Julie Hadden lost 97 pounds on "The Biggest Loser" 4
1. Yet another member of that dominating Black Team from Season 4 of the hit NBC-TV weight loss reality show "The Biggest Loser" is here with us today. It's Julie Hadden and boy does she have quite a story to tell.
Starting on the show that season as the "smallest" contestant at just 218 pounds, she ended up in the final four and came within just eight pounds of beating eventual winner Bill Germanakos for the $250,000 grand prize. But she still lost an incredible 44.5% of her weight for a total of 97 pounds which puts her in the top 4 all-time biggest female losers percentage-wise on the show.
Looking at Julie today you'd never know she had a weight problem. WELCOME to the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog, Julie! I have to say when you came out during the grand finale in December 2007 that the difference in you was absolutely stunning! At that point I looked over at my wife Christine and said to her, "This is gonna be close between her and Bill."
While I know you are proud of your amazing weight loss success, did you wonder about what you could have done to get down to 111 pounds to beat Bill? It had to be frustrating for you to work so hard and come up just 8 pounds short. Before Ali Vincent won Season 5, did you believe a woman would ever win "The Biggest Loser?"
First of all let me say thank you for inviting me to speak with you. I love reading your interviews with the other Biggest Loser contestants and you have quite a remarkable story yourself!
To answer your question about beating Bill, yes, I have thought about it many times. I don’t regret the way it turned out because things have happened in my life since then that wouldn’t have been possible if the outcome were different. But the competitor in me wanted to be the “ultimate underdog.” From the very beginning, I knew that no one really gave me a thought when it came to competition and I wanted to be a hook out of left field.
In regards to a female ever winning, I would have to say yes I thought it could happen. I always thought it could happen sooner than people think. It had to be the perfect candidate who has just the right amount of weight and just the right amount of time to lose it. Men lose so quickly. If I had just one more week I could have beaten Bill to become the first female Biggest Loser. He was underweight by the Finale, and had no where else to go, but I could have lost 8 more pounds. (Not that I would want to live my life that thin). Every season is different, different people, different personalities, and different situations. I was so excited on the day when Ali Vincent won the title of The Biggest Loser a couple of months ago, but I will have to be honest and say--I wish it had been me.
2. At the beginning of the season, I don't think anybody expected a contestant like you who didn't put up the "big numbers" to still be around at the end. Of course, that's a great misconception about "The Biggest Loser" that you need to lose double digits every week to stay above the yellow line.
Sure, if you started out weighing over 350 or 400 pounds, but not for someone like you who only needed to lose about half the weight of your larger competitors to lose the same percentage as they did. Do you think the show does a good enough job explaining this to the viewers or is the show looked at as merely a "very large person" game? How were you able to stave off elimination in those weeks when you could have been sent home early?
This issue really gets my goat. I would read comments like “the girls are so lazy, they need to work harder” or “they should be sent home, because they aren’t losing enough.” No matter what they say, the contestants read those message boards. And that perception simply is just not true. Just because you don’t lose massive amounts of weight doesn’t mean you don’t work hard.
Percentage is everything. Five pounds in a week for a 180-pound girl is a lot different then five pounds on a 350-pound male. I mean come on people! Do you really think that Jillian Michaels would let someone just sit around and twiddle their thumbs on the show? She would beat the living snot out of them if they did that!
Everyone on the show worked hard. Working out 4 to 6 hours a day is no joke. I do think the show could go more into detail about this subject because everyone gets so excited when someone loses double digits, but no one really rejoices when you see someone drop six pounds which percentage wise could equal the same thing.
As far as staving off elimination and not being sent home early, I did it two ways. My strategy from the beginning of the game was to simply make friends and work hard. Fortunately it worked well for me. I was blessed to have made life long friends and to top it off. It was a perfect combination of strategy and hard work that enabled me to stay until the end of the game. I couldn’t have made it without both.
3. Your motivation to be on "The Biggest Loser" as a 35-year-old stay-at-home mom was not necessarily to look good (although that certainly doesn't hurt!), but for the sake of your health. I tell people all the time that they need to pay attention to the way they eat and exercise first and the weight loss will naturally come from that.
It was a great moment at the beginning of the season when you shared so openly about the struggles you had getting pregnant because of your weight and I'm sure that touched the hearts of millions of moms just like you who totally understood the pain that you were expressing. Have you been back to see a reproductive endocrinologist about your chances of having another baby now that the weight is gone?
My wife and I have been trying to have our first child to start a family of our own and know the pain that comes from being unable to conceive naturally. We are now considering adoption as a possible option, so tell us a little about the experience you had over the past few months when you were able to adopt a baby.
I could go on and on about our adoption experience because it was truly a miracle the way it happened. I really believe that when giving a child up for adoption, that it’s the greatest gift anyone could ever give. It is an act of total selflessness and the greatest example of sacrificial love we see in today.
We haven’t ruled out the option of possibly trying to have a biological child eventually. But I do believe that the baby we adopted was absolutely meant to be ours! His birth mother carried him for us, but God intended for us to be his parents. At her request, I got to spend a good amount of time with her and we got to share our hearts with each other. She is a wonderful woman and I can never thank her enough for the precious gift she gave.
We named the baby Jaxon, which means “God has been gracious.” There’s just no doubt that he was meant to be ours. From the day we submitted our family profile and met with the social worker until the day we brought him home was only twelve days. Now THAT’S a miracle. And so is he. He brings us so much joy--I can’t even describe it.
Actually, the adoption was what I was referring to earlier when I said me winning the Biggest Loser wasn’t meant to be. Because had I been traveling and doing the same things that Bill ended up doing, I might not have been in the right place at the right time for Jaxon to become ours. I canceled some appearances and rescheduled some things. But I do not regret that one bit.
4. You declare on your web site at JulieHadden.com that "Jillian Michaels changed my life forever." As the leader of The Black Team, she whipped you guys into shape and delivered four of you--Isabeau, Hollie, Bill, and you--into the final four contestants as well as the $100,000 at-home winner Jim.
All of your fellow teammates who I have interviewed have nothing but very high praise for Jillian Michaels. The woman is incredibly inspiring and seems to know all the right buttons to push to bring out the best in the people she trains. What sets her apart from Bob Harper, Kim Lyons, or any other trainer out there? Why do you think she is the best at what she does?
I do love Jillian. And we continue to keep in touch to this day and I hope we will forever. I don’t think anyone who knows Jillian could be critical of her when they truly know her motives and intentions. I think the difference between Jillian and other trainers is that most trainers think you need to start from the inside out, but Jillian thinks from the outside in.
In my case, once she had taught me that I was strong and capable physically--it changed the inside problem--that brought me there in the first place. I have said that my “transformation” was a total transformation: body, mind and spirit. They are all interconnected. And I just think Jillian’s approach is incredible. All my life I thought I was weak. She helped me prove I was strong! And then once I believed that, then I could work on the inside changes that needed to take place. I think her perspective is unique and it’s what makes her the best.
Another thing I was shocked by is how much she truly cares about her team. These are real relationships she builds--it’s not just for good TV. I don’t know if people realized that Jillian struggled with weight issues herself so she “gets it.” I think the reason that she, in particular, is so amazing is that she never treated us as what we were, but rather what we could be. She didn’t see the Julie that I was but she saw the Julie that I could become (and would become) and helped me get there.
5. I just LOVED reading your blow-by-blow account of what was happening on the show at your entertaining blog. My favorite quote was when you responded to Neil from The Blue Team the week that he challenged the remaining contestants to "come and get me" in the elimination room. Here's what you wrote in your 7/24 entry: "Really Neil….Really????? And when I get you then what? I tell you what, when I do get you, I am gonna steal your money and take it all the way to the bank. I would however think about giving you a job.. As my driver, of my SUV that is, Mr. I never won a challenge!!!!"
Ooooo, Julie, feisty girl! Did you feel Neil's manipulation of the game during that week he gained 19 pounds tarnished the integrity of the competition and set a bad precedent for future contestants to try to alter the natural results of the game? Do you think the allure of big prize money has jaded what should be a fun-loving game about getting healthy for life?
I don’t know that I would put all of that on Neil’s shoulders. However, I do believe (and I say this from experience) that everybody starts the game wanting to change their lives. We were all desperate to reclaim our health and to gain control. By the end of the show, you’ve accomplished the health benefits and the prize money does begin to speak more loudly.
I don’t think Neil “tarnished” the integrity of the show. People still LOVE The Biggest Loser and I do believe it’s the only reality show on the air today that has truly pure motives to help people change their lives. But let’s not forget--it’s still a game.
