Posted on 10/11/2010 by Gina in The Biggest Loser and Cast Interviews
by Gina Scarpa
Last week on The Biggest Loser, the pressure of the competition because too much for Tina Elliott. After narrowly escaping elimination the week before, she asked her fellow contestants to vote her out. Despite trainer Bob Harper's efforts to keep her in the game, Tina ended up falling below the yellow line and was unanimously voted off of the ranch. Today, we caught up with Tina in an exclusive interview about her experiences on The Biggest Loser and her weight loss progress at home.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What made you decide to try out for The Biggest Loser this season?
A. Tina: When I went for my yearly exam and found out I had high blood pressure. I knew it was now or never if I did not want to end up with all of the other diseases that accompany high blood pressure.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How different was it to actually go through the workouts with Bob and Jillian as opposed to watching it on tv?
A. Tina: The workouts were 10 times harder when actually on the ranch. I know when I watched the show, it looked brutal but I thought they must take breaks and just do not show it. Boy was I surprised, there were no breaks! Bob and Jillian are wonderful people and very passionate about what they do. They not only want to help the contestants to get healthy but all of America. I have the utmost respect for them.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You started off this past episode talking about how much you wanted to go home. What was going through your mind?
A. Tina: I know it is easy to sit back and watch the show and judge. I can tell you now, after being a contestant myself, that I will never do that again. I was emotionally exhausted as well as physically exhausted. I missed my family and their support more than I ever could have imagined.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Do you feel that your fellow contestants and your trainers were listening to you? There seemed to be a lot of anger at the idea that you wanted to leave.
A. Tina: Yes, I feel they were listening to me. I just think they felt I was sending them mixed messages so I understand their anger. But I can tell you this. I was not being a game player. In fact, that was probably my biggest problem. I really did not know how to play the game and after seeing the third show and the alliance between Fredo, Mark, and Patrick so early on, that was surprising . I definitely think the show is cut out for a certain kind of person and maybe as it turns out, I was not the one. But I did my best and I am thankful for all it has done for me and putting my life back on track.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What was the biggest factor in you falling below the yellow line?
A. Tina: I don't think my body was getting enough rest at night with the amount of exercise we were doing. You can sometimes over exercise and your body will hold on to weight. Plus my emotions also played a big part in it.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Are there people on the ranch that are equally as concerned with "playing the game" as they are with losing weight?
A. Tina: I am sure there were. However, I was gone before most of that really got started.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You did a great job losing weight at home. What did you do to get where you are?
A. Tina: I have been working out 6 days a week, eating clean organic food, and getting lots of rest at night.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Do you have a goal for finale night?
A. Tina: I am hoping to reach 150 by finale.
The Biggest Loser airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC.
(Image courtesy of NBC)
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