I recently got a sneak peak at Joy Bauer’s new book The Joy Fit Club: Cookbook, Diet Plan & Inspiration. I’ve read hundreds of weight loss books and let me tell you, this one is truly inspirational. That’s why I’m giving away a copy— check out how you can enter for your chance to win at the end of this post!

About The Joy Fit Club
If you watch NBC’s Today show, chances are you have seen the Joy Fit Club series.  Every other week a new member is featured who has lost at least 100 pounds through dietary changes and exercise. The series has been very successful at inspiring viewers around the country to make lifestyle changes. The book takes it a step further and gives you the inside scoop of how Joy Fit Club members overcame the obstacles on their long journeys, what they ate, where they found support, and how they got back on track when they fell off the wagon.

About The Book
Besides the inspirational stories from Joy Fit Club members, Joy provides her winning weight loss rules. These are 10 principles are common to dieters, regardless if you want to lose 10 or 100 pounds. Joy also provides a 3-week meal plans which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks all made from a variety of simple and mouthwatering ingredients. Of course there are a ton of delicious recipes from both Joy Fit Club members and Joy’s Kitchen, including her Lemon-Ginger Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry.

Lemon-Ginger Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
MAKES 4 servings
Serving Size 3/4 cup cooked rice with a slightly rounded 1 cup of the beef and broccoli mixture
Prep Time (start to finish) 40 minutes

1 pound beef sirloin steak, trimmed of fat
11/4 cups water
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
3 cups fresh broccoli florets*
1 medium yellow sweet pepper, cut into thin bite-size strips
1/2 of a medium red onion, thinly sliced
Oil spray
3 cups cooked brown rice, cooked soba noodles, or cooked brown rice fettuccine

1. Wrap beef with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to make it easier to slice. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine 3/4 cup of the water, the soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, ginger, lemon zest, and, if desired, crushed red pepper. Set aside.
2. In a large wok or nonstick skillet combine broccoli and remaining 1/2 cup water. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 3 minutes. Uncover and add the sweet pepper and red onion. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and water is evaporated. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl and set aside.
3. Remove the beef from the freezer and slice into very thin strips. Coat the wok with oil spray and place over medium-high heat. Add half the beef strips. Cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until beef is just a little pink in the center. Transfer the beef to the bowl with the vegetables and repeat with the remaining beef. Return all the beef and vegetables to the wok.
4. Stir the lemon-ginger sauce until well combined. Add to the wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Divide rice among four serving plates. Top evenly with beef mixture.

*TIP For quicker prep, pick up pre-cut broccoli florets in your market’s produce department.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Calories: 417, Protein: 32 g, Total Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 48 mg, Sodium: 508 mg, Carbohydrate: 55 g, Fiber: 5 g

Getting Started
In her book, Joy mentions that many of the members were successful by taking it one step at a time. You can start today by changing one thing in your diet – eliminate an unhealthy food, cut down on portion sizes or add in additional servings of fruit and vegetables.  Over time you’ll be amazed at how small changes add up and can help mold your healthy lifestyle.

Enter to Win!
I’m giving away to one lucky commenter a copy of Joy’s new book. Enter in the comments for your chance to win. Tell me “What’s one lifestyle change you could make starting today?”

The contest begins today Monday June 25, 2012 at 8 AM EST and ends Tuesday June 26, 2012 at 5:00 PM EST. You may only comment once to be considered and don’t need to purchase anything to win. Be sure to include your email address in the “Email” field when posting your comment so I can let you know if you won.  Only open to legal residents of 50 U.S. states, D.C. or Puerto Rico, and you must be at least 18 years of age to win.

Joy Bauer is the nutrition and health expert for NBC’s TODAY show, a monthly columnist for Woman’s Day magazine, the exclusive nutritionist for the New York City Ballet, the author of several bestselling books and the creator of JoyBauer.com. You can also follow Joy on Facebook and Twitter.