I think the reason the prize money isn’t bigger (like so many shows that offer a million dollar prize) is that people really would do drastic, unsafe things for a chance at a million dollars. The show is still about all the right things.
I was so frustrated by the whole Neil situation because he really did outsmart us. I didn’t think anybody would really do something like that. Neil is a good guy and I love him as a person. But he’s also a chemical engineer so he’s brilliant! Ironically, Neil pulling that little stunt was the kiss of death for him because it made The Black Team more determined to finish strong. In other words, there were no tears when we voted him out. But I don’t think had he not shown us what he was capable of that we would have persevered in the same way to the finish line.
6. Another health subject near and dear to your heart is polycystic ovarian syndrome, aka PCOS. I've highlighted this condition at my blog and studies that have found consuming a lower-carb diet shows tremendous benefits. Since PCOS is a disease of insulin resistance, it's only natural that a diet lower in carbohydrate would be necessary to help bring it under control. Since high-carb diets cause blood sugar levels to go up and creates higher levels of insulin release, the PCOS gets worse under such a diet. Have you implemented a reduced-carb approach to treating your PCOS and how has it worked for you? What other strategies have you implemented to improve your PCOS condition?
I couldn’t believe after disclosing that I have PCOS in a quick little statement on the show how many woman have contacted me suffering from the same condition.
It’s a vicious cycle, because PCOS makes it so much easier to gain weight and so much harder to lose it. And yet every doctor I ever talked to said that losing the weight would improve my condition. It was so frustrating! The best solution I have found to combating my PCOS is living a healthy, balanced life which includes eating right and exercising.
My body reacts extremely poorly to carbs in general. And a low-carb diet is essentially important when dealing with this condition. But you do need some carbohydrates in your diet. So I deal with that by eating only holistic carbs; i.e. things that come from the ground such as whole grains, sweet potatoes, etc. In other words nothing processed or enriched (that term is such an oxymoron).
There are other ways to fight the symptoms of PCOS depending on what they are. But I’ll leave that to a health care professional to advise on. Since my Biggest Loser experience, my symptoms are much, much better. But they are still with me to some degree.
7. Let's turn to the subject of exercise. Jillian worked your butt off in the gym for hours a day and it got you where you are today. I've had people criticize "The Biggest Loser" because they say it is impossible and even unreasonable for people to invest hours upon hours a day to working out when you have a job, kids, and a family to take care of. How are you able to fit in a 90-minute workout five days a week and get everything done for your household? If someone who is overweight or obese can't invest hours a day to exercising, then what can that person do in terms of exercise that will make a genuine difference in their weight and health?
Well, let me be perfectly honest with you now. Since the baby has arrived, I am not able to spend 90-minutes a day exercising, five days a week. I have stated that before and I was able to do that right after the Finale. But being a mommy to a newborn does change that. And I don’t want to send an unrealistic message out there to any women. (I do still exercise several times a week. But not like I did. I run a lot and I got a baby jogger so I can exercise with the baby. I think it’s just important to keep moving and not give up and got back to bad habits.)
I also know that it’s human nature to put off the difficult tasks. I did for years and years. So my best advice to anyone is to start today. Take it slow, but get started. The only way you’ll see a difference is to move more and eat less. Don’t look at the big picture all at once; take it one day at a time. Set small, achievable goals at first and then celebrate them when you get there. But the most important thing you’ve GOT to do is believe you are worth the effort. Because you are!
I want to be genuine in what I say, because I know that a lot of people could look at all of us from The Biggest Loser and say “Yeah anybody could do it with those resources.” But it really is all about what lies inside of you. It may take someone longer but anything worth having is worth working for. And there is so much truth to that saying, “Nothing TASTES as good as being healthy FEELS!”
8. Julie, as a fellow believer in Jesus Christ, I was pleased to see you so willing to share about your faith on your JulieHadden.com web site. One of your favorite Christian music artists is Babbie Mason and I used to play her songs on the radio when I was a DJ for a station in Virginia Beach, VA in the 1990s (I've never forgotten "Each One Reach One" and "Standing In The Gap" with Helen Baylor and Cindy Morgan) and have met her at her worship concerts.
People don't believe me when I tell them it wasn't because of any strength or willpower of my own that I was able to lose weight. God was there all along the way giving me the strength I needed to lose that 180 pounds in 2004. Tell us what role God played in your weight loss success on "The Biggest Loser."
Well, first of all I believe that me being selected for The Biggest Loser in the first place was nothing less that “a God Thing.” I was so scared and I had no confidence in myself at the beginning of the process. But I stepped out on faith and stepped into the center of God’s will for my life. And that’s the best place to be.
The revolution for me was when I realized that God didn’t see me the way I saw myself. All my life I thought He was disappointed in me because I was fat. Instead of honoring God with my body, I felt like I was slapping Him in the face by my neglect of it. But through this process I realized that God loves me more than I can ever imagine. Fat or thin, He sees the Julie He created me to be. He sees “the real me.”
So I have to say that God played a huge role in my weight loss success. First by giving me the opportunity to be on the show to begin with. And then by giving me the strength to endure Jillian's “beatings, beatings, beatings.” It was also very difficult to be away from my family and friends for four months. The first couple of months there was no communication at all. My husband didn’t even know where I was. So I had to depend on God in a very real way.
Now looking back on where I was and where I have come, I really believe that having a clean body and a clean lifestyle is a way to honor God and I thank Him for all He’s done for me.
9. I haven't really asked any of the other contestants about the new "Biggest Loser" host Alison Sweeney in my previous interviews yet, but I think she adds so much more to the show since she struggled with her weight in a very public way as a teenager on a popular daytime soap opera and then overcame it. Her credibility for hosting a show like this along with a sincere love and concern for the contestants makes her the ideal person for the job. Talk about Ali from your perspective and share any memories of being around her during your stint on "The Biggest Loser."
I’ll have to admit that having been a big fan of “Days of Our Lives” I was a little starstruck when I met Allison Sweeney for the first time. But she was wonderful and so down-to-earth. She didn’t treat us like contestants, but instead like real people. When she came to see us she was just there to "hang out.”
It does mean a lot that Ali struggled with her weight at one time because it made her more than just a TV star. She was attainable, touchable. And because she’s struggled with her weight, she admits it’s a battle for her everyday like it was for us. We needed to know that.
Some of my fondest memories were the times she’d bring her husband and her son to see us and they’d even work out with us. I also think that Ali sets a great example for women in that she is very clear about her priorities in regard to balancing her family and career. She proves that women can have it all.
When my husband Mike came out to Los Angeles for the “Makeover Episode” he was so impressed because when Ali met him she called him by name and asked how our son Noah was by name. She’s an incredibly genuine person and it was a privilege to work with her while we were on the show and to call her my friend now.
10. What an incredible inspiration you are to so many of us who watched you change right before our very eyes, Julie! I cannot tell you how proud I am of you and all of your fellow Season 4 contestants for not just losing the weight, but now serving as an example for others to follow in your footsteps and do it, too. Make us proud for many years to come and keep doing what got you to the remarkable life you are living today. Would you like to share any final thoughts to encourage and inspire my readers today?
I am humbled when you say I serve as an example to others. It’s bizarre to me to think that only a little over a year ago I was totally out of control and desperately looking for a way to change my life. And I am amazed that I still continue to get messages everyday from people through my web site and through my MySpace page saying that they relate so much to me and are inspired by my story. I think the thing that made me appealing on the show is that I am nothing special. It sounds cliché but I mean it when I say if I can do it, anyone can.
If I could leave a legacy, then it wouldn’t be my weight loss while I was on the “The Biggest Loser”--it would be proving that it’s a lifelong change. It’s not the success you have while you are a part of a television show--it’s maintaining that success when “Reality TV” just becomes “Reality.” When you see me in ten years for a “Where Are They Now Reunion” I hope I can still promote the same “pride” you speak of now.
I guess the last thought I’ll leave for your readers today relates to my “slogan T-shirt” from the show. We all had to pick a phrase or a motto that best described WHY we were there. I selected “To finish what I’ve started, for once.” I've had so many people tell me they could relate to that slogan. But you know what? I have realized that I will never "finish what I've started." This will be an ongoing journey for me for the rest of my life.
So my new slogan is "To continue what I've started...forever."
I want to thank you again for letting me be a part of this process. It’s been fun thinking back on the past year and remembering so many special things about the experience. Thanks for all you do, Jimmy. Take care.
Be sure to visit JulieHadden.com and you can contact Julie Hadden to share your feedback for her about her amazing weight loss accomplishments. THANK YOU for inspiring us anew today, Julie! And congratulations on being a new mommy. :)
Don't forget to check out all my Biggest Loser links, including exclusive interviews with past contestants, featured critical commentary, and frequent news and updates about your favorite weight loss reality show.
