Do not underestimate how much the return of 14 eliminated contestants can mess with your head. This time last year when the ‘white ghosts’ returned through the gates of the White House (which is what Camp Biggest Loser was known as back then) was perhaps the hardest point in the competition for me.
Why? Because week after week Kirsten, Sam, Gary and I had fought tooth and nail to stay in the game and just when we thought there was some safety in our little pack called ‘Final Four’ – bam! The eliminated contestants returned.
First, there was shock: “Um, hello! Didn’t we just get rid of you?”
Then came confusion: “So two of you will join us… or replace two of us? Is it a Final Four or a Final Six?”
Followed by a very deep feeling of resentment... and not because my place at Finale was in jeopardy, but because the returning contestants had been home, they’d seen their families, they’d had a mental break from the game that was by then extremely intense. They came back refreshed and energised while we were feeling stuck, tired, homesick and mentally stretched to the limit.
I won’t mention any names but a few of last year’s contestants thought being back in the game was like being at a holiday house! They ate all of our food, they were back cramping the kitchen, they were filling up the gym! The place had gone from being a quiet, earnest centre for weight loss to a downright crazy house.
Some of the contestants who had been out of the game for a while also thought we had gone a little crazy – they said Kirsten and I had turned into psycho chicks! Not only were we still extremely disciplined with our food and training, we were taking the game very seriously. For example, the day after the eliminated contestants returned, I got up at 4am to beat them to the gym, but I didn’t have to worry as most slept in!
The point of this ramble is just to say that my heart goes out to Tiff, Cam, Sammy and Julie, this year’s Final Four, who did not look at all impressed with last night’s events. They will really struggle this week and I hope they can stay focused and not let it psyche them out too much.
Looking on the bright side (which I have a tendency to do) I learned two very important life lessons from the eliminated contestants’ return: 1) never be complacent and 2) hang in there just when you think you can’t take any more. Life can always dish out more and the only way to survive is to stay true to your values, work hard and weather the storm.
That said, while my thoughts are with this year’s Final Four, I also want to wish the eliminated contestants the very best of luck. Some of them went home through no fault of their own and if they can win a place at Finale, god bless their cotton socks!
I’m intrigued to see the results of tonight’s Russian roulette-style party temptation – it will be brutal for one and rewarding for another. Be sure to tune in at 7PM on TEN and check your inbox in the morning for my daily update.
If you missed last night's show, you can watch the full episode at The Biggest Loser TV show website.
Below I’ve shared the segment where we see all 14 eliminated contestants appear on the parade ground – my goodness they look amazing!
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Alison Braun is one of the most-loved contestants in Biggest Loser history. Since losing over 55kg during Series 3, she has kept the weight off with the help of The Biggest Loser Club and, more recently, The Biggest Loser Club Meal Replacement Program.