To me this week was all about excuses and honesty. There was Caitlin in the mud, Shannon during training and Dave with Michelle. They were all telling moments.
Mud bath
You have got to love the feeling of mud on your skin. I love it. In fact only weeks ago I had the joy of sitting in my bikini in a mud bath in Vietnam. What the contestants went through this week, however, is not something usually offered at a spa! Four hours of intense Commando style workout... it's the kind of torture that will get these contestants in a mud bath in a bikini just for pleasure!
To me, this episode really highlighted not who has the physical strength, but more importantly, who has the mental strength to succeed. I've said it before, you may think you need physical strength to do well at Camp Biggest Loser but that's not the case. Mental strength is the key.
The mud bath was very interesting. It became boys versus girls and although the Green boys didn't like it much, I thought it was great. But Caitlin... again, all I saw was Caitlin give up when it got too hard.
Caitlin made an excuse, underestimated herself yet again, took the easy road and quit. Which may be the easy road at the time, but in the end is the toughest, longest and saddest road you can take. When will she realise this is up to her and she can do it?
And then there was little Phoebe. The last girl standing. I was blown away. Something tells me we are going to see a lot more come from her. This quiet shy girl is discovering she is a strong determined woman that is capable of much more than she ever realised.
Gift again paid forward
Phil this week chose to give his family visit away to Joe which I think is just beautiful. Joe's face said it all. Pride... something many of us with a weight problem never show. I could see this look when he was proud to hold his girlfriend’s hand, feel in control when ordering in a restaurant and be able to say with confidence that he will marry her one day, when he is skinny.
I love watching these little changes in the contestants because I know exactly how it feels, and I know these are the tools that are needed for success when heading back into the real world.
Training the mind
The training sessions this week revealed the same demons that haunt many people who struggle with their weight.
To Shannon I'd like to say: there are two paths given to you in this game, and in life. You can choose to take the same path that has led you to the point you are at right now or you can choose to change, take a different path, make different choices and choose a different life. It really is that simple. You can choose to stay in bed and keep the same body and same mind, or you can choose to wake up, get out of bed and start the day with training.
Shannon should be in that gym first thing in the morning and if he wants to change his life, he should be the last one out of it at night. I just don't see him choosing that path... I see he still has an excuse.
Now Michelle's training session with Dave was one that I hope you listened to very closely. It was all about being honest with yourself. It's been two years now since I left The Biggest Loser and I’ve heard every weight loss story you can imagine! Comments I hear a lot are: "I have tried everything to lose weight and I can't"; "I eat really healthily and I exercise and I can’t lose weight."
You have to be honest with yourself.
This might sound harsh... heartless... blunt. But it’s the truth. I know, I’ve been there. I never used to tell anyone how much I ate. Sometimes I’d have a meal before I went out for a meal, just to keep up the facade that I really didn't eat much!
I lied about how much I weighed. I made excuses about exercise such as, “I have an injury, I can't.” I lied about not liking the beach when the truth is, I love the beach, I was just too embarrassed to be there. I lied about the size of my clothes, lied about the fact my weight didn't bother me, lied that I ate healthy food, lied that I was happy.
Every now and then I make the mistake of slipping back and not being honest with myself. I write this today not just in hope that you may get it... I actually write this for me this week to keep me true to myself.
Dave has just realised that not being honest with himself has allowed his weight to control his life... he has got it! This is the first day of the beginning of a new life for Dave.
Believe in yourself,
Ali x