Former "Biggest Loser" contestant wants to play Jillian in YOUR life
A few weeks ago, I shared with you an interview I conducted with one of the contestants from Season 4 of "The Biggest Loser" named Isabeau Miller. In that interview, we learned that she has since become an ISSA certified personal trainer which she says is "the love of my life right now." Isabeau credits the work of The Black Team trainer on "The Biggest Loser" Jillian Michaels for instilling that passion in her for doing what she does today.
"Being trained by Jillian was a gift because I feel like I was given an apprenticeship with the best in the business," Isabeau said.
That's why Isabeau founded Rock Hard Body & Soul so she could "pay it forward" and help others reach their health and fitness goals, too. Her company is committed to being there for people who were where Isabeau was before her stint on "The Biggest Loser" to get them on their way to being healthier than they ever thought possible.
"Whether that means losing 10 pounds or 100, running a marathon for the first time or running a mile," the Rock Hard Body & Soul web site states.
To that end, Isabeau has created a "Biggest Loser" style Rock Hard FitCamp this summer in the Nashville, Tennessee area for anyone interested in seeing what it was like during the experience on the show. That's right--you and 13 other house guests will room together during a special two-week fitness training excursion led by Isabeau Miller and her personal trainer Jacob Carringer.
You will workout for 4-6 hours a day, be provided healthy meals to consume with nutrition information and seminars with doctors, nutritionists, dietitians, and fitness professionals, and be housed during your entire stay. Isabeau promises you will lose 5-20 pounds over this two-week stretch and she says there will be a few "surprise" guests from "The Biggest Loser" that you won't want to miss! There are even a few prize opportunities while you're there!
There are two sessions coming up this summer:
Session 1 of Fitcamp is July 13-27, 2008 Session 2 of Fitcamp is August 17-31st, 2008
TOTAL COST:
Single room: $5,000/per session Double: $4,200/per session/per person Triple: $3,800/per session/per person Quadruple: $3,500/per session/per person
They are very flexible with payment options, so please e-mail them at fitcamp@rockhardbodysoul.com if you are interested in this unique opportunity to get a "Biggest Loser" workout from someone who was trained by one of the best trainers in the world, Jillian Michaels.
But wait, there's more! :)
Isabeau is a BIG FAN of the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog and I asked her if we could do something special for one lucky reader. She agreed to hold an essay contest to grant a full-paid scholarship to Rock Hard FitCamp to the winner. The essay must be at least 250 words and answer the following question:
"Why do you need to change your life through Fitcamp this summer?"
E-mail your entry to fitcamp@rockhardbodysoul.com and put in the subject line of your e-mail "Jimmy Moore's FitCamp Contest." The winner will be attending Session 2 in August, but there's one more special surprise I haven't told you about yet. Guess who else is gonna be there with you during those two weeks of working out and being trained by Isabeau? ME!
That's right, I've asked Isabeau if I can go through this experience with my reader who wins to provide some moral support and encouragement through this as well as the opportunity to blog about this outstanding idea for helping people kickstart their health and fitness. My wife Christine will be there helping me document what happens by shooting some video and we may even squeeze in some podcasts about it as well.
I'm looking forward to this experience and wish everyone well as you enter the essay contest. Isabeau wants to hear you pour out your heart and soul to her, so don't hold back. Share what's on your mind and you may just win a chance to be given a full scholarship to FitCamp in August with Jimmy Moore and Isabeau Miller. Get those essays in by Monday, March 31, 2008 to be eligible.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE and do this for your health! You'll be glad you did!
Jim Germanakos was the at-home $100,000 winner of "The Biggest Loser" 4
I've got yet another interview with one of the contestants from "The Biggest Loser" 4 today and it's with the $100.000 at-home winner Jim Germanakos! He's the twin brother of Bill Germanakos who was the grand prize winner of $250,000 on the show and has quite a bit to share about how "The Biggest Loser" experience changed his life for the better.
You'll find out some pretty interesting information in Jim's interview today, including how HE was the one who actually got his brother Bill on the show, the betrayal he felt when he was voted off instead of Isabeau, and how his perspective on life has changed more than he could have ever imagined. Jim's a thought-provoking, introspective kinda guy and I am pleased to share my interview with him for you today!
If you missed any of my previous interviews with the contestants from Season 4, then please visit my "Biggest Loser" links page to access them.
1. As one-half of the first brothers to ever appear together on NBC-TV's hit reality weight loss show "The Biggest Loser" in Season 4, Jim Germanokos was often referred to as "the other twin" since his brother Bill made it all the way to the final four contestants. But Jim made a statement to his brother and the eliminated players when he lost an astounding 51.52% of his starting weight of 361 pounds--a total of 186 pounds--to win the at-home consolation prize of $100,000.
We have Jim with us here today at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog and I'm happy he chose to answer a few questions about his experiences that changed his life forever in 2007. So, tell me Jim, how does it feel to be the REAL "Biggest Loser" shedding more pounds percentage-wise than your brother Bill (who lost 164 pounds--an incredible 49.10% of his starting weight)? Do you remind him of the fact you lost more weight than him often?
I remind Bill all the time that although he has the title of "The Biggest Loser" that I not only managed to lose more weight AND percentage than him, but that I also managed to do it mostly at home (I lost 132 pounds while at home) and not with Jillian on The Biggest Loser ranch like him. It's the competition-thing between us. But I must say I am very proud of him, and he of me. But there always has to be some level of competition between us, or we wouldn't be US!
I want to remind everybody also that I immediately returned to work upon returning home. I am a Police Officer and work 12-hour tours. I also continued to function as a Boy Scout Leader, spending a week at Summer Camp with my son, and as a volunteer fireman until just recently. I also continued my regular role as a father and a homeowner. I cut the grass, cleaned the pool, helped the kids with their homework, and drove the kids around as needed. My wife Valerie was very supportive and took care of many of these tasks on a daily basis, which made it possible for me to put my time in at the gym.
2. Obviously you have to be very pleased with your success and I'm sure you feel somewhat vindicated by your performance in the grand finale. When you and Bill along with what would eventually become the other four members of The Black Team were rejected by the other two teams at the beginning of the season and then you were given an opportunity to work with a world-class trainer like Jillian Michaels, what impact did that have on your motivation and desire to be successful? Do you think things would have turned out differently had it not been for that extra incentive to prove you belonged than if you were one of the first ones chosen?
I definitely appreciated the time I spent with Jillian. She is a great trainer, and has nothing left to prove. I do wish I could have spent a little more time with her though! I personally don't think that my results would've changed had I been selected by a different team early in the game. For me it's all about motivation and dedication as well as the whole competition aspect. Bill and I are super competitive at everything we do. First we try to beat each other and then we try to beat everyone else. I think my results would have been the same. My brother and I were former college athletes and have had much experience with strict workout regimens. I think it definitely worked to our advantage on The Biggest Loser.
3. Of course, having your twin brother Bill on the show with you didn't hurt for moral support and it was quite obvious you two are very close buddies. Tell us what you guys did to get noticed by the casting agency for "The Biggest Loser" and share why you think they decided to choose BOTH of you--an extreme rarity in the realm of reality television. Did you feel there was a target on the backs of both you and Bill in the early going by the other contestants to split you up because of your close relationship? How did you feel when you were sent home earlier than you expected?
Bill never auditioned for the show. I got noticed by myself after Bill refused to go to the audition. I submitted tapes and photos and was invited to on-camera follow-ups and eventually made the statement to the casting company "Did I ever tell you guys I had a twin brother?" That's the way Bill got involved. All he did was shake the guys hand and get on a plane. LOL!
Yes, there was definitely a target on our backs due to the "alliance" factor. This became even more evident after seeing the episode when Jerry and Big Phil were talking about how to pick their teams and Phil makes the comment that "he will not pick a twin because we have two votes and will never vote against each other." This was obviously most evident when I was eliminated first from our team, even though I had lost the most weight.
Julie and Jez had agreed with Bill and I to vote off Isabeau because we agreed that she had the best opportunity to attain her fitness goals at home. This, we agreed, was due to her young age and lack of outside responsibilities at home. This obviously backfired on me when they "took me out" at their first opportunity. They called me the "biggest threat" and now everyone knows that they were correct in sending me home.
4. I know you didn't get to work with her as long as Bill and the other members of The Black Team did, but tell us your impression of Jillian. Did she strike the fear of God within you the first time she started training you? How did her workout methodology change you from the obese man you were into the healthy and fit man you are today?
Jillian was fantastic. She was everything I expected and more. I value every minute that I spent with Jillian not only because of the great trainer she is, but because of the sensitive and caring person she is. She is hard-core to the max in the gym and that's absolutely what got me started so quickly with my weight loss. The lessons she taught me regarding workout regimen, diet, and organics etc. are priceless, but I appreciate having gotten to know the person even more. I consider her like a little sister and will keep her in my heart as part of my family forever.
Did I have the fear of God while working out with her? Not at all. I'm 41 years old and have been through a lot in my life. When I say that I'm going to give you 100%, then you'll get my 100%. I gave it all I had and therefore never had to butt heads with Jillian. She did make me realize that I had an extra 10% that I never knew I had, and for this, I will always be thankful. That's what people who want to be successful in their fitness goals have to realize--you must train harder and longer than you previously thought WAS possible and this is the gift that Jillian gave me. I love that woman! She is just awesome--and she's also pretty darned cute!
5. I wouldn't disagree with you about that! So, obviously, leaving the Biggest Loser Ranch early was a disappointment, but you didn't seem to allow that to discourage you from doing your best to keep working hard and doing what you had to do to get healthy and trim. Talk about what you did at home once you were voted off the show to stay inspired and pumped up through the grand finale. How did you find the strength and energy to do it this time when those things were absent in previous attempts?
When I got home, the game was definitely on! I was most afraid of Bill getting eliminated, and us having to compete for the same prize. At this point, it was definitely me versus Bill. The way it turned out was the best case scenario because we didn't end up competing for the same prize. That would've been absolutely murder if we had. We may have come back weighing 92 pounds a piece!
The whole idea was making those changes in the routine that got me obese in the first place like wasting hours and hours in front of the TV and computer. I didn't waste any time. I worked a lot of "-tions" into my daily routine; education, motivation, dedication, inspiration, and perspiration. What came out of it was success. My father always said "The only way to get it done, is to get it started!" I did...and I won.
6. When Bill came home from the show, you instantly had a system of support in place to keep each other accountable and motivated as you guys undoubtedly worked out together and watched your diet. How important do you think that was to the eventual success both of you experienced becoming the at-home winner and the grand prize winner? Do you believe it gave you an unfair advantage over the other contestants who were left to do it all alone?
I definitely think that we had an advantage, but is it true? I don't know. Bill and I supported each other, sure, but did we support each other any more than a husband, wife, or boyfriend could have? Again, I don't know. Yes, we worked out together occasionally, maybe twice a week. Did that give us an advantage over another contestant working out with their partner? Maybe.
All I know is that we did it. We put the time necessary in and got results just like anybody else can if they put their time in. I do enjoy seeing the "results not typical" asterisk next to our picture when they promote our weight loss success. I always wanted to be that person named "Results not typical!" LOL!
7. Although exercise, including cardiovascular and resistance training, plays an important role in the weight loss success promoted by "The Biggest Loser," a lot of people tend to ignore the vital role of a proper diet in managing their weight and health. What does your diet look like now compared with what it was one year ago? Is there anything you used to eat like crazy that you wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole now?
My diet is not completely different. It's most important to learn to be accountable for everything you take in. Weight loss is merely math--calories in versus calories out. The most important part of my regimen was my food journal. I stuck to a strict 2000 calories a day regimen and kept track of everything that I ate. If I walked past the kids and stole a handful of grapes off their plate, then I counted them and eventually added them to my food journal. You'd be surprised how many calories you are really eating if you kept very close track.
I enjoyed pizza every Monday as part of my high calorie day. I would eat 50% more calories on Mondays and this would "reset" my metabolism. I haven't eaten many sweets like ice cream or cake because those are just wasted calories. When you're counting calories, it's surprising how fast the number goes up when you're not being careful. From the time that I got home on my birthday in June and for the five months thereafter, I was training on my own. However, for the last 5 1/2 weeks I was lucky enough to get introduced to an awesome trainer named Anthony Badalamenti, who is a former National Champion Bodybuilder and gym owner. He put me on a bodybuilder-style diet which I did until the finale. I consider Anthony a great friend and couldn't have gotten the results I did without him.
8. Four years ago, I lost 180 pounds and it radically changed my life in so many ways that I didn't even realize at the time. My confidence in myself skyrocketed, my personality blossomed, and I felt in such control of my life for the first time ever. Sometimes it feels like you're in a dream after losing such a life-altering amount of weight and you wonder if it is even real or not. Do you have such thoughts swimming around in your head like this or have you accepted and embraced that the new and improved Jim Germanokos is the real deal? What do your wife and kids think about these amazing changes that have happened to you and how has your relationship with them changed?
Congratulations on your life-changing transformation, Jimmy. I'm truly inspired by you and your success. After all, you were not on a nationally-televised reality show with a huge cash prize at the end of the journey. It is a true testament to the person you are that you were able to attain that much weight loss on your own. I'm truly impressed by your accomplishment.
That being said, here's the answer to your question. Everything has changed, and yet not much has changed. Weird, right? Here's the deal and tell me if this sounds familiar. I am now the person that I thought I was before, but only now do I realize how I was short-changing my family. I thought I was being an active dad and now I AM an active dad. I thought I was being a good role model, and now I AM a good role model. I thought I was being a good husband, and now I am working hard to be the best husband possible.
Everything has changed, because now anything is possible. ANYTHING! I plan on really enjoying the things I took for granted before, like spending time with the family enjoying the outdoors. I will also spend the rest of my life letting my beautiful wife know how much I appreciate all the sacrifices she made for me during my time away being on the show.
9. As both a police officer and a volunteer firefighter, you know the occupational hazards associated with carrying around extra pounds while fighting criminals or a house ablaze. What effect has your weight loss experience had on your fellow comrades at work and have you offered to help those with weight and health issues find what you did? Do you feel any sense of calling to help people lose weight and get healthy now that you yourself have done it?
I have been told numerous times by my fellow police officers that they are also inspired to lose weight due to my success on the show. Prior to the show, as I've said on interviews in the past, my biggest concern when I was obese was that I would possibly find myself in a situation where my being out of shape would put one of my partners in jeopardy. Let's say I was working with a thin partner, and we took chase after a bad guy. If I couldn't keep up, and the other officer actually caught the bad guy, then this officer would not have the backup that may be necessary to control the situation.
Heaven forbid this officer got hurt or worse. Then I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. And this bothered me a lot. Now I'm the officer who catches the bad guy! It's funny, but I find myself tightening my shoelaces much more nowadays! Many of the Officers that I work with are in fine shape, but some are not, and many of them have asked me to try to help them with their nutrition. I love the idea of being able to "Pay it Forward" as much as I can.
10. We appreciated having you here today to answer a few questions about your experience on "The Biggest Loser" this past season, Jim. As your favorite singer Frank Sinatra would say, you've "got the world on a string" so "come fly with me" as I do it "my way." LOL! Is there anything else you'd like to share with anyone reading this who thinks their weight and health situation is impossible to turn around?
A couple of quotes that I live by: "The only way to get it done, is to get it started!" and "NOTHING tastes as good as looking good feels!"
I want everybody out there to remember to put yourself first when it comes to your health and fitness. Be selfish. Do it for yourself first. Once you attain your fitness goals, then everybody around you will reap the benefits. So are you really doing it for yourself? Be phenomenal...and finish what you start! Now go out there and get started!
THANKS so much for sharing your sensational story with us today, Jim! I'm proud to have interviewed both you and your brother Bill and wish you nothing but continued success on this journey you have only just begun. Keep up with what's happening with the Germanakos brothers by visiting their web site at BiggestLoserTwins.com.
Jez Luckett weighed 345 pounds when he started "The Biggest Loser" 4
We've already heard from several contestants who appeared on "The Biggest Loser" 4 in recent weeks, including the grand prize winner Bill Germanakos, final four contestant and Nashville, TN-native Isabeau Miller, Hurricane Katrina survivor Lezlye Donahue, and the oldest contestant ever Jerry Lisenby. Today we continue that series of interviews by turning to yet another member of the Black Team--JEZ LUCKETT!
Wanna see what Jez looks like now after losing 150 pounds? Check it out:
As a true fan of "The Biggest Loser" television series since the first season in 2004 (when I was losing my weight), it has been awesome to have this opportunity to provide this inside glimpse into what it was like being a contestant on this popular weight loss show. I'm excited about bringing even more interviews to you soon, including Kae Whang, Neil Tejwani, Nicole Michalik, Jim Germanakos, Hollie Self, David Griffin, Ryan Rodriguez, and "B" Andretti. Look for those in the coming weeks!
Right now, let's turn our attention to Jez and this remarkable turnaround that has happened in his life after being given this unique opportunity to appear on "The Biggest Loser." ENJOY!
1. We've got another one of the contestants from Season 4 of "The Biggest Loser" with us today and he's got quite a story to tell. Starting off his experience on the hit NBC weight loss reality show at 345 pounds, Jez Luckett was able to drop a cool 150 pounds by the grand finale--a stunning 43.38% of his starting weight! CONGRATULATIONS and welcome to the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog, Jez! Has it all started to sink in yet how much you have changed? Did you ever expect in a million years you'd be called "skinny?"
Slowly but surely it's sinking in that I really am a medium now. I still wake up sometimes and run to the mirror to see if all the weight has come back yet, but I never thought I would have followed through on my hopes of ever being skinny.
2. You had a rather unique way of applying to be on the show creating a VoteJez.com web site to try to win a spot via NBC's "The Today Show." Although you were not chosen by the viewers to be on "The Biggest Loser," that experience undoubtedly got you noticed by the casting company for the show, 3 Ball Productions. Tell us about how you felt when you were not chosen by the "Today Show" viewers and what happened next to put you in the final 18 for Season 4.
A week after I was told that I was being considered for a spot on the show, they informed me that I was going to be one of four to be featured on The Today Show. The Today Show decision had nothing to do with 3 Ball's final casting decision. I guess they just liked the goods. ;)
3. Obesity runs in your family as it does with most of us who have been through weight and health difficulties. And like my own mother, your mom also had gastric bypass surgery to help deal with her weight. How close were you to considering that as your only option for shedding the pounds off of your 5'8" body? What do you say to those people who believe weight loss surgery is the ONLY way to get their weight and health under control?
From the time I was little and first started to acknowledge that my weight was out of hand I wanted it to magically disappear. I think part of it comes from the instant gratification lifestyle we are reared under. I considered gastric bypass surgery, but knew that I had never really given it a concerted effort to lose weight on my own and needed to do that first.
After doing it on my own and finding the joy and gratification that came with overcoming an obstacle I perceived as impossible, I realize that gastric bypass would have robbed me of the satisfaction of knowing that I was strong enough and capable to battle this issue I had spent my whole life being consumed by. That's not to say that surgery isn't a good choice for some people, but for me personally, losing it on my own has given me the resolve to attack any obstacle or goal I have. I don't know if I would have felt the same had I lost the weight through surgery.
4. You had a golden opportunity to work with a top world-class personal trainer in the Black Team's Jillian Michaels. She produces results and that's all that really matters. Talk about what it was like working with Jillian. What will you always remember about your experience training with her for the rest of your life?
What I'll always take from training with Jillian is knowing that I don't need Jillian. So many times we look for a savior when it comes to our weight loss goals. Be it a pill, trainer, diet, etc. Jillian helped me realize that it was inside me all along and all I had to do was find it. She would reinforce in me constantly how strong I was. That support is key.
We can't do it on our own, but we must realize what it takes to get it done lies inside us all. It doesn't hurt though when you have someone threatening to kill you if you don't keep running. So that's what else I'll take from Jillian. Rarely will working out kill you. Her pushing me made me realize how far my body was capable of going even after my mind had said enough.
Our mind lets us off the hook a lot when it comes to what we think we can endure. Jillian called BS when we said we couldn't go further. So being able to identify in myself when I could go further is the greatest thing I'll take from Jilly Beans.
Jez and fellow contestant Neil having some fun "down time"
5. How did you feel being on a nationally televised show watched by millions of people like "The Biggest Loser?" Was it surreal in any way for you or was it everything you thought it would be? Give us some of the behind-the-scenes stuff about the show that viewers don't get to see on television.
Surreal is the only word to describe it. It was a blast. I think it may have been erroneously conveyed on television that there was less camaraderie between the teams than there was. We all got along very well. I think people don't realize how boring it is to make a reality television show interesting. So there was plenty of down time in which a lot of stuff not suitable for prime time television happened. I'll just leave it at that.
6. Of course, the game play by Neil from the Blue Team led to you being the first non-Germanakos member of the Black Team to be sent home. Did you feel betrayed by the trust you had placed in people like Neil (who you were apparently friends with off camera) when that happened? Do you feel there is any place for that kind of gamesmanship on a show about weight loss? Why or why not?
I don't want to take away from Jimmy the Greek's (Jim Germanakos) glory for being the very first Black member voted off. But definitely felt betrayed. I didn't really see it coming. The fact of the matter is if it hadn't been that week, it could have been the next for a completely valid reason. I got to leave with my integrity and honor intact.
I performed to the best of my abilities and it spring boarded me into the success I've had ever since. There's no reason to dwell on what could, should, or would have happened. At the end of the day you gotta sell advertising. Having 18 happy fat people losing weight all the way to the end however great that would be for them doesn't sell enough Extra Sugar-Free gum. So as long as there's a need to get ratings for television, poor gamesmanship certainly has a place on The Biggest Loser.
7. When you got home and started working on your own, you implored the help of Nik Herold and The Fitness Doctors to help you succeed. What did Nik do to continue the progress you made on "The Biggest Loser" Ranch and complement the work that Jillian had already started with you? Share how much cardio and resistance training you did and tell us how much of that routine that helped you shed the pounds you continue to do today. And, I have to ask, do you have a lot of loose skin following your massive weight loss or has it firmed up with exercise?
When we all got back for the finale I was lovingly voted the contestant with the "worst skin" by my fellow cast mates, so yeah, it's there. I found an amazing surgeon by the name of Dr. Todd Gerlach in Torrance, CA who will assist me in removing the dubious distinction of "worst skin" as voted by the cast of The Biggest Loser 4.
I'll always be grateful to Jillian and The Biggest Loser, but it was the time afterwards training with Nik and the Fitness Doctors that I was able to get on the road to becoming truly "healthy" mentally, emotionally, spiritually, as well as physically. I was very surprised when Nik created a program almost entirely consisting of strength conditioning and weight training.
I initially was like yeah shouldn't I be doing this AND 3 hours of cardio? Thank God the answer was no. I would do 1-2 hours of high impact cardio at the most per week and the rest of my workouts were either weights or low impact walking, bike riding, swimming, etc.
Realizing that gaining muscle was the best way to lose weight was revolutionary to me. It's also the best way to sustain weight loss and keep your metabolism high. Nik is incredibly knowledgeable as a trainer and one of the closest friends I've ever had.
8. The readers of my blog are very interested in hearing about how people are able to lose weight and get healthy. They know that I went on the Atkins low-carb diet in 2004, lost 180 pounds and have kept it off ever since. What about your dietary approach? Do you try to control your carbohydrate and sugar intake at all or is it merely fat, calorie, and portion control for you? Give us a sample day's worth of menus of what you eat.
When I first started training with Nik, it was purely green vegetables and protein. I would carb up once or twice a week with fruits or complex carbs but for the most part carbohydrates were not part of the program. I try and maintain the same regimen now.
It's a little bit harder to do this back in the Midwest as compared to living in Los Angeles. So I just increase the amount of activity I do outside of my existing workout program to make up up for the extra carbs I do take in. I haven't gained any weight yet going into two months since the grand finale for The Biggest Loser 4, which is mainly a testament to lots of extra activity and my metabolism being so much higher due to all the muscle I've gained as I previously mentioned.
9. You know you've hit it the big time when the paparazzi from TMZ. com starts following you around with a camera. What was that experience like seeing a video of yourself plastered all over the Internet like a Hollywood superstar in early December promoting the grand finale? Did it make you laugh, cry, or both?
At the end of the day I put myself in the position to be taken advantage of by TMZ. The "unedited" interview they got was a lot less intriguing. I had just left my gym's Christmas party and was allowed by my trainer to have a few drinks for the first time in 8 months. I was just talking up the grand finale at the time and playfully calling out my good friend Kae (a contestant from the Blue Team) who I knew was going to have incredible results at the finale.
But just like good sportsmanship doesn't sell Extra Sugar-Free gum, my playful, non-mean spirited interview isn't going to sell whatever TMZ's pushing. So when all is said and done it just made me sad that there's actually a market to try and expose people for just acting normal. They didn't need to take all those jabs at me being a child case manager though. How I acted says nothing about my ability to positively impact kids' lives.
10. Jez, you are a true gentleman spending a few moments with us today at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog. THANKS for sharing your "Biggest Loser" experience with us and we wish you well as you continue your journey in life. Is there anything encouraging you'd like to say to those who are struggling with their weight loss as you once did? How can they find the hope that you did?
We may not all have a Jillian or Nik to push us the whole way, but what it takes to succeed is inside every one of us. We must have a purpose, a plan, and support though. With those three things firmly established and an understanding that our bodies are truly remarkable machines capable of enduring much more than our minds would like us to believe, nothing is impossible. Never give up, keep on trying, and just do your best.
