Although the Biggest Loser Club takes all of the guesswork out of sticking to your diet, there are three components of your Biggest Loser diet that you should know about.

1. The kinds of food. The diet is based on lean protein, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts, all of which will help you feel full on fewer calories. If you're happy with your diet, you're much more likely to stick with your program and reach your weight-loss goals.
2. The times to eat. When you follow the Biggest Loser diet, you will eat 5 or 6 small meals and snacks per day. Frequent small meals will help keep your blood sugar and appetite levels balanced, thereby helping you stay satisfied and in control.
3. How much? If you eat too much, you won't lose weight. If you eat too little, you will lose weight at first but then battle weight loss resistance as your metabolism slows down. It's important for you to find the right zone where you feel strong and satisfied and yet are losing up to 1% of your body weight each week. Ask the nutrition experts if you have a question about your calorie target.

Here are some easy tools to customize My Diet to fit your tastes and lifestyle:

• Your Meal Plan tells you everything you'll be eating at each meal and snack for the day or week ahead. Many Club members find it easiest to use the provided Meal Plan but feel free to personalize and simplify the menu through the "swap" option—it's easy to change a food or meal for another if you want. Say you don't like the cottage cheese that's on the menu for lunch—just hit "swap" to look at other foods you can substitute. It's easy because the basic nutrients—carbohydrates, fat, sodium, fiber and protein—stay within the recommended ranges to help you meet your weight loss goals. Most meals are very easy because they're based on The Biggest Loser Club's goal of having you stick with mostly whole, natural foods; for example, you'll often see fresh fruits and vegetables on the menu. If you need a recipe to create a dish, you'll see the "View Recipe" link.
• The Shopping List Once you settle on a Meal Plan, either by using the one that we create for you or by making changes to suit your tastes, you can print out your Shopping List, which you can find under the My Diet tab. If you prefer to do your shopping just once a week, you can choose your meals for the next several days, and take an expanded shopping list to the store.
• Your Food Log At the end of each day, record what you've eaten on under My Food Log. Whereas your Meal Plan lists out the foods you should eat, think of the Food Log as a "tracking" tool to keep note of what you've actually eaten. Of course, the closer you stay to your Meal Plan, the better! This is also your opportunity to add a preferred meal or food item to your list of Favorites, making it easier to add that favorite food or meal to your Food Log at another time. Want to see a demonstration? Check out My Diet Basics (in the "Help" section available on the top right of every page) to see how easy it is to move around the site.