The Biggest BOLDEST Loser

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Added: Wed. May 13, 2009 9:21am
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The show might as well have been called “Biggest, Boldest Losers,” because this entire season of NBC's hit show “The Biggest Loser” proved what we've been telling you all along – it's NOT about age. Watch this video to see how the journey ended, then read on to see why the story is much more important than just a TV show.

When the series debuted this year, host Ali Sweeney told the group, and the global audience, that the participants represented both the oldest and youngest in the show's history as well as the fattest and the sickest.

All photos courtesy "The Biggest Loser"

In some cases – Jerry, Ron, Helen – three out of four of those terms applied.

Starting with 64-year-old Jerry, who was so overweight when he came to campus, he actually passed out cold within one hour of starting the workout. ONE HOUR! I remember watching that episode, thinking Jerry had died. To see his wife crying in the background; to see the trainers turning white – I thought … well, if nothing else, this is a wakeup call for Jerry. My second thought was, “Oh no. I hope this doesn't reinforce the stereotype that older people can't change.”

Jerry survived, and after a dramatic trip to the hospital, came back for one more week on campus before getting sent home.

At 54 years old and more than 400 pounds, Ron seemed like a lost cause. He'd not only tried every diet out there, he'd had weight loss surgery, and instead of getting thin, he just put on the weight in other places. Seeing Ron without his shirt on hurt. And seeing his 18-year-old morbidly obese son standing next to him hurt even more. Ron had bad knees, a bad shoulder, heart problems, breathing problems, high cholesterol … you know what? It would take less time to tell you what was NOT wrong with Ron.

And 48-year-old Helen seemed like the longest shot of all! She cried easily, didn't seem as tough as the other contestants, didn't win any challenges, and – maybe worst of all – when it came time to decide whether she'd go home or her daughter, Helen asked her daughter to go home. Gasp!

Put all that against a backdrop of the “kids” kicking butt, including Tara, who won 12 challenges and never dropped below the yellow line, and Mike, who consistently dropped double-digit numbers, it sure seemed like the older contestants didn't stand a chance.

Boy, was I wrong.

From Jerry, who WON the at-home challenge with a stunning 177-pound weight loss (almost 48% of his original size), to Ron, who was the last contestant kicked off before the finale, to Helen – the night's big winner … this night was all about Growing Bolder.

Even host Ali Sweeney couldn't stop repeating their ages! Jerry posed with one of his five grandchildren after he won the at-home challenge, and Helen said she was thrilled to prove that it's never too late to change.

So if you were one of the millions of people sitting on the couch watching the show, I hope you're inspired to make a healthy change in your own life. If Jerry could collapse and come back the way he did; if Ron could complete a marathon; if Helen could work her way to the top and dominate people half her age, there is NO REASON that you can't Grow Bolder. Get started with these links:

Staying Fit channel

Never Too Late channel

Sports channel

And if you need a "buddy" to keep you motivated and accountable, let me know! Share your goals with me and I'll do my best to push you along.