Bravo, Jez, bravo! THANK YOU for sharing so freely about your weight loss experience and being a contestant on "The Biggest Loser." We wish you nothing but continued success in this lifelong journey to better health. You can contact Jez anytime through his My Space page and give him a shout out. Something tells me life will never be the same again for the Jezbian! :D
Meet Season 4 winner of "The Biggest Loser" Bill Germanakos
In case you didn't know it, I'm a pretty HUGE fan of the hit NBC-TV weight loss reality show "The Biggest Loser" because it has transcended and penetrated our culture unlike any other show in television history to get them excited about losing weight and getting healthy. Sure, there are critics who believe the hours of exercise the contestants go through is unrealistic in the real world and that the nutrition plan promoted by the show adheres to the typical low-fat dietary approach that has failed so many. But you certainly can't argue with the results.
I'm pleased to share with you in Episode 105 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" today an interview I conducted this weekend with the grand prize winner of $250,000 from Season 4 of "The Biggest Loser" Bill Germanakos. Bill was as humble and grateful during my interview with him as he appeared on television last Fall. You can hear in his voice a sense of excitement about what has happened to him and he's ready for whatever may come his way now that he's got his life back!
Click on the "LISTEN NOW" link below or download it to your iPod to hear today's podcast:
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 105 [23:11m]: LISTEN NOW | Download
Bill Germanakos started his journey on "The Biggest Loser" weighing in at 334 pounds. He went on to lose a total of 164 pounds to be crowned the fourth winner of "The Biggest Loser" and take home a quarter of a million dollars cash! Even more importantly, he now has opportunities to share about how he was able to change his life forever and stands ready to embrace them to help others in their journey. When you lose as much weight as Bill and I have, you can't wait to share about it with others.
In Part 1 of my interview with Bill Germanakos, he discusses what kind of changes have happened to him since losing the weight, shares what it was like being on "The Biggest Loser" with his twin brother Jim, speaks fondly of his love and admiration for The Black Team trainer Jillian Michaels, and tells his honest thoughts about what fellow contestant Neil did to manipulate the game in a strategy to win (that didn't work).
Go on to become your own "biggest loser" whenever you want by:
Are you an enthusiastic fan of "The Biggest Loser" and excited about hearing from the winner of Season 4? What did you think about Bill Germanakos during the interview? Leave a comment in show notes section for Episode 105 and tell us what you think. Be sure to listen again on Thursday for Part 2 of my interview with him as he talks about what he thinks of livin' la vida low-carb (you might be surprised!), explains why muscle training is so vitally important when you are managing your weight, shares the motivation he had from his father's life to lose the weight, and discusses the future of his advocacy for health from the fame he has received from being "The Biggest Loser." You WON'T want to miss it!
By the way, I have been working on LOTS of blog interviews with other contestants from Season 4 of "The Biggest Loser," including Jim Germanakos, Hollie Self, Neil Tejwani, Nicole Michalik, Isabeau Miller, David Griffin, Lezlye Donahue, Ryan Rodriguez, Kae Whang, Jerry Lisenby, and "B" Andretti. They all have the interview questions from me and are working on them as we speak. I look forward to sharing those with you very soon.
Only two weeks removed from the confetti falling on Season 4 of the hit NBC television weight loss reality series "The Biggest Loser" where Bill Germanakos was declared the big winner, the show is coming back in a two-hour season premier tonight with Alison Sweeney, Bob Harper, and Jillian Michaels again ready to help another group of contestants just in time for New Year's resolutions. You'll watch them invest lots of blood, sweat, and tears for their chance to change their lives forever as they pursue that $250,000 prize and a healthier life! And this time America will join the contestants on this journey to shed the pounds and get healthy, too.
MSN Health & Fitness and "The Biggest Loser" are teaming up beginning today for what's being called "The Biggest Loser" Million Pound Match-Up. Starting January 1, 2008 and running through March 11, 2008, a public challenge has been put out to people who live all across the United States to cumulatively lose 1,000,000 pounds! You'll be paired up with a buddy, get updates on your fitness goals, receive messages from the trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, and become eligible for some really cool daily prizes.
This challenge is FREE and will allow anyone who uses Windows Live Spaces to document their weight loss, hook up with fellow contestants who are participating in your area to support each other in your journey, and have a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to Los Angeles, California for the grand finale of "The Biggest Loser Couples" in a few months! Additionally, the winning team will receive a luxury fitness trip for two as well as their very own personal trainer for one year. WHOA!
So don't just watch this new season of "The Biggest Loser" featuring couples wanting to shed the pounds--do it yourself too and the payoff will be so worth it! Don't forget to sign up at the official "Biggest Loser" Million Pound Match-Up web site for all the details. And if you live in or around the cities of Chicago, Houston, Miami, Wichita, Kansas, and Mesa, Arizona, then be looking for representatives from this challenge raising awareness about what they are doing to tackle obesity!
So who are these couples vying to compete against each other in the new and exciting season of "The Biggest Loser?" Let's meet them now:
PINK TEAM: BETTE SUE and ALI
Bette Sue joins her daughter Ali both from Mesa, Arizona to see if they can collective shed the pounds and get back into shape again. Ali was an world championship swimmer as a teenager representing the USA in competition, but she now hopes "to wear sleeveless shirts" again. Likewise, mom Bette Sue wants to let that big personality of hers be the only thing large about her as she pursues having "only one chin."
BROWN TEAM: CURTIS and MALLORY
Husband-wife team Curtis and Mallory from Los Angeles have three daughters and they both want to live long enough to see them grow up. Curtis lost his father to heart disease when he was only 52 years old, so he knows the pain that obesity can cause. He's been fat his entire life. Mallory picked up some of Curtis' bad fast food eating habits and is now ready to get back to living healthy again.
YELLOW TEAM: PAUL and KELLY
A Florida native and 43 years old, Paul is trying to break a trend in his family--his father died at 47, his grandfather at 49, and his great-grandfather at 51. Not wanting to face that inevitable fate is his major motivation for being on the show. He's teaming up with--GET THIS!--his EX-wife Kelly who is a nurse desperately wanting children. Could their experience together on "The Biggest Loser" rekindle the flames of love?
BLACK TEAM: JAY and MARK
Brothers Jay and Mark from New Bedford, Massachusetts will be ones to watch this season. Both are in their 30s and have a whole lotta weight to lose. But Jay already admits he HATES exercise (hoo boy, don't let Jillian or Bob hear him say that!) so this might be an uphill battle. Even still, The Big Boned Brothers as they like to be called might have enough to be this season's "Biggest Loser" champions.
GREEN TEAM: LYNN and JENNIFER
The father-daughter team of Lynn and Jenni from Ohio will be a fun one to watch. Like Jerry from Season 4, Lynn is 62 years old and ready to do this with his 31-year old daughter.
Father and daughter Lynn and Jenni will make up this season's green team. Lynn is the oldest competitor on the show this season, at 62 years old. He spends so much time taking care of others that he has forgotten about himself. His 31 year old daughter, Jenni, is hoping that this experience will ultimately define who she is. A former college wrestling champion, Lynn hopes to get back into shape for the twilight of his life. Meanwhile, Jenni hopes to fight her depression by melting the fat.
GRAY TEAM: ROGER and TRENT
A strong brotherhood is formed when you become college football teammates and that's exactly what happened to Roger and Trent. But that was nearly two decades ago and time has certainly packed on the pounds. These former athletes are ready to hit the weights again to get their weight and health back in order. I wouldn't count these guys out when it comes down to the final players this season.
PURPLE TEAM: MAGGIE and JENN
How'd you like to be a young 20-something weight loss camp counselor in New Jersey and suffer from obesity yourself? Well, that's precisely what both Maggie and Jenn are which is why they hope "The Biggest Loser" can whip them into shape so they can serve as an example for the people they talk to. Overcoming their emotional eating habits so they can attract boyfriends is a major motivating factor for them.
ORANGE TEAM: DAN and JACKIE
This Frankfort, Illinois mother-son duo Jackie and Dan expect this experience on "The Biggest Loser" be a family affair that they can take back into their regular lives later on. Helping needy kids through her non-profit organization, Jackie knows she has to change her lifestyle to continue the great work she is doing. As for Dan, he's an aspiring country/rock singer who could possibly get his big break if he loses the weight.
WHITE TEAM: NEILL and AMANDA
The husband-wife team of Neill and Amanda from Oklahoma City will test their marriage like nothing else they've ever done to become the mother and father for their 2-year old son they need to be. In fact, Amanda says her motivation for being on the show is "to get thin before my son realizes I was fat."
