Several contestants were battling demons in the big gym last night. Julie, Cameron and Mel all struggled with self-doubt and, as Michelle put it, a defeatist attitude.
I don’t think they’ve realised yet what a big part your mind plays in this journey. That’s probably why the trainers have had the ‘faces of determination’ installed on the walls of the gym – to remind the couples to focus, steel themselves and push through.
There’s a big reward for overcoming your demons and it’s that sense of elation you feel from achieving something you never thought you could do. You could see it on Sammy’s face at the end of the session and hear it in Julie’s voice when she yelled, “I’ve got this!”
That sense of elation becomes a drug and, trust me, these contestants will be back for more and more…
It was also great to see everyone in the kitchen last night preparing healthy food. Nathan was right when he said, quoting Michelle, that weight loss is “70% diet, 30% exercise”. Up until now, the contestants haven’t been 100% responsible for their meals – on the island, the resort took care of the menu. Now they’re at North Head, they have to prepare their breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks from scratch.
Getting their nutrition right is really going to give the contestants a competitive edge at the next weigh-in. That’s obviously why Michelle introduced her team to The Biggest Loser Club diary – the online weight management tool contestants use to track everything they eat and drink, and any exercise they do.
I was introduced to the diary during my first week in the White House. It was such an education, let me tell you! Even though Shannan and Michelle set us on the right path in terms of nutrition, they can’t be there to witness every meal. By recording all their food and exercise in the diary, the contestants will be able to keep track of their ‘energy equation’ and maximise their results on the scales.
In fact, if they keep good records, the diary can even help the contestants to predict their weight loss, which would be a big advantage at Sunday night's weigh-in seeing there's a double elimination vote on the table. It will be interesting to see how Holly and Mel will use the power granted to them by Nathan and Andrew – I’ll keep my fingers crossed that they do their own thing and won’t let the boys sway them.
But that will be Monday night’s episode. First, we’ve got to get through the body-vs-brains challenge which is up tonight. Be sure to tune in at 7PM on TEN and check for my comments on Saturday morning.
Episode 11 highlights
If you missed last night’s show, you can watch the entire episode at The Biggest Loser TV show website.
I’ve shared my favourite segment below – it’s where Michelle walks her team through The Club diary: