I am so loving this series of Loser – it’s like sensational weight loss meets the Amazing Race! What a journey the contestants embarked on last night – a 2500km marathon which will eventually lead to their new home in Sydney.
There were a couple of things that stood out for me, the first being teamwork and tenacity. Teresa and Sharif’s 2-hour struggle to get to the speed boat was an excellent example.
I don’t think you realise just how distressing Loser challenges can be. Like the workmates discovered, there are times when you don’t feeling like you’re getting anywhere, like you’re going backwards; and then you’ve got to start fighting the demons in your head which say, “What am I doing here? There’s no way I could do this. What was I thinking? Why am I doing this?”
I have no doubt that this was running through Sharif’s mind as he battled the waves. It was probably cycling through Teresa's mind, too, as she took over the oars. But despite coming last and being at threat of drifting back to shore, the couple proved that:
You just kept going.
You push through.
You don’t give up.
I know some of you hear these demons when faced with food choices, exercise or a bad weigh-in result, but the message is the same:
You just kept going.
You push through.
You don’t give up.
I thought that Amanda and Stewart embodied the true spirit of Loser when, instead of getting frustrated and snide with Teresa and Sharif, they called out their encouragement from the back of the boat. I am a firm believer in what goes around comes around, which is why it was so touching to see the work mates wait at the airport for the married couple when they struggled on the 3km road race.
The other important lesson from last night’s episode was that there are many paths to weight loss – that’s what the seaplane, fishing trawler, yacht and speed boat represented to me. It doesn't matter how you get there – e.g. by going hard with exercise, by using Meal Replacements, by religiously keeping a diary – provided you ‘arrive’ safe and sound. The most important thing is to start your journey, and push through when you're tempted to give up.
What I love about the race and Loser in general is that it pushes you out of your comfort zone… by a mile! And funnily enough, that’s where people thrive. Like I did and hopefully you will, the contestants are going to discover a lot about themselves during this journey and realise they can achieve many things they never thought they could.
I can’t wait for tonight’s episode to see who arrives at the new house first. Remember, immunity is on the line! Tune in at 7PM on TEN and look out for my updates tomorrow morning.
Episode 9 highlights
The great Loser race is one you certainly don’t want to miss, so if you didn’t see it, watch the full episode now at The Biggest Loser TV show website.
My favourite bits were seeing the contestants’ faces when Ajay told them they were going ‘home’:
I also loved Teresa’s and Sharif’s struggle on the sea: