When the Answer is…Wait

There’s really nothing easy in life. Whether it be losing 100 pounds or changing careers or choosing a new school for a child.

My family has been undergoing a lot of transitions recently. We’re faced with many important decisions. And we’ve really been seeking God for answers. And still, we wait. Do you ever find yourself in that position?

I’ve heard a lot of sayings over the years that should serve as some comfort. Things like, “waiting times are not wasted times” and “delayed blessings are not necessarily denied blessings.”

I guess it’s then when you really have to dig in deep to find your faith. Live your faith. And you have to trust that the God who created you is big enough, strong enough and capable enough to guide you in the right direction. Actually, it’s never God I doubt; it’s myself. It’s wonderful when He makes things so obviously clear that there’s no denying it’s His will.

When I was cast on The Biggest Loser up against hundreds of thousands of other applicants, it was obviously God’s will for my life. When I was able to work hard and lose the weight that had held me back for so much of my life—God’s will. When we were able to jump through so many hoops and cut effortlessly through red tape to execute the adoption of our precious little boy quickly and smoothly, it was obviously God’s hand at work.

So what about when things don’t fall so precisely into place? What then?

What if you have a weight-loss goal and the scale isn’t budging? You know it’s in God’s will to lose weight and get healthy and be a good steward of the body He gave you.

What if you have a goal to break a bad habit or make a positive personal change? But you can’t seem to conquer it and instead you are filled with anxiety and defeat.

It’s then that what we are truly made of comes through. I find scripture to be very enlightening and helpful during these times. God’s Word is more than just a little pat on the back and the utterance of a cliché from a well-meaning friend. If we can wrap our minds around the power and truth of scripture I think we can all draw great strength during these waiting, anxious times.

Here are two in particular that are blessing me at this crazy time in life. I share them with you in the hope that whatever struggle you may be facing will be made better by resting on these same promises from God.

• “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
• “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)

As you read this, my wish is that you’ll be encouraged if you, too, happen to be going through some “waiting times.” Be sure that God has a wonderful plan for your life! Stay strong in your faith and it will come to pass.

Casting Advice: “The Biggest Loser”

One of the questions I get the most from Biggest Loser fans and those who aspire to be on the show, is “Do you have any advice on HOW to get cast?”

I can only tell you what I did and what worked for me; but I decided to put that information into a blog in the hopes of answering the question.

First of all, let me state that “The Biggest Loser” was life-changing for me! And I believe it was part of God’s plan for my life. BUT…(and this is really important to know and believe) it is NOT the only way to lose weight, get healthy and take your life back. Far from it. In fact, (and I mean no offense my BL family when I say this) it’s the people on the street who I meet who have done it on their own that are my biggest inspirations.

Having said that, I believe the first step in the BL casting process must be a soul-searching exercise.

It’s tough to comprehend how difficult the process is. You must be prepared to be away from your family, friends, home, job, all the comforts and securities in your life for as much as four months. It’s not just a physically excruciating journey – it’s a mental, emotional and spiritual one too. And it’s harder than anything I’ve ever done in my life.

If after you do some serious introspection, you believe in your heart that it’s the right thing to pursue, then I think by all means you should do it with gusto!

Although I’ve always said there’s no “key formula” to getting cast on The Biggest Loser, I do believe that there are some things that casting executives are probably looking for. I mean, aside from all the serious health benefits to the show; it is at its core a television show. 

Like I said, I’m no expert; but this is what I would recommend based on my own experience:

• Everyone has a story. Know yours’ and be prepared to share it, and share it well.
  For me, I was just a stay-at-home mom who dug a hole of obesity five pounds at a time. I didn’t believe there was anything significant about me. But it turns out that was not just my story; but the same story millions of women share. In an effort to put everyone and everything else ahead of myself; I neglected myself. I saw The Biggest Loser as an opportunity to reclaim MORE than just the life I had lost. I wanted to have the life I had never really known, but always dreamed of. I knew my story, as unglamourous as it may have been.
•  Be ready to passionately share WHY you need the Biggest Loser experience.
  I shared everyting “fat” had stolen from my life: the missed opportunities, the low self esteem, the negative effect it had on every relationship in my life.  I was at a point of desperation and I made no apologies for how I thought The Biggest Loser opportunity was critical for my future. It’s also important to note that if selected, you will be an advocate for the BL brand. You must be on board with their mission and be ready to be an enthusiastic advocate for it. 
• Be ready to passionately share WHY THEY NEED YOU!
  Let’s face it, there are millions of people who want to be a part of this process. So be prepared to convince them that selecting you would be a win-win deal.
• Be friendly, funny and sincere.
  Let your personality shine through.  You can probably remember contestants over the years that won America’s collective heart for one reason or another.  Be engaging and check your attitude at the door.
• Have an audition video.
  Although the casting process doesn’t  require a video submission, I think a visual supplement to your application can only help. There are people who watch all of those videos. And so you will need a HOOK within the first ten seconds of your video; something to make them want to keep watching.
• Have some good photos of yourself that will catch a casting exec’s eye.
  You will need the good, the bad and the ugly. Have some great photos of you at your thinnest and at your heaviest. I think it’s a great thing to show them a photo of yourself at a weight similar to how you’ll look at the Finale. I think that’s a terrific indication of how great (healthy) you can look at the end of this process.

Don’t get discouraged whatever the results are. The casting process for me took about a year. That’s a long time to be in limbo. But you can’t get off track from your goal of getting healthy and losing the weight that’s holding you back (and I mean both the literal and the metaphorical weight). I know of several Biggest Loser contestants that auditioned for a particular season, but ended up being called back for a subsequent season. So a “no” right now, doesn’t mean the door is closed forever.

If you believe The Biggest Loser may be a part of your journey, then I whole-heartedly encourage you to pursue it with all you’ve got. It can be a part of your story that will change you forever. But regardless of whether your casting experience results in a spot on the show or not, always believe that you are WORTH the effort to do anything you want to do – and you are WORTH living the life of your dreams whether The Biggest Loser is a part of it or not.