Biggest Loser: Knesset Edition

Running, speed walking, low fat cheese and baked fish – this is the fitness and diet regime that has helped Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer shed many kilograms in recent months.

Ben-Eliezer has been on the diet for the past six months, and has lost some 30 kg (66 lb) - 10 kg (22 lb) short of his target weight. He eats crackers, low fat cheese and salad for breakfast, roasted chicken breast and salad for lunch and some more crackers and a low-calorie yogurt for dinner. Between meals he eats fruit and drinks lots of water. He takes 40-minute walks every day. If you don't count Defense Minister Ehud Barak's recent actions, these last few months have been quite salubrious for Ben-Eliezer.

Netanyahu's makeover began about six months ago as well. Together with his wife Sara, he has been leading a healthy, if not ascetic, lifestyle. The prime minister opens his day at dawn with a 10 km (roughly 6 miles) run, followed by a breakfast that consists of low fat cheese, light bread and a salad. For lunch, he has skinless baked fish or baked chicken breast with a side of baked vegetables. Dinner does not vary much from breakfast. Twice a week, he works out the Knesset's gym.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu is leading a battle against fattening foods in his workplace. He banned pastries from government meetings and replaced them with fruit, vegetables, yogurt and granola. As a treat, he occasionally indulges in dried fruit and nuts.

The result? Netanyahu has lost 10 kg (22 lb). He showed off his transformation last week during a visit to the elite Sayeret Matkal unit headquarters, where he served during his IDF career. When he reached the base's fitness corner, he grabbed the tension bar and performed an impressive number of pull-ups.

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