Here is how things used to be way back on Season 2.  Jillian was on the ranch almost daily and as Bill Germanakos says “We could not get her to go home!”  While there, she spent time training us contestants in groups of 2 for a couple hours each group.  So at the very least she was there for approximately 6 hours each day training.  However on most days she was there much longer for filming and challenges etc. A reality show can be very boring behind the scenes.

It was during this extra time that she built a relationship with us contestants.  At the dinner table and down time was when she got to know us and our lives and what made us tick and what motivated us and eventually when we were slacking off.  It was during these extra times that she even gave us special instruction on nutrition and exercise.  We also got to know her and would talk about everything from relationships to her house hunting to her motorcycles.  We even developed nicknames for each other (I wont reveal those here since people just wouldn’t understand

It was during one of these down times that she even tried to cut my hair!  She tried to have the other guys hold me down so she could clip my air.   As soon as she flicked on the clippers I bucked her off onto the floor and threw three fellas off me as well.  She got a tidy bruise on her rear end for that one!

At one point during Season Two NBC was consecutively filming Season Two and The Biggest Loser Special Edition (Military Wives, Engaged Couples etc). We were under strict orders not to use the gym while the special edition contestants were in there with cameras and not to interfere with the filming of the other show.  It was during this time that Matt Hoover found out that his Uncle had died.  It was an especially emotional time for him as you might imagine and our immediate response was to yell out the balcony window for Jillian to come quickly because one of us needed her – right while she was filming the other show.  Jillian’s immediate response was to cut her lines short and literally run from the other set and comfort Matt during one of his worst times on the ranch. The cameras who were not filming our show that day were diverted to come over to the balcony and catch part of the scene.  But it was not something contrived for the cameras.  It was a moment when someone needed help and Jillian was immediately there. Because she had a relationship with us. You see we knew Jillian cared for us. Because she cared for us she earned the right to challenge and say certain things to you that the average trainer has not earned.

Then in the gym Jillian was a genius. You learned this the longer you stayed around her. The gym was her territory and her knowledge was far superior to nearly eveyone else in her field.  

But again her knowledge alone is not enough for her yell at us.  As my Pastor says, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.  She could yell because she had proven herself outside of the gym by spending that time to develop that relationship with us.   She earned the right to yell at you because you knew this was not out of meanness but because deep down this psycho lady must be seing something you don’t see.

And it is because we knew Jillian and that she knew her subject that we would do whatever she asked us to do in the gym.  If Jillian had asked me to jump off of the roof of the gym I would have trusted her that I could do it. That type of trust comes from time outside of the gym building relationship.  If Jillian had asked me to jump off the roof it would have only been because she knew that I could do.  That only comes from one on one time with us in the gym observing and pushing each of us.

One day I remember Jillian getting pissed off that we were ‘slacking’ in the gym and she immediately knew from our effort that we had been eating poorly (we did not want to admit to it at first but it was true).  She threw a cursing tirade and canceled the workout and made us go eat and walked out of the gym.  We valued our workouts with her so much that there was never a problem ‘fueling the machine’ after that.  I later learned that working out in that state would have been conter prodcutive. If Jillian was just a psycho then she would have pushed us even though it would have been ineffective. Instead she did what a pro does, the right thing, by cancelling the workout.

In some regards Jillian was the producers enemy and in conflict with the show itself – The producers would constantly try to interrupt the workouts with interviews and other show related ‘stuff’.  Jillian would vehemently oppose these interruptions when they were during her time to train us.  She would even yell and curse the poor production assistant that tried in vain to drag us away from the gym. We were all that mattered to her. Now I am not a fool either and our success leads to her success but the equation has to start somewhere.

So in the gym it was all about focus and effort.  If you were slacking you got yelled at for slacking. Point Blank. And rightly so.  Normal trainers have to build relationships during the actual training sessions on many occasions. That is super hard!

But does she have to yell? To understand this a little more think of the relationship that a Sports Coach has with his players or how much time a Drill Sargent spends with his troops and you get the picture of why we allowed the yelling.  Literally peoples lives were on the line.  Yours and your teammates.  Think about this.  If you slacked off in the gym then your team could drop below the line and someone would go home.  Had the person voted to go home learned enough to make a lifelong change?  Remember, prior to the ranch we were literally eating oursleves to death.  This is not normal behavior. If we were voted off would we keep up the effort or go back to our old selves and die early from obesity?  Who knows?  Better not to be up for elimination at all. The only way for that to happen is not to slack off in the first place.

