Simple Recipes From TODAY’s Weight-Loss Success Tales

For many people who are losing weight, reviewing their eating habits and switching to lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits works. For some people, like Hannah Lester, a simple recipe that she could incorporate into her daily routine helped her maintain her weight loss for seven years. For others like Dr. Kevin Gendreau makes healthy exchanges for foods he loves, maintaining his weight loss fun, and delicious.

Four people who have successfully lost weight and maintained their weight shared some of the most popular recipes with TODAY.

Kevin Gendreau, who lost 125 pounds

After Gendreau’s sister died of ovarian cancer, he reassessed his health and found that at 300 pounds he had many health problems, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, and sleep apnea. In 2017, he started a low-carb diet with intermittent fasting. He has since lost 125 pounds and has successfully maintained his loss while reversing his health. Making healthy versions of the foods they love will help them maintain their healthy habits.

Low-carb, keto-friendly coconut macaroons

Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
• 1/8 cup erythritol / monk fruit
• 1/8 cup almond flour
• 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon of melted butter
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips, melted (optional)

Preparing tasty and healthy foods has helped Gendreau lose and maintain weight.Courtesy Kevin Gendreau

Preparation:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk the egg white and erythritol / monk fruit together until it forms stiff peaks.
3. Mix the almond flour, coconut, vanilla and butter in another bowl.
4. As soon as stiff tips have formed, fold all of the ingredients together.
5. Form 8 to 10 small, 1½-2 inch domes and place them on top of the parchment paper.
6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops of the macaroons start to turn golden brown.
7. Melt and drizzle about 1 / 8-1 / 4 cup chocolate chips, if used.

Guacamole is another recipe that Gendreau likes to make at home.Courtesy Kevin Gendreau

Hannah Lester, who lost 123 pounds

Getting the morning off to the right helps many people stick to healthy eating habits throughout the day. Lester lost 123 pounds after realizing she was “the fat friend” and has maintained her loss for seven years. She admits she doesn’t like cooking, but she does rely on a few simple hacks to make eating healthy foods easier.

Perfect breakfast

Ingredients:

• One serving of yogurt
• A handful of your favorite fruits
• A serving of cereal

Preparation:

Put the yogurt in a bowl and top with fruit and muesli.

Al Roker’s keto breakfast

After Al Roker starts his day with a workout at 4 a.m., he often makes a serving of his ketogenic diet breakfast – an easy-to-make egg muffin. This muffin contains foods so many people like: eggs, cheese, vegetables, and some meat.

Keto egg muffins

Ingredients:

• 6-8 eggs
• A dollop of half-and-half or whipped cream
• Leftover vegetables from the refrigerator
• bacon
• Grated cheese plus an extra slice for each muffin top

Preparation:

1. Beat the eggs with the half or heavy cream.
2. Fill four to six places with the egg mixture in a jumbo muffin pan.
3. Add leftover vegetables.
4. Crumble in the bacon.
5. Top with grated cheese of your choice.
6. Bake at 350 to 400 F until puffy and brown (about 30 minutes).
7. Place another slice of cheese on top and put back in the oven until it melts.

Bridget Nieves, who lost over 100 pounds

When Bridget Nieves read a report that found obesity to be a risk factor leading to death in people with COVID-19, she decided to lose some weight. Nieves, who can be found on Instagram as Making Friends with Food, ordered a peloton to encourage training and shared her diet in a healthy way. With the Lose It! she tracked her food and planned what to eat. She lost 103 pounds in 11 months.

“For me, the greatest thing was finding ways to incorporate the foods I love without restricting myself and at the same time causing a calorie deficiency,” she told TODAY. “I had to find creative ways to optimize the foods I love so that they are healthier.”

She shared two recipes that can help anyone hoping to make some healthy diet changes.

Breakfast pizza

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces of organic spinach and kale
• 1 ounce non-fat grated mozzarella
• About 1 cup of 100% liquid egg white
• A small amount of turkey peppers

Preparation:

1. Spray a medium pan with olive oil spray.
2. Fry the spinach and kale over medium heat.
3. Spray pan again.
4. Add egg whites and cook thoroughly.
5. Top with mozzarella and hot peppers and cover, reduce the heat and cook for two to three minutes until the cheese has melted.

For those with a sweet tooth, Nieves even offers a dessert.

Air-Fried Oreo and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup

Ingredients:

• 1 sickle roller triangle
• 2 oreo diluted
• 1 snack-sized Reese’s peanut butter cup
• Dust with powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Open the crescent roll container, remove a triangle and cut it in half.
2. Spread the dough thinly with a rolling pin.
3. Place two oreo items in a triangle of dough.
4. Place a Reese in the other triangle of dough.
5. Fold the dough around the biscuits and smooth it out, sealing all edges.
6. Cook in the air fryer at 350 F for 10 minutes.
7. Remove from the air fryer and let cool for two minutes.
8. Top up with sifted powdered sugar.

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Meghan Holohan is a contributing writer covering health and parenting for TODAY.com. She loves to cook, do yoga, read, make music and take walks with her two rescue dogs. Follow her on Twitter to see her latest stories.