Lessons from
The Biggest Loser What Michelle Aguilar
now knows for sure!
Aguilar, would join the ranks of past weight losers, go on to
become the season 6 winner, but more importantly, break the
cycle of food dependancy and hurt caused by her parents' divorce. These days as the 110 pounds lighter ex contestant, Aguilar
credits her faith in God for her remarkable success. As she
prepares to share her message of hope and challenge more than 10,000 women to shed their emotional baggage [just as she once did], we caught up with the newlywed and a soon to be author
to chats about the lessons learned along the way, her unique
life-transforming experience and how the once “Biggest Loser”
became a woman of faith.
Wilhelmine: Could you tell us about the “Women of Faith”
Michelle:The Women of faith conference tour, is a faith
based women’s organization comprised of real women sharing real
stories [in a honest yet humorous way] of how God has helped
them to deal with real issues. The tour is a great event were you
and your friends can obtain books, resources, and other things
that encourage women of all ages and in any stage of their lives.
Wilhelmine: How did you become involved?
Michelle: I actually got involved when one of their organization
leaders came to an engagement where I was speaking, and
gathered from there that I was somebody that her organization
would be interested in. Following that, the organization wanted to
know more about me and so I was able to come out to a women
of faith tour event and mix and mingle with the ladies.
hen she tipped the scales at a whopping 242 pounds on the set of “The Biggest Loser”, little
did she know, how this seemingly daring act would forever change her life's path. As a contestant on the wildly popular reality show,
W
Wilhelmine: You participated and subsequently became
the winner of season 6 of “The Biggest Loser”. What was
the experience like?
Michelle: For me The biggest loser was a dynamic way to get
to the core issues in my life. I got on there thinking that I was
only going to lose the weight, not realizing that it would be so
much more. It was an opportunity to look at myself free from
distractions of everyday life and really focus on me. It was a great
experience and it taught me a lot about myself. It helped me find
the voice that I was suppressing for a longtime and also helped
me overcome the weight loss struggle.
Wilhelmine: When and why did your struggle with food
begin, and how did you overcome it?
Michelle: I started to put on weight after my parents’ divorce
and I turned to food for comfort, which is something that I think
a lot of women find themselves doing. It was an easy thing to
do and overtime it took control of me. I thought that I could
handle it but I could not, because I didn't really have a good
foundation of nutrition and exercise, and so it became a thing
were eating food became a really bad toxic thing in my life.
Wilhelmine: What significant life lessons did you come
away with from the time spent on the “Biggest loser”?
Michelle: Well, I learned that for me, weight is something that
I will struggle with for the rest of my life. But I also learned, that
there are reasons and triggers why I turn to food and if I can
get a hold of those things before turning to food, then I am in
a much better place. Now, I realize that food is for fuel and that
its one of those things that I have got to control. In the end the
biggest step for me was learning that food did not have control
over me, that I could make better food choices and I could live
a normal life.
Wilhelmine: Outside of losing an incredible 110 pounds.
What has been the biggest change since being on
the show?
Michelle: Aside from the weight loss, it really has been about
living life to the fullest. Before, I was able to mask the pain with
a smile without really reaching out to people and let them know
my true feelings. Since the show, I have been able to rely on
friends for advice and put faith in my family for help as well.
I know now that I can handle a bad day and it's okay to not be
perfect. That was a huge lesson; not only was I not perfect but
it was okay.
Wilhelmine: What words of encouragement and inspiration
could you share with those who are now in the midst of
the struggle with weight?
Michelle: For those men and women who are struggling with
weight I say: You have got to start slow and you have got to start
somewhere. For me I focus on doing things everyday that become
habit forming in a positive way. So if you can do better today than
you did yesterday and do better tomorrow than you did today
then it can become an overall life changer rather than some sort
of quick fix. So for those out there who are looking to make
changes, you must first believe that you can. Just remember to
start slow and overtime those changes can affect the rest of
your life.
Wilhelmine: What is your relationship with mom like
these days?
Michelle: My relationship with my mom is great. We needed that
time together to rebuild and to develop a new friendship. Due to
the divorce and other things, we had lost so much time. The time
on the show was great and since then we have continued to communicate. I am glad that we have not lost sight of what we
learned on the ranch.
Wilhelmine: Do you still work out with the same intensity
as you did while on the show? If so, what sort of regimen
do you keep?
Michelle: I think that the time on the show was a little bit un-
realistic, given the fact that people have lives and jobs and things.
I absolutely keep a plan in place and I have a team of people to
keep me on track. I am able to get to the gym about four days
a week and it is pretty realistic for me and my life. When I can
do more, I do more, and when sometimes I have to do less, I am
able to make up for it on the days that I am there.
Wilhelmine: Has your diet changed dramatically, and if
so, how?
Michelle: The diet is about finding foods that are better for me.
I just don’t reach for the next thing on the go and eat it. In the
past, I would snack on any food and didn’t care what was in it,
but now I really look at the following: What are the ingredients?
Can I put this in my body? Can it be something that my body will
respond to in a positive way? So yes, now I definitely have a
much better approach to it.
Wilhelmine: What was the most surprising thing you
leaned about yourself while being on the show?
Michelle: The most surprising thing was that I was stronger than
I thought I was. And that I have the ability to learn more than I
thought I could learn. I never thought that I would want to win
the show. I just simply committed to it and did not lose sight of it
and really surprised myself in the end.
Wilhelmine: What's life like today for Michelle Aguilar?
Michelle: Life is great! I am enjoying life to the fullest and I
am happily married. I am somebody who is not defined by what
the scale says and what the pants size says. I realize now that
I am so much more and that is such a freeing place to be on an
emotional and mental front. I get to travel, speak to women, and
meet people all over the world. I am very much looking forward
to what the future holds for me.
Wilhelmine: What's next for Michelle Aguilar?
Michelle: Hopefully, what’s next is a book! I was kind of appre-
hensive in the beginning but I realized that a book can go places
that I cannot. I am looking forward to writing and continuing to
learn through the writing process. Hopefully, in the fall, Michelle
will be an author. This will be so weird yet so cool.