When a 29 year old 470+ lb woman wants to quit in the middle of a workout at Fat Loss University or Weight Loss Heaven, there are really only two choices, 1 – Do like everyone else and feel sorry for her and let her go, or 2 – try right then, to get through to her in a way no one else would. You might have to scream or yell at her to try to stimulate something deep within her.  A buried sense of self-pride maybe, a sense of competition maybe, a sense of determiniation maybe.  But in that moment the worst possible thing that Jillian or anyone else could do is let her have her way. Everyone else in her life already does that.  And it is killing you as you eat yourself to death.  I know because I have been there.

Now I will admit that over time things have changed.  The show has grown exponentially and the demands on everyone have changed. Contracts get renegotiated and now some things are handled in front of the camera that normally would be handled at the dinner table.  The trainers dont mess with the production like they use to etc.  As I watched the premier I was even thinking that Bob and Jillian are way more dramatic than normal.  But in my day the contestants really did not notice the yelling or the nicknames etc.  Nowadays Jillian and Bob have a track record of results that speak volumes for them so they are granted more leeway from the contestants and may not spend as time on relationships as they did in our day.  And as the show has grown contestants sort of know what is coming so Bob and Jillian have to adapt as well.  And yes it is a tv show.

At the end of the day you probably need someone to get you out of your comfort zone more than allow you to stay in it.  Especially if it is a matter of life and death.

Talk To You Soon and Remember,

There’s A Winner Within You!

Check out this interview that Jessica Nunez of Mlive.com did with Helen Phillips, Ron Morelli and Carla Triplett. Michigan rocks! Enjoy.

Click Here

Talk to you soon and remember,

There’s A Winner Within You!

In this post I will endeavor to give you an overview of what to expect at the actual Open Casting Call for NBC’s The Biggest Loser. Actual tips are still to come this week so if you have been already been to an open call then please add your comments below to assist others.

To start off with remember that your goal will be to shine enough in the open casting call that you get a private call back with the Casting Directors.

But before you meet the Casting Directors you will be waiting in line for hours! You really can’t get around it outside of getting a VIP pass. Even with a pass you may have to wait for quite a while. The line will wind its way through or around the location and you may or may not be able to sit down. Bringing a collapsible chair is not a bad ideal. More importantly, make friends, talk to people and have fun. Enjoy yourself and get to know the people around you. Heck, bring a board game if you have one.

You will notice production assistants that have been hired to lend a hand and manage the crowd etc. Listen to the assistants as they will direct you where to go, where to stand etc. They will probably not be able to provide you with any tips and if your reading this you will have all you need. Now if any former contestants are there then of course they will be able to give you some tips so tell them I told you to ask them for tips!

At some point you will finally be positioned to go into the interview area in groups. The interview area in Michigan will simply be a larger open area where there will be a couple of long tables positioned. See the pictures in this post. Once it is your turn you will be directed to sit at one of the two tables. The setup at some locations will require everyone to stand. In Michigan you may be asked to have a seat and move down so everyone can have a seat. If you coming with a teammate be sure to sit down next to them. There is no best seat. I have seen people be called back for a private casting interview from every position at the table.

You will then be asked to take your application paperwork and pictures and turn them away from you and toward the casting directors so that the casting directors can see them. Again, the casting directors need to see your pictures and then read your name so place your pictures on top of the application with your name on the application exposed. Don’t worry if you don’t remember this step as the Casting Directors will direct you and adjust the paperwork as necessary. But do not forget to bring good pictures. This is VERY important! Bring very clear very good pictures, that you can leave behind! Headshots or a full body pic where your face is clearly seen work best. If you have a cute pic from when you were young then that is great as well.

The rest varies by Casting Directors. Everyone may be asked to state their name, occupation and where they are from. This is your first (and for some the only) chance to be heard. Speak loud and clear and you will do fine. Do not look to dominate the conversation as the CD’s have to get through everyone. However, if you do have something witty then add it in. For example, if I would have gone to a casting call when I was 416 I might have said something like ‘My name is Pete Thomas and I am a big sexy brother from the great state of Michigan and my occupation is getting all this weight off!’ Now to be honest you will not lose points for not being witty but it does help to know that you can talk!

The casting director may then give you some insider information about the upcoming season of the show. This will be info that is as good as gold and probably is not even public.

Ok – this post is getting too long

For the whole series of articles click here

Talk to you soon and remember,

There’s a Winner Within You!

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The BIG THREE

I have included this audio file for you to listen to so you can maximize your Open Casting Call Experience.

Here are the BIG THREE summarized.