BLUE TEAM: BERNIE and BRITTANY
How'd you like to be teamed up with a complete stranger for the first-ever "Biggest Loser Couples" season? That's what they did with Bernie and Brittany. Bernie is a 27-year old teacher from Chicago who is scared of dying young. Brittany is the 22-year old "pretty girl" who now wants to become "steamy hot" (she reminds me of Hollie from Season 4).
There they are! Your contestants appearing on "The Biggest Loser Couples" are ready for you to get to know them a little better over the next few months. I'm sure this will be an exciting season to watch and I wouldn't be surprised if the producers of the show have a few tricks and twists to share along the way to make this well worth watching every single week. I know I will be! Will THIS be the season we finally see a woman crowned "The Biggest Loser?" We shall see!
By the way, I have been working very hard behind-the-scenes to put together a series of interviews with at least 10 of your favorite contestants from "The Biggest Loser" Season 4, including the big winner Bill as well as his brother Jim who won the at-home consolation prize of $100,000. I'm still working on sending questions to them, but I hope to begin running those interviews beginning very soon. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, check out all my "Biggest Loser" posts if you are a fan of the show! Don't miss a single episode if you want to see real people changing their lives forever. :)
When the hit NBC reality television series "The Biggest Loser" debuted in 2004, it was roundly ridiculed and scorned by critics who didn't understand the allure of a show dedicated specifically to helping obese people fight the battle of the bulge. That didn't stop people from tuning in by the millions week after week cheering on these people seeking to go from flab to fab and it has continued to grow in popularity every year since. There's really nothing else like it on TV and, unlike most reality programs these days, nobody has been able to replicate the success of the original. I LOVE THIS SHOW!
However, there is a bit of underground controversy happening now after Bill Germanakos became the fourth straight male winner of the title "The Biggest Loser" on Tuesday night winning the $250,000 grand prize. Men have dominated over the years with their weight loss success and it may be an inevitability that will always be the case. So you can't help but wonder the obvious question:
Is it possible a woman could ever win "The Biggest Loser?"
Before we ponder that question a little deeper, let's take one last look at the final weight loss results of each of the 18 contestants on "The Biggest Loser" 4. You can see pictures of what they looked like BEFORE they began their weight loss journey training with Bob Harper, Kim Lyons, and Jillian Michaels at this preview post I wrote back in September and catch up with what they're up to today by checking out their personal web sites featured in this recent post.
"THE BIGGEST LOSER" 4 FINAL WEIGHT LOSS RESULTS:
BLACK TEAM ISABEAU MILLER--From 298, lost 113 pounds (37.92% of starting weight) JULIE HADDEN--From 218, lost 97 pounds (44.50% of starting weight) HOLLIE SELF--From 255, lost 105 pounds (41.18% of starting weight) BILL GERMANOKOS--From 334, lost 164 pounds (49.10% of starting weight) JEZ LUCKETT--From 345, lost 150 pounds (43.38% of starting weight) JIM GERMANOKOS--From 361, lost 186 pounds (51.52% of starting weight)
BLUE TEAM
NEIL TEJWANI--From 421, lost 211 pounds (50.12% of starting weight) JERRY LISENBY--From 297, lost 110 pounds (37.04% of starting weight) KAE WHANG--From 225, lost 97 pounds (43.11% of starting weight) NICOLE MICHALIK--From 279, lost 105 pounds (37.63% of starting weight) RYAN RODRIGUEZ--From 374, lost 133 pounds (35.56% of starting weight) PATTY GONZALEZ--From 280, lost 64 pounds (22.86% of starting weight)
RED TEAM
"B" WASHINGTON--From 346, lost 122 pounds (35.26% of starting weight) LEZLYE DONAHUE--From 255, lost 55 pounds (21.57% of starting weight) DAVID GRIFFIN--From 368, lost 140 pounds (38.04% of starting weight) PHIL HAWK--From 403, lost 145 pounds (35.98% of starting weight) AMY ZIMMER--From 297, lost 126 pounds (42.42% of starting weight) AMBER WALKER--From 295, lost 84 pounds (28.47% of starting weight)
CONGRATULATIONS to each of the contestants for putting forth the effort to finally do something about their weight and radically alter their lives for the better as a result of this experience. I've been there myself after starting out at 410 pounds in January 2004 and losing a total of 180 pounds--or 44% of my starting weight. It was the best thing I have ever done for myself and I'm continuing to reap the benefits of that pivotal year in my life ever since. WOO HOO!
As a pretty big fan of "The Biggest Loser" since Season 1 aired back in 2004 in the midst of my own weight loss path, I now have a few post-Season 4 comments to make before getting into answering that question about a female's chances at winning the title of "The Biggest Loser" in the future. You won't want to miss my opinions about how to make the show more fair for the gals. Stay tuned!
First, isn't it interesting how noticeably LOW the weight loss percentages were with Kim Lyons' Red Team. I hate to say it, but they were all underachievers with their weight loss and most of that onus has to be placed squarely on the shoulders of their trainer. Aside from Amy, who did a remarkable job of losing over 42 percent of her starting weight thanks in large part to the influence of her training with Jillian and the Black Team about halfway through the season, the weight loss percentages for the Red Team overall were underwhelming compared to the other two teams.
Yes, the total weight loss by "B," David, and Phil was impressive, but can you imagine how much MORE weight they could have lost had they received quality nutritional advice along with their physical activity? I was looking at "B" during the finale and thinking he could have EASILY lost another 30-40 pounds if he started livin' la vida low-carb rather than listening to the simplistic low-fat message that Kim was indoctrinating in him. I credit her for telling him he needed to eat more calories during the season, but those calories should come more from FAT sources and less from CARBOHYDRATES!
By contrast, look at Jillian Michael's Black Team. They had all four finalists competing for the grand prize (the first time that's ever happened on "The Biggest Loser") and the Black team as a whole totally rocked with their weight loss success! Keep in mind, these were the rejects at the beginning of the season and none of the other teams wanted these players. So they were thrown aside and left to their own devices before Jillian swooped in to whip them into shape and make them the most feared team on "The Biggest Loser" ranch. And what a job she did!
Except for Julie, who only missed it by a mere 3 pounds, all 6 Black Team members lost triple digits! INCREDIBLE! And their team average for percentage of weight loss was around the mid-forties--an astonishing accomplishment since the Red Team members ended up averaging in the lower-thirties and the Bob Harper-led Blue Team was in the upper-thirties. If this season didn't prove anything else, it showed that the trainer you have working with you DOES make a difference in the amount of weight you can lose. And unequivocally Jillian Michaels has the Midas touch when it comes to producing weight loss!
Jillian not only played a major part in the grand prize winner of "The Biggest Loser" 4 with Bill Germanakos, but she also had the at-home $100,000 winner in Bill's twin brother Jim. Actually, Jim ended up losing more weight as a percentage than anyone else in the game--although it was close. Neil Tejwani, the Blue Team member who lost over 50 percent of his starting weight, was a mere five pounds away from two things: 1) beating out Jim Germanakos for the consolation prize AND 2) establishing a new "Biggest Loser" record for total weight loss. But Eric Chopin's 214-pound weight loss in Season 3 still stands with Neil's 211 coming in a close second.
What's most amazing about Neil coming away from this competition empty-handed is that he would have been crowned "The Biggest Loser" of Season 4 with the quarter-million dollar cash prize had he made into the final group because his percentage of weight loss was greater than Bill's. But leave it to karma to come back and bite him in the booty when Bill's brother Jim of all people kept Neil from winning anything which many see as sweet revenge for the devious "game play" that happened in the middle of this season when Neil purposely gained weight to throw a monkey wrench in the competition. And despite losing 10 pounds in the last weigh-in, Neil fell below the yellow line and was voted off. This should serve as a warning to any future contestants who may try to pull a stunt like this--it WON'T pay off in the end!
Back to the Red Team and Kim Lyons for just a moment. With all due respect to her for being a professional personal trainer and willing to use those talents she has to help people change their lives, can I just say what a spoiled brat and self-absorbed trainer she is? When "B" was the last member of the Red Team for a period of several weeks before being eliminated, how many melodramatic scenes did we have to endure with her pleading with "B" to stay above the yellow line so SHE didn't have to go home, too? UGH! Did she even care if "B" stayed or not? What a freakin' egomaniac she is and I'm beginning to wonder if Season 4 was her swan song on the show? I don't know, but if NBC wants to know my vote about it, I say let Kim go and GOOD RIDDANCE! I don't think anybody will be crying over that decision.
