I spent the entire Wednesday-night episode crying! Crying, because of the enormous changes the contestants have made, but also because they are beginning to truly value themselves – their smiles say it all!
Combine this with the grins and gasps from the contestants' loved ones, whose visits were the final surprise of this makeover day, and I was struggling to stop my lip from quivering!
Shannon nailed it when he said: “I couldn’t be any prouder”. He has earned his new look and is now standing tall.
Dave looks about 20 years younger and just radiates self-worth. I loved what he said about being accountable for his actions and how he respects himself for making positive changes – it’s so wonderful to see him letting go of that guilt. And his wife thinks he’s “a hunk” – what a feeling!
It really hit home how much Rick is transforming his life when his girlfriend, who is a few months pregnant, came through the doors. He promised to be a “happy dad” and I believe him. Think about the huge difference that will make to his family! He admired his face for the first time, and noticed his chin and his Adam’s apple – taking note of how far we've come is so important if we are to keep moving forwards.
I have always found it easy to relate to Lisa – she wants to reclaim her life, just like I did. And, when she said that she just wanted to look beautiful, she was echoing my thoughts from my days of being overweight.
I’m sure you’re with me on this, but wanting to be beautiful is not just about aesthetics. It’s about achieving your ambitions. You develop a self-respect that adds to the physical change you see in the mirror. It’s phenomenal when your physical goals and your emotional goals begin to sync.
Fantastic as it was, my makeover was also one of my hardest moments on The Biggest Loser. To survive the months away from my family I had to block them out and seeing my husband after the makeover completely unsettled me. It took me days to get over and I allowed my emotions to interfere with my food and training. My focus was completely knocked and I just wanted to go home.
Just like in life, sometimes you’ve got to suck it up and get on with the job. I knew I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at Camp Biggest Loser and that I had to knuckle-down and make it work.
I’m curious if, like me, any contestants will be derailed after the family reveal. But I suppose we will just have to wait and see what the weigh-in room delivers…
Video highlights...
Lisa's transformation is tremendous and a reminder to all of us of the whole-life changes we should be so proud of making. Don't miss it!