I can’t speak for this year’s contestants but, for me, the final week in the house was a series of magic moments – it was very calm and very special. There was nothing more you could learn, nothing more the trainers could teach you, nothing the game could throw at you that you couldn’t handle. It was a week where I got to reflect, take it all in and enjoy the calm.
It was also when the other remaining contestants and I got to spend more quality time with Shannan and Michelle, not just to be slaughtered by them in the gym.
That said, we did thoroughly enjoy flogging those two in Train the Trainers. And not just because trainer torture is fun! Why that session was so special for me, and I think I can speak on behalf of Sharif, Tiff, Sammy, Cam and Stewart, was because I took great joy in showing Shannan everything I had learned, everything he had taught me; I wanted to thrash him so he could be proud of me for coming so far.
Shannan was certainly very proud of the grueling workout Sharif devised for him. It just goes to show why Sharif is such as star of this series – not only has he applied everything he’s learned from Shannan, but he’s used that knowledge as a foundation to learn even more in his time outside the house.
Sharif’s transformation is a real standout for me – watching his audition tape was very moving; I mean, I know what it feels like to see that old version of you and feel both disgusted and saddened by it. I quote him directly when he described what he’s discovered on this journey: “I know now what it means to be free. You don’t have self-loathing, you have self-respect.”
This is why I feel so eternally blessed to have had the opportunity to be involved with Loser. Seeing the tapes last night makes me think back to my audition: even now, over 18 months later, I can still vividly see all the faces in the room. Everyone so desperately wanted the opportunity to be part of the show, and since I was blessed to get it, I promised never to waste it.
Something Shannan said to Sharif last night really hit home: “Retain the gift of The Biggest Loser,” he said, “inspire others to lose weight.”
This is the responsibility of all of us privileged enough to take part in Loser, and seeing the contestants in their dream outfits last night – Sharif in his State of Origin jersey, Stewart in his golf outfit, Cam in a tux, Sammy in jeans and Tiff in a slinky little dress she last wore when she was 21 – is a reminder of just how inspiring their journeys have been.
I hope they remember this week in the house always and use it as motivation to finish the race and keep the weight off for many years to come.
Oh, but they need to get through tonight’s escalator challenge first – it’s the final one of the game. 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 unveiling of the dream outfits – how sensational does everyone look!
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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.