Now what about this female enigma we find ourselves in with "The Biggest Loser?" Not only has a girl never been "The Biggest Loser," but we haven't seen one win the at-home competition either! Can a woman EVER break through the glass ceiling that has been dominated by the guys since this show began? From Ryan Benson, Matt Hoover, Eric Chopin, and now Bill Germanakos, men seem to have a firm lock on the ability to become "The Biggest Loser." And this is merely confirming a long-held belief many people (especially women!) hold about weight loss--men can lose it faster than women can!
And it's true for the most part since women's bodies were created by God to carry around a little more body fat, especially in their mid-section, for the purposes of nourishing a baby during pregnancy. Plus, the extra hormones in women make it a lot more difficult for them to shed the pounds like us male folk can seemingly at the drop of a dime.
Before I lost my 180 pounds on the Atkins diet in 2004, losing weight fast was fairly easy regardless of the diet plan I was on. When I lost 170 pounds on a low-fat diet in 1999, I did it in about 10 months. But the problem men face is KEEPING IT OFF and that's where low-fat failed me and caused me to balloon right back up again...and then some!
The contestants on this show, both male and female, who implemented a low-fat strategy for weight loss will be in for a rude awakening at some point if they don't continue to keep up with that hunger-inducing plan over the long-term. That's why livin' la vida low-carb has been such a godsend to me because it has become a permanent part of my life now and I don't even think about it anymore. I just live this way and let the plan keep working in maintenance for me just as it did during weight loss.
Don't get me wrong, weight loss is NOT easy by any means as all of these "Biggest Loser" contestants past and present will tell you. But the payoff for that hard work when it is continued long after the television experience is over is vastly improved health and a brand new lease on life. Just look at Pete Thomas and how his "Biggest Loser" experience continues to motivate him to become the catalyst in other people's lives to help them change for the better like he did! His is a model for success that other former "Biggest Loser" contestants would be wise to follow.
This season, it was Julie who lost the most weight among the ladies with 44.5 percent of her starting weight trailing behind only Jim, Neil and Bill. That was quite impressive from a woman who began the season at only 218 pounds. Conventional wisdom would tell you that the bigger the woman is, the better chance she should have to lose weight and be competitive. And in Season 4 that was Isabeau who became the heaviest woman to ever compete on the show beginning at 298 pounds (although Amy was right behind her at 297 pounds).
But even Isabeau's 113-pound weight loss was only good enough for losing just under 38 percent of her total weight. AWESOME TOTALS, but not good enough to beat the men. I bet Isabeau and the other larger women were reeling when they saw double-digit weight losses from the "big guys" like Bill and Neil while they only had modest weight losses of 5-6 pounds. It can be intimidating for bigger women to go up against that both mentally and physically.
So then we have people like Julie who weighed the least among her competitors and only needed to lose about 100 pounds total. Since she didn't have as much weight to lose, each pound she burned was worth about double or more than that of the heftier contestants. And for much of the season she did well losing just enough weight to stay above the yellow line and avoiding elimination. In the end, she came as close as any woman to winning the whole thing--even more so than Kae who started at 225 pounds and also lost 97 pounds while losing more weight on campus as a percentage than any previous contestant.
Had Julie only lost an additional 8 more pounds, then she would be $250,000 richer today and would have made her mark as the first female winner in "Biggest Loser" history (don't you know she's probably kicking herself about it today!). But it didn't happen and so you have to wonder if it ever will. Maybe future female contestants should be more along the mold of a Julie or a Kae rather than an Isabeau or Amy so they can have a better chance at winning.
That's not to say the unbelievable transformations that Isabeau, Amy, Nicole and the other larger and medium-sized women made while being on "The Biggest Loser" is diminished in any way because all of them are better off now than they were when they began this journey. But if "The Biggest Loser" is going to continue being promoted as a weight loss competition with the monetary prize at the end of the season, then something is gonna have to give to make this fair for the women who sign up to be on the show.
Sure, there's some fame that comes with being on a reality television show like this as well as the chance to work with a high-class team of some of the world's best health and nutrition experts to almost guarantee you will lose weight--and some people would consider that plenty of payment enough. But the carrot the show dangles in front of you is that big wad of money. Any woman who is considering trying out for future seasons of "The Biggest Loser" should keep in mind that there is a strong probability they won't be the big winner--or even the consolation winner.
During the season, there are opportunities to win some cool prizes like a free vehicle and cash prizes like the $5,000 Isabeau won on the last show of the season before the finale. But that's all just chump change in comparison to the big money that's become the drawing card for many who come on the show. What can be done to make "The Biggest Loser" more appealing for women who would like a serious chance at winning the $250,000 prize? I think I have the solution.
Why not have a male AND female winner? Start the show with say 15 men and 15 women with one man and one woman voted off each week. This would give you 13 weeks worth of competition for the television show before having a grand finale featuring two men competing against each other for one $250,000 prize and two women battling head-to-head for another $250,000 prize. The at-home competition could be exactly the same as it is now with all of them duking it out for the $100,000.
Couldn't this resolve the whole "it's not fair" argument against the current format of "The Biggest Loser" which seems to favor the men? I certainly think so and hope the show's producers will consider my proposal. It would give all the women a lot more incentive for trying to do the best they can without the constant worry that they could never compete with the men. It's the only fair thing to do as long as the men continue to dominate as they have and will continue to do.
What are YOUR thoughts about this? Should there be a separate competition and prize for the men and the women or do you believe the current format for "The Biggest Loser" is perfect? This should be a fun topic of conversation and I look forward to reading what you think in the comments section below!
I'll be blogging about the upcoming "Biggest Loser: Couples" season starting on January 1, 2008 real soon and will predict right now that the winner of that show will consist of two men. I have no idea if that'll actually happen, but it would definitely NOT surprise me at all.
If you'd like to read all of my commentary blog posts about "The Biggest Loser," then you can access them all by clicking here.
It's no secret that I'm arguably one of the biggest fans of the hit NBC television reality series "The Biggest Loser". Since Season One aired in 2004 right smack dab in the middle of my own 180-pound low-carb weight loss success-in-the-making and watching those contestants give it their all to lose weight and get healthy, the positive impact that show has made on the lives of real people is undeniable. Sure, it's not a perfect plan, but it has worked a miracle in the lives of those contestants who have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work with Bob Harper, Jillian Michaels, and Kim Lyons over the past four years.
With the tremendous success of this Fall's Season 4 of "The Biggest Loser" (I previewed the contestants for you in this blog post back in September 2007) and the continuing writer's strike in Hollywood has prompted NBC to push up their next installment of the show beginning on January 1, 2008 where couples will once again be featured as teams fighting to shed the pounds and get their life back. I personally can't wait to watch even more lives get transformed and I'll be blogging about those contestants real soon before the show debuts. Stay tuned!
But first, with the big GRAND FINALE of "The Biggest Loser" 4 coming up on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 and all those amazing transformations we are gonna see, there will be a whole lot of people wanting to find out what their favorite contestants are up to now that the show has concluded. I've contacted quite a few of them after looking for a web site or some sort of online connection page for them. So far, I've only heard from one: Black Team member and Final Four contestant ISABEAU MILLER. Here's what she wrote to me:
Jimmy!
I read your blog all the time!! Nice to put a face with a name. Thanks for taking the time to write, and support us and congratulations on your own journey. It's so inspiring and impressive what you've done!!
Anyway, I'm off to the gym! :) Talk to you soon!
xo Isabeau
That was very sweet of Isabeau (who has this promotional web site for her music career she hopes will take off now with her national television exposure) to write me back like that and I was surprised to hear she reads my blog. Small world now with the Internet, isn't it? :D I've asked for an interview with her although I'm sure her world is about to be turned upside down especially if she ends up winning the whole thing. We shall see.
Isabeau wasn't the only one I found online among "The Biggest Loser" 4 contestants. Here are a few more familiar names from this season and their presence on the World Wide Web:
The rest of the FINAL FOUR from the Black Team are:
No web site found for: AMY ZIMMER and AMBER WALKER
I'm sure each of these contestants would LOVE to hear from their fans, so let 'em hear from you! :D Remember, these are real people just like you and me who were blessed with a rare opportunity not only to be on national television, but also to work with some of the finest trainers and health experts in the world to radically alter the direction of their life.
I know from personal experience that going through something like this changes you. You feel a purpose and a mission to share with others the miracle that has happened to you. Season 2 contestant Pete Thomas said as much in my interview with him and I've seen it in my own life. You just want to help open the eyes of people and let them know it's not as hard to be healthy as you think. Allow these contestants to motivate and inspire you anew as you continue down your own journey to better health.
If you are aware of any web sites for the other contestants who I did not list ones for, then please feel free to share them with me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. I can't wait for the next season of "The Biggest Loser" to begin! :)