1. Your Look – Come looking beautiful or handsome. Men (and women) should come shaven and looking neat, clean and beautiful. If you’re a slob this is the wrong show for you. We may be fat but you should still have a level of self confidence and respect that shows through in how you carry yourself.  No need to dress for a wedding but Erik from Season 3 bought new clothes. listen to his interview.
2. Your Team – Think about this; Who has a stronger team ’story’ – Two Fat Camp Counselors or Two Third Cousins? Get it? How you ‘relate’ to your teammate makes a big difference since this is part of your story. If you’re an individual don’t worry about this since even on ‘team’ seasons there may be some twist that gets you on the show (think Bernie and Brittany from Season 4). Quick thought – Why haven’t I ever seen a team of 3 or more on the show? 4 fat family members maybe? Hmmm – sounds like an option for someone out there to try!
3. Your Job – Assassins need not apply. Interesting or regular jobs only please.

For the whole series of articles click here

Talk to you soon and remember,

There’s a Winner Within You!

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If you did not know already, The Biggest Loser is a reality game show and big money is on the line.  At last weeks elimination the Blue team cousins of Sione and Felipe Fa were in conflict with the Father-Son Brown team of Mike and Ron Morelli. Ron did not pull any punches this week in sharing his disdain for the Blue team and promised to lay down the law, Godfather style.  I almost expected to see a Tommy gun appear from beneath Ron’s sexy rolls as NBC played up this stereotype.

Coming into this weeks show the contestants are informed that will not be getting a vote in this weeks weigh-in unless they win the magic Golden Ticket by eating through an amazing amount of junk food in the most calorically challenging temptation in the shows history.  One person will decide the fate of the contestants that drop below the yellow line.  That is a lot of power and most of the contestants jump (well hop) for the chance to gorge for the power.  I thought I was watching a post finale buffet as everyone but Kristen enjoyed a gastrointestinal poisoning fit for a casting video.

In the end Sione was sent home peacefully and in today’s conference call he explained how Ron controlled the game.  Sione says that initially all of Bob’s old team members agreed to form an alliance but he realized that Ron’s ‘alliance to us was not that strong’.  Sione maintains a great attitude about the situation and says that he ‘harbors no hard feelings’.  I wonder if I could pitch that show to a network – the Tongans vs the Italians.  What would I call it…?

Sione is now at home working to help his family lose weight by studying to become a trainer and sharing his Biggest Loser experience with his family members.  His brother has lost 40lbs and his sister has lost 12lbs with his guidance.

“The time on the Biggest Loser ranch is as much emotional as it is physical” says Sione as he shared with me the many breakthroughs he experienced on the show.  “I realized I had a pattern of quitting something to start something else”.

The 24 hour bike challenge helped him switch to “finish mode” while the car pulling challenge showed him he needed to “pace himself” instead of just taking off after something.  Finally he shared how the 1/2 marathon showed him that he can do “amazing” things.

We look forward to seeing him at the Biggest Loser finale in May looking like half the Tongan he used to be.
Watch and check out John’s blog.

Talk to You Soon and Remember,

There’s A Winner Within You!

As I predicted, the teams are being changed around again. Sweet!  Watch and check out John’s blog.

Talk to You Soon and Remember,

There’s A Winner Within You!

WE WANT CERTIFIED TRAINERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH OVERWEIGHT CLIENTS.

IF YOU HAVE A STRONG PERSONALITY AND AN AMAZING TRACK RECORD OF TAKING THE WEIGHT OFF YOUR CLIENTS, THEN COME AUDITION TO BE PART OF THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL WEIGHTLOSS SHOW ON TELEVISION.

* YOU MUST BE CERTIFIED
* YOU MUST PROVIDE REFERENCES
* NUTRITIONAL CREDENTIALS ARE A PLUS

PLEASE NOTE: March 31st is the deadline for submitting tapes and applications. There is no guarantee that tapes and applications received after the March 31st will be reviewed in time for season 8.

TO AUDITION: ATTEND A BIGGEST LOSER OPEN CALL IN YOUR AREA!

COME AUDITION FOR SEASON 8 AT ONE OF OUR OPEN CALLS LISTED BELOW:

(Pete says: Trainers have had their own separate waiting area and have not had to wait for hours like other contestants.)

We will do our best to see the first 500 people in line. Please do not line up more than 3 hours before the start time. Please bring a non-returnable photo of yourself.

MARCH 7th

HOUSTON
10am – 5pm
Dave and Buster’s
(Marq*E Center off of I-10 & Silber)
7620 Katy Freeway #100
Houston, TX 77024

MIAMI
10am – 5pm
The Shops at Midtown Miami
Fountain Plaza
3401 N. Miami Ave.
Miami, FL 33127

COLUMBUS
10am – 5pm
Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe
1421 Olentangy River Rd
Columbus, OH 43212

PHOENIX
10 am – 5 pm
US Airways Center
201 E. Jefferson St
Phoenix, AZ 85004
MARCH 14th

LOS ANGELES
10 am – 5 pm
CITADEL OUTLETS
100 Citadel Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90040

SAN DIEGO
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Liberty Station Conference Center
2600 Laning Rd.
San Diego, CA 92106

* You must be at least 18 years of age and a legal resident of the U.S.

