By Kerri Sheehan
Sometimes, being a loser really can make you a winner! Lisa Rambo learned that truth when she was chosen to compete on NBC’s reality show The Biggest Loser during season 14. Unless you have been hiding under a box of Twinkies, you probably know that the show chronicles the journey of overweight contestants who attempt to lose the most weight in hopes of getting healthy and winning a cash prize.
Although Rambo was eliminated from the competition during week five, the show offered a $100,000 at-home prize and Rambo tried her hardest to win it. But, when she re-entered the real world, the 37-year-old mother of four returned to work full-time as a special education assistant, and felt the pressure of keeping up with the contestants still living at The Biggest Loser Ranch.
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Even so, she stuck to what she had learned at the ranch and 80 percent of the total weight she lost was after she left the show. In the end Rambo was runner-up for the at-home prize, losing to competitor Gina McDonald by only a few pounds. Still, she was able to manage the needs of her family while simultaneously taking care of herself. “There is no magic pill. It takes some hard work and dedication, but it’s worth every bit of it,” she says of her fight to get fit. In order to reach her weight loss goals, she worked out six days a week, usually an hour and a half before work and two hours after work.
Rambo’s weight loss efforts inspired her husband to shed some extra pounds as well, and as a result, her whole family adopted a healthier lifestyle. She admits that since their weight loss began they haven’t had very many date nights, but they do enjoy the occasional sushi outing with live music. When losing weight with your partner a balance of seriousness and fun is key to keeping your relationship in tact. In addition they have run a few races together and also completed a 12-mile Tough Mudder off-road run and they’re both excited about how they feel since tightening their belts: confident and joyful. “We’ve lost over 180 pounds together but have gained true strength and great courage.”
In order to get her family to this place, she had to completely overhaul their routine. According to Rambo, “The first thing I did was clean out our kitchen and turn our home into a safe place. The changes then became the new normal for the whole family.”
Her husband and children are now far more active too. They have run in a number of events together, and Rambo will soon run her first half marathon with her mom, sister, and daughter in tow. The newly-annointed health food queen suggests this advice to parents looking to shift their family’s lifestyle: “Stick with it and know that your kids will adapt. They’ll also start to crave what they eat. It’ll take time for them to acquire new cravings, but it’s worth it.”
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It’s no secret that the former Biggest Loser contestant has put in a lot of hard work to get to where she is today — even before she appeared on the realty show. In fact, last season wasn’t her first attempt to get cast. She auditioned twice before for seasons 10 and 11, and her inspiration for auditioning this time around was her sister. “She was positive that I was exactly what they were looking for. Her encouragement kept me in it!”
Rambo hopes that her own story will inspire others. “I was always one Monday from the next best diet.” Follow Rambo’s example and make that Monday today so you and your significant other can get on the path to being jolly and fit now. Instead of settling with the way you are, she recommends setting goals for the journey to your happy place. She often found herself reaching mental plateaus, meaning that she would lose 50 or 75 pounds and consider calling it quits. However, after losing over 100 pounds, she realized that she often settled for less than what was possible. She reminds hopeful contestants, “Don’t quit, reach your goal, get your win, and don’t go back!”
Be sure to tune in for next week’s premiere of season 15 of The Biggest Loser on Tuesday, October 15th on NBC at 8/7c! Rambo will be attending The Biggest Loser Walk/Run on October 20th in Eau Clair, Wisconsin, and she will be running in the New York City marathon this November. To see what else Rambo has cooking in her kitchen, you can read her blog, losingitwithlisa.com, or follow her on Twitter @LisaRambo.
