'The George Foreman grill helped me lose 100 pounds'

As a weight-loss and food addiction specialist, its my job to help women lose weight. So, whenever I start coaching a new client, I always suggest she buy a George Foreman Grill.

I know what it's like to want to lose weight. I dieted as a kid, teen, and in my twenties. Even though I went on virtually every diet, I never lost any weight at all. After talking to a friend, I started thinking about what foods were "problem foods" for me-sweets and carbs, mainly.

Pinpointing those foods was an epiphany for me; I gave those foods up cold turkey and never looked back-and I lost 100 pounds in a year. Since then, I've taught other women to follow the same weight-loss plan that worked for me. The plan involves:

Eating enough calories (at least 1,500 a day).
Combining carbs and protein to slay cravings.
And giving clients the feeling that they have control over their weight.

The need for the grill is based on the meal plan I used myself and the one I give my clients: Each meal should contain one cup of carbohydrates (like brown rice or beans), two cups of vegetables, and four ounces of lean protein (usually chicken or fish).

I've found that the George Foreman Grill is the absolute best way to make those portions happen-a four-ounce portion of protein fits perfectly on the grill. On a full-size grill, though, that portion size would look tiny, which might make you feel deprived or like you're getting less food (we eat with our eyes first, you know?).

Another bonus: The grill is nonstick, which means you don't have to use any extra oil while you're cooking with it. Then, of course, there are added benefits to cooking foods at a lower temperature. (According to the National Cancer Institute, cooking meat at high temperatures or over an open flame might increase your risk of cancer.)

The author, before and after her 100-pound weight loss. ece-auto-gen

Grilling your food can help beat food boredom, too. Cooking healthy food at home all the time can get pretty repetitive, so switching up your cooking methods (like using the grill) helps you introduce more variety into your diet, helping you stay on track with your weight-loss goals. Plus, grilling adds a unique flavor you just can't replicate on the stove or in the oven-and you just can't beat grilled fruits and veggies, too. (Personally, I love grilled salmon and pineapple together.)

Basically, the George Foreman Grill is my magic bullet for weight loss when it comes to my clients (and myself-I wouldn't recommend something I don't also use). Of course, I also encourage my clients to do interval training using weights to build muscle, and incorporate cardio into their routines as well. But the George Foreman Grill is an integral part of the plan I give all my clients.

And, honestly, who doesn't feel insanely healthy eating a nice, big piece of grilled chicken?

Tiffany Wright, Ph.D., is a weight loss and food addiction specialist in Los Angeles. Find her at The Skinny Coach.