural and what we all need. I hope this exposure will help grow your movement, and I want to thank you for all your great work.
I was hesitant about this show, but I’m glad I watched. I’m so look glad they included a paleo plan, and you were the perfect choice! I love that you were able to show not just the weight loss, but also the great energy you get from paleo, especially compared to some of the others on the show. And you in a bacon suit to make Kurt feel less uncomfortable? So. Awesome! I really hope people pay attention to what you are putting out there, and maybe a few converts will head your way!
Awesome show, but I noticed you never mentioned The words grass fed, or pasture raised, or organic? Was this due to rules By the network to keep things generic/not offend advertisers who don’t offer these things?
Good point, Sky! Thanks for bringing that up. We don’t have any control over how the show is edited and what the network ends up airing.
Grass-fed and pasture-raised is the way to go. Here are a couple articles (and recipes) to check out for anyone wanting to know why it’s important to eat grass-fed/pasture-raised animals:
http://fatburningman.com/does-red-meat-cause-cancer-not-exactly-heres-what-you-should-know/
http://fatburningman.com/how-to-make-grass-fed-chimichurri-steak-the-wild-diet-paleo-friendly/
http://fatburningman.com/the-ultimate-bacon-cheeseburger-recipe-wild-diet-approved/
Thanks for getting back to me Alyson! It it wasn’t editing, it was able actually not specifically saying use grass fed beef, organic vegetables, or make sure and use only bones from hundred percent grass fed cows with your bone soup ( otherwise the broth and fat is more inflammatory/harmful than helpful)
I know it’s probably a lot of detail for a mass audience, who aren’t enlightened about the details of a Paleo/ primal style diet, but these details are super important and make a huge difference, so better to get them out there sooner than later.
Other than that, it was super thrilling to see able just obliterate the competition! The other so-called diets were not very logical or effective it seemed. Also, I’d like to see able cram more detail about the benefits of his diet and a elevator pitch, it’s got to be tough to do with the time limits in the editing that they do, but maybe a comparison would help.I know I’m splitting hairs here and so thanks for putting up with me, good luck with the season, you guys worked hard and earned a success.
Not sure why you think it couldn’t have been editing… All they would have to do is not show the parts where he explained the importance of grass fed stuff, etc.
Probably editing of the script telling him what to say was done, but editing the video to take out words as he says them? I doubt that, the video would look chopped.
ABC is a business and needs to reach as many people as possible with as many advertisers as possible, and most food advertisers DON’T offer organic/grass fed, so they keep things very generic. Probably good for all of us who know the critical difference of organic/pasture raised/grass fed… could you imagine how the prices of those higher quality foods would explode if millions more people started buying them? This stuff is expensive enough as it is 🙂
Using conventional bones from grain fed cows for bone soup, or plain butter from grain fed cows for your coffee would be kind of pointless, you’d just be chowing down on more inflammatory Omega 6’s and the average person eating a conventional diet is already flooded with way too much Omega 6 as it is.
Also, Sugar is hidden in just about every food people buy, and that’s another huge issue. We can see and eliminate the sugar we add ourselves, or the obviously sugar rich treats, but most people don’t notice the hidden sugar in just about EVERY conventional food in the grocery store, this is a HUGE problem and boosts a persons sugar consumption daily without them even realizing it.
Sky, I really appreciate the kind words! Love dominating the competition throughout the first week. 16 pounds in a week can be pretty compelling when you’re eating dark chocolate and grass-fed ribeyes!
Ha! Sorry about calling Abel, Able in my last comments, was just being lazy and using Siri on my iPhone.
It’s all good, Sky!
I’ve been following you for years, Abel and have enjoyed every show (well, maybe not the one with Fuhrman). I have had great respect for you and your very balanced message within the ancestral health community.
I was excited about seeing you on a big primetime show, just kind of seems surreal, but I was also hesitant in how these shows are made and edited. Fortunately, you came of great last night and very positive. You gave good basic explanations on your method/process that made more sense than what some of the other coaches were touting.
I loved the scene before the first weigh in where Kurt exclaims “I got to eat ribeye and burgers!” and the other coaches, especially the vegan literally rolled their eyes (of course that could just be editing to make a story and unrelated to his comment) and then he drops twice the weight of everyone. Very cool moment for you.
Are there problems with the show? Of course. It doesn’t prove anything (diet to diet) and they are still using scale weight vd body composition, but this is a step up from TBL type stuff and it is great to have someone like you representing.
Great job and keep up the good work. Can’t wait to follow your journey on the show.
Thank you so much, Mike. Understading it’s never 100% perfect, I’m so glad you’re enjoying the show! 🙂
Hi Abel! Love the body of work you’ve done so far. I’m finally glad America can see who you are and what you can do to change our health. I appreciate all of the wealth and knowledge that you have provided for all of us to see. I try not to watch TV on a regular basis but, I have to make an exception for this show. I’m not even done with the first episode but, all I want to do is just fast forward to your parts. Good luck and hope you win! Thanks again for all the encouragement you’ve provided. Sammy
Hi Abel 🙂 I wasn’t going to watch the show, figuring it was another “Biggest Loser” type of show until Jimmy Moore mentioned that he was going to watch it and said it was because of you. I’m doing a Keto version of Paleo and love it! This way of eating has changed my life, my type 2 diabetes is reversed, I’m off my meds, and I’ve lost over 50 pounds since I started down this road.
Looking forward to a win and cheering you and Kurt on 🙂
Wow Kimberly! That’s fantastic — thank you for sharing your success with us. You’re awesome!
I can promise you all that this really works! In Sweden we call this LCHF, Low Carb High Fat and its a huge movement here! Also in South Africa! I recommend this site for free and professional info: http://www.dietdoctor.com
OK I’m on day 5 of the diet and I’m loving the IF component. Skipping breakfast, eating a light lunch, and feasting at dinner is what I’ve always done and felt guilty for But reading your book it makes me feel normal, even healthy for being this way! And now that I’ve cut the chemicals and carbage out of my foot I don’t OVEReat at dinner! And I just don’t get as hungry. My question is, can I do this all the time? Is it healthy to intermittent fast everyday?
Good question, Krystal. Abel does it just about every day and loves it. I use intermittent fasting most days, but end up wanting breakfast earlier about 1-3 days a week. Experiment with it and see what works best for your body. Glad you’re enjoying it!
I’m so glad that the paleo diet is starting to become more mainstream and indeed accepted.
Personally, I think the Paleo diet is great. I am seeing and feeling the benefits of the diet for a long time now. Not only have I lost weight, but I feel much more energized, and much better in myself. I think the reason is that whilst the paleo diet may be a diet, I do actually eat much much varied food than I did previously. All I’ve done is taken out the stodge that my body finds hard to digest, and added more types of fruit, veg, and indeed meat.
I’ve now actually taken an interest in cooking paleo meals, which I can guarantee is 100% better than throwing some ready meals in the oven like I used to.