WOW! What a week! I am here at 10pm at the Book Cadillac Hotel in Downtown Detroit as the Casting Directors wrap up interviewing their last two potential Biggest Loser contestants. Thankfully these two ladies are hillarious so the time should fly by.

On last Saturday over 1,100 people came out and braved 17 degree weather for over 6 plus hours. Oh and that’s just to get inside the door! It is a minimum of another 2 hours inside. Approximately 30 people were called back for private on-camera interviews.

Enjoy the pictures and the video and come out to the casting call in your area. By the way, it takes time and effort to put together these pictures and videos etc. I do not get paid by NBC. Reward me by taking all the information and tips from this site and do a great job in the casting process and then get on the show and change your life!

For all the casting tips click on the casting category of my blog.

Talk to you soon and remember,

There’s A Winner Within You!

I am doing weekly video updates on the current season for my buddy John Gonzalez of the Grand Rapids Press and his Going Gonzo Blog over at mlive.com.

This week the contestants are so bored that they play in the mud!  And they also get locked out of the gym, have to row for their lives, nearly die at the beach and then one of our Michigan teams fall below the yellow line! Auuuggghhhhh!  Lots of good stuff and check out my Biggest Loser Casting call tips on this website.  Have a watch and check out John’s blog.

Talk to You Soon and Remember,

There’s A Winner Within You!

Pete Thomas

In this post I will endeavor to give you an overview of what to expect at the actual Open Casting Call for NBC’s The Biggest Loser. Actual tips are still to come this week so if you have been already been to an open call then please add your comments below to assist others.

In the last post I explained how what happens next varies by Casting Director.

As your sitting (or standing) in the actual interview area you may be asked some questions about the show; Who’s your favorite trainer? Bob or Jillian? What changes would you like to see on the show and so on. Will there ever be a female Biggest Loser etc etc. Intelligent answers are always best. The CD’s know if you’re a dumb, dumb just trying to stir up the pot.

You may be asked to debate with the other people at the table. Let your natural personality shine through. If you are quick witted or sharp tongue then let it fly. Your banking on yourself so be yourself. If you’re a quiet person then I hope you look gorgeous because quiet people usually don’t get cast easily.

If you have some special talent like singing or playing harmonica then let it rip. But don’t take up a lot of time with it! Be concise. It probably will not get you on the show if nothing else is going for you but hey have a little fun while your there.

Once in a while the CD’s may spend more time at one end of the table or another. They may spend more time talking to one person or team or another. It does not mean anything in particular so don’t take it personally or read too much into it. Focus on doing your best and you will be fine.

At the end the CD’s may give you more instructions about the private call back process (I have a completely separate set of advice I give people for the private call backs) and you will be thanked for coming out and instructed where to exit. The entire time you sit (or stand) in front of the CD’s may range from approx 2 minutes up to 10 minutes but on average it will take about 4-10 minutes. Later in the day it may only take 2 minutes do cover everything above.

Once you have left the area your application will go into one of three piles: ‘Everyone’, ‘Potential callbacks’ and ‘Definite callbacks’ (my terms). If you are in the ‘Definite Callback’ pile someone will call you or your teammate to setup a time when you can come back and interview, in private, with the Casting Directors. That call may come within minutes of you leaving the casting call area or within hours and on a few occasions a day or so later. So, the first thing you should do upon leaving the area is turn on your phone. Even if you’re leaving the city or state make sure your phone is turned on.

I know of some people who missed their call back appointment when A) they could not be reached when we called them B) they could not figure out the time they and their teammate could come back or C) they could not get back in touch with someone when they called back into the casting director or assistant. Calling back to the Casting Directors or assistant is a very difficult process since they are very busy and an assistant may be making calls out while you’re calling in. We could not always answer the phone when they called back. I know that sucks. The answer is to be ready! Take the call and be ready to set an appointment. If you’re not ready then all available interview slots may be taken and you will miss your opportunity. Be ready!

Speaking of appointments. The vast majority of actual phone calls for Call Back appointments are made during the Open Casting Call (typically Saturdays). They are scheduled for one of the three days following the open casting call (Typically Sunday – Tuesday). If everyone in the ‘Definite Callback’ pile has not been scheduled on Open Call Day then the CD’s themselves will call or email people later that night or the next couple days. Keep your phone on and check email regularly. The CD’s have even had me personally call and set appointments with people 2 days after the casting call. One team was given a special last hour appointment and ended up making it to seclusion in California.
Next Post – More Tips

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Check back soon and remember,

There’s a Winner Within You!