Posted on 03/12/2009 by Gina and Cast Interviews
by David McAlpine & Gina Scarpa
On this week's episode of The Biggest Loser: Couples, Mandi shocked the other contestants when she stepped on the scale at weigh-in and posted a +2. Her trainer, Bob Harper, attributed it to the stress of the competition - the twists in the game and the fact that she had to leave her family behind to be on the show. In the elimination room, Mandi decided to sacrifice herself to ensure that her sister and partner Aubrey could stay in the game. Since leaving the ranch, Mandi has lost 84 pounds and today, she spoke to RealityWanted in an exclusive interview about her experiences on The Biggest Loser.
Q. David, RealityWanted: Why did you try out for the Biggest Loser? Whose idea was it?
A. Mandi: It was Aubrey’s idea to try out. I tried out because I realized I was living a ho-hum life, not happy with myself or the way my life was headed.
Q. David, RealityWanted: How did you deal with Aubrey being gone for the first 30 days?
A. Mandi: I really just focused on my workouts. I bonded well with Tara – she was the one who pushed me, and I really just tried to focus on myself.
Q. David, RealityWanted: Which trainer did you prefer, Bob or Jillian? Was it hard making the transition from Jillian to Bob after the teams were dissolved?
A. Mandi: I like both of them. I think the difference is that for Jillian you work hard because you want to win the game, and for Bob you work hard because you want to win for yourself. Switching trainers was definitely different but it was actually a lot easier than I anticipated it would be.
Q. David, RealityWanted: How did the game change after the teams were dissolved and many players were forced to switch trainers?
A. Mandi: It was hard to step in and try to bond with each other because we all had our old bonds from the original teams.
Q. David, RealityWanted: What was the biggest challenge you faced while on the show?
A. Mandi: Being away from my family. I really did cry a lot.
Q. David, RealityWanted: You've made great progress after the show. What are you doing at home to reach your goal of a size 2 by finale night?
A. Mandi: I’m working with two trainers at home and exercising 2-3 hours a day and watching everything that goes into my mouth.
The Biggest Loser: Couples airs Tuesday nights at 8pm ET on NBC.
(Image courtesy of NBC)
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