Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Ellie Krieger explodes the myth and stereotype of supermodel-as-airhead, retiring from an extremely successful career with iconic Wilhelmina Cooper to earn degrees at Cornell and Columbia. Charismatic and obviously comfortable before the cameras, Krieger hosts "Healthy Appetite" on the Food Network. On "Healthy Appetite," Krieger advocates nothing advanced, nor does she introduce anything extreme. In fact, of all the cooking and nutrition shows with large audiences, "Healthy Appetite" certainly deserves distinction as the one most in touch with the way American families really live. Krieger specializes in healthy recipes for the real world, and she also offers effective strategies for eating low-calorie nutritious meals in the most challenging situations"”restaurants, at the office, at parties, and on vacation. Not surprisingly, "Healthy Appetite" numbers among First Lady Michelle Obama's favorites; and, in the fall of 2009, Krieger led the list of luminaries who contributed to the first-ever Healthy Kids Fair at the White House. Krieger subsequently testified before the House Committee on Agriculture about nutrition, healthy eating and the growing epidemic of childhood obesity.

"Envy Girls" may have created a new media phenomenon"”the first straight-to-DVD television production. Five episodes of "Envy Girls" aired in 2007; a handful of devoted fans tuned-in for the broadcasts before the producers began exploring alternative media. "Envy Girls" now airs on-demand at Hulu.com, and devotees can invest in the four-DVD boxed set, which promises exceptional fitness and a swimsuit model's enviable body. The "Envy Girls" promos describe the cast as "the world's first super team of fitness," and Playmate of the Year Kara Monaco captains the team as they guide viewers through series of workouts targeted at girls' "problem areas""”abs, buns, legs, and arms. Elana, Natasha, Vala, and Yvette help Kara proclaim the gospel and work the moves to lose weight, tone muscles, and feel great. Celebrity trainer Michael Carson lends his wisdom and guidance to the series, which promises to "make you the envy of others." According to exercise physiologists, "Envy Girls" serves-up more eye candy than serious exercise, but the DVDs keep flying off the shelves anyway.

Of all the exercise programs and regimes prescribed today those incorporating Yoga and Pilates seem to be the most effective when it comes to improving ones posture, flexibility, and core strength. As seen on TV the program really works for those who can stick with it. Eventually feeling healthy and looking physically fit will become a lifestyle and those who remain faithful to their new way of life will definitely live longer and feel much better while doing it. Yoga helps with stress management and taking control of your life while a Pilates program gets to the core and strengthens from the inside out. Together they help improve the entire body and mind while enhancing the quality of life. Yoga and Pilates TV demonstrates how each exercise will work the hamstrings, hips, and gluteus while making the mind strong and the core strength solid and positive. Taking the boring repetitiveness out of an exercise "program" will make it more fun and effective because it won't be avoided but instead looked forward to. Make Pilates and Yoga part of the daily routine and live longer while feeling great about yourself.

Clean House TV show is a home makeover and interior design television series. Hosted by comedic actress Niecy Nash, the Clean House TV show brings a four-person cleanup-and-renovation crew to the homes of families unable to control household clutter. Each episode follows a basic pattern; family members often face psychological barriers to letting go of their belongings. What's it like to walk into a house that looks like a tornado hit it? Style's popular makeover series, Clean House TV show gives homeowners a new lease on life by decluttering their messy pads--but ever wonder how they do it? Well, wonder no more, 'cause Clean House Comes Clean dishes all the dirt on what goes on behind-the-scenes.

Tyra Banks sure knows how to get them talking! Her style and warmth blend in with the "talk show theme" quite well and she brings out the opinions of her audience even as she expresses her own. A recent show was themed around fierce women, particularly the single ones. Seems like women today feel pressured to get that ring on their finger in order to feel "complete" yet many of the singles love their lives as they are. And women who simply do not wish to have children? Well there are plenty of them out there also. No subject is taboo on the Tyra's show and she proves it by discussing discrimination, sexuality, as well as racial issues and even obesity. These are issues that should not be a problem in this modern society yet they're still around and remain problematic for many. Being overweight is extremely common today and discrimination is an issue that will endlessly haunt them. Society and how to live in it always makes for good TV and the questions never stop being interesting and thought provoking on The Tyra Banks Show.

Basic cable and "reality" programming thrive on American's well-established predilection for all things paranormally creepy; phantom-hunting shows proliferate like bugs in damp places. The dazzling success of "Intervention" TV series and its spin-offs demonstrates they also have an insatiable appetite for other people's behavioral disorders. A&E network innocently claims, "'Intervention' raises awareness about the alternatives and treatment options available to those who suffer from an alcohol or drug addiction, and gives hope to families who have nowhere left to turn." Viewers more honestly explain "Intervention" vividly, realistically shows the horrors of drug addiction and codependency. The show makes perfectly and painfully clear how addicts and their families suffer with the symptoms and consequences of chemical and alcohol dependency. At the end of each hour-long horror show, "Intervention" shows a family and either Jeff VanVonderen or Candy Finnigan, highly trained and experienced psychotherapists, staging an intervention with their chemically dependent loved-one. Most episodes show addicts agreeing to enter treatment, but the producers of "Intervention" TV show make it abundantly clear that no one is guaranteed a